Gift Exchange

[Alamogirl]

Thanks everyone for the responses!!!

I am from Florida, not too far from the port, so we will be driving in.

I have a few things in mind, but I am enjoying reading the ideas and what others have given and received in the past.

 

Ellen

 

Someone on our last cruise got smoked gator from FL. I have received local wine, charms, even a sleep shirt at some gift exchanges.

[frito58]

We did fun things , my wife made chocolate peanut butter buckeyes to share , one guy brought us german beer to try, he got them through somehow. One couple brought some potato chips from England since I work for Frito-Lay. I got some Lanyards and bottle openers from my friends at Budweiser to pass out.

[Alamogirl]

Although DH and I have been on 13 cruises (all RCCL) this cruise in Jan. is the first one we have signed up for a M&M, and this is the first I've ever heard of a gift exchange. Please enlighten me on how it works and how to initiate one . Thanks

 

Have done one on every cruise. One person on the roll call keeps the list, normally lists it under there CC name/postings. We have done all at the M&M. Last year we had a large group that participated and the CD turned the mic over and a name was called and a gift was picked. A lot of fun! We also did a slot pull. Again a list was kept, ours was $20 for 4 $5.00 pulls. We elected to leave any winnings until the end and split.

[wrp96]

Instead of doing it where people chose, last time we did a gift exchange, we read a story about a couple (the Wrights) going on a cruise. We all stood in a circle with our gifts in hand and when you heard the word right or left you shifted the direction the gift was being passed to that direction. That way it was totally random and no one could grab something from someone else.

[Coralc]

Instead of doing it where people chose, last time we did a gift exchange, we read a story about a couple (the Wrights) going on a cruise. We all stood in a circle with our gifts in hand and when you heard the word right or left you shifted the direction the gift was being passed to that direction. That way it was totally random and no one could grab something from someone else.

 

Gosh, that sounds like fun! :D:):D Is there a copy of the story floating around somewhere?

[wrp96]

Gosh, that sounds like fun! :D:):D Is there a copy of the story floating around somewhere?

 

I think my cruise roomie was the one with the story. I'll email her and see if she still has a copy.

[RoofingPrincess]

Here's the story (I based it on a Red Hat Society story written for the same purpose that I found online) - and if it's done properly, you do NOT end up with the gift you brought:

 

Mr. Wright left the hotel room and walked right down to the coffee shop where he saw Mrs. Wright enjoying her breakfast at a table right next to the window. Turning left, he fixed himself a cup of coffee, asking Mrs. Wright if she knew if there were any pastries left.

“You left the light on in the bathroom,” Mr. Wright informed her, “and you left the towels on the floor again. You are not acting right on this vacation.”

Mrs. Wright exclaimed, “I am so rightly excited to be going on this cruise. I am sorry I left the bathroom light on, but housekeeping will pick up the towels I left on the floor. That’s the right thing to do when you want fresh towels or you’re leaving.”

Turning left to look at Mrs. Wright, Mr. Wright said, “Get a hold of yourself, Mrs. Wright, and act right. Why are you spinning around like a top this morning?”

Mrs. Wright told him, “I am so excited about going on this cruise! I want to get right over to the dock first thing, before the check-in lines get too long. But I left the alarm off the clock, and now I am running late. I called Wrona and left a message for her, but I fear she has already left for the pier. If I am not there on time, they might rightly decide that I cannot have priority check-in!”

“Nonsense!” Mr. Wright told Mrs. Wright. “We may have left our car at home, but I have made arrangements for Lefty’s Taxi Service to pick us up and take us right to the cruise terminal. Lefty should be here in ten minutes.”

“Oh, OK!” Mrs. Wright exclaimed. “I just didn’t want to be left out!” Mr. Wright and Mrs. Wright left the coffee shop and went right back to their room.

Mr. Wright was changing into the slacks and shirt Mrs. Wright had left out for him the night before. As he was slipping his left foot into his favorite sneakers, he glanced over at Mrs. Wright, and the smile he had been wearing quickly left his face. Mrs. Wright had taken all of her clothes right out of her suitcase. They were left all over the bed. “Mrs. Wright,” he said, “you cannot go on a cruise Nekkid. It just would not be right.”

“I know you’re right, Mr. Wright,” said Mrs. Wright, “but I cannot decide on just the right thing to wear for our embarkation picture. I want it to look just right.”

“Your dress mustards are always right when you are sailing on the Mustard of the Seas,” Mr. Wright said helpfully. “Please don’t tell me you left them home.”

“You’re right again, Mr. Wright! My dress mustards are right here in the closet!” exclaimed Mrs. Wright. She wiggled right into her yellow pants and tunic.

They quickly packed their suitcases. When they were sure that nothing was left out, Mrs. Wright followed Mr. Wright right out the door and down to the lobby. Lefty was waiting for them at the curb with his taxi, and they left right away for the cruise terminal, and their cruise on the Mustard of the Seas.

[Coralc]

I think my cruise roomie was the one with the story. I'll email her and see if she still has a copy.

 

Thanks Wrona, I don't think I am up for organizing it on this upcoming cruise. (Too many attendees 207) but it would be something fun to have in the cruise file, for future smaller ones.

 

EDIT: Thank you Cindy!!! :D:):D

[wrp96]

Thanks Wrona, I don't think I am up for organizing it on this upcoming cruise. (Too many attendees 207) but it would be something fun to have in the cruise file, for future smaller ones.

 

EDIT: Thank you Cindy!!! :D:):D

 

 

She's quick on the draw.;)

 

Congrats on 7,000 posts BTW!

[Coralc]

Oh my goodness. Too many friends on here (or I chat too much)! :D Thank you very much Cindy. That does sound like a fun exchange. We could actually use it at work Xmas too, for our office party. :D ~Patti :)

[UandMe4Ever]

Instead of doing it where people chose, last time we did a gift exchange, we read a story about a couple (the Wrights) going on a cruise. We all stood in a circle with our gifts in hand and when you heard the word right or left you shifted the direction the gift was being passed to that direction. That way it was totally random and no one could grab something from someone else.

Great Idea! I think we should do that for our M&G on 11/7 Explorer!!! Any thoughts from my fellow cruisers??? Share, share... :-)

[cruzin lady]

I believe we were at the same gift exchange!!! That was absolutely horrible! In actuality, I was supposed to be in charge of the exchange, but it was taken completely over by the one who had #1 and also made up the rule that #1 got to choose a gift at the end. Please, other posters, DO NOT follow that when/if you are running a gift exchange.

 

Gift exchanges, if rules are agreed on before the exchange, are lots of fun.

 

An idea for a little suspense is to take a roll of tickets

(like raffle tickets). Each person takes a ticket, tears it in half, keeps one half, and drops the other half into a

sack. Then numbers are drawn from the hat. That way, nobody knows when his or her number will be called.

 

One gift I received was cute note cards made by a child at MD Anderson who had cancer. It had a fish on

the front. I used them to write thank you notes to our wait team, cabin steward, etc. Also in the sack was a

can of mixed nuts.

 

Have fun in you do an exchange. :)

[Tucker in Texas]

I believe we were at the same gift exchange!!! That was absolutely horrible! In actuality, I was supposed to be in charge of the exchange, but it was taken completely over by the one who had #1 and also made up the rule that #1 got to choose a gift at the end. Please, other posters, DO NOT follow that when/if you are running a gift exchange.

 

Gift exchanges, if rules are agreed on before the exchange, are lots of fun.

 

An idea for a little suspense is to take a roll of tickets

(like raffle tickets). Each person takes a ticket, tears it in half, keeps one half, and drops the other half into a

sack. Then numbers are drawn from the hat. That way, nobody knows when his or her number will be called.

 

One gift I received was cute note cards made by a child at MD Anderson who had cancer. It had a fish on

the front. I used them to write thank you notes to our wait team, cabin steward, etc. Also in the sack was a

can of mixed nuts.

 

Have fun in you do an exchange. :)

 

Yep, you were there. Apparently, the gift came from the $10 selection in one of the ship's shops. My dear husband felt so bad that he was going to go down and buy it for me. Fortunately, he asked me to go down and verify it was the same item. I told him that I really didn't need any more jewelry but the thought was nice. Now if he wanted to spring for something in the fine jewelry shop, I could go for that. He declined (lol).

 

I think the tickets or a number on a piece of paper issued when bringing the gift and put in a bag for drawing works the best.

 

Maybe I'll bring the bath salts the lady gave me. Just kidding, of course.

 

Tucker in Texas

[CruisesOnMyMind]

One of the gift exchanges I was on was quite large. The problem was only a handful put their names on the gift so you did not know from whom your gift came from. So please have everyone put a name (CC or real) on the gift.

I have recieved very nice plates from their home town, calendars, mugs and stationary.

 

My gift I give is a photo of the ship we are on made into puzzle with the name and date written on it. I figure it is very unique. And just to follow the guidelines of giving something from where we live I usually add a calendar, and a recyclable shopping bag with our city name on it.

[cruzgryphon]

At one gift exchange I got a fridge magnet and pack of playing cards (the kind with pictures of a city/region) - I thought both were a great idea, small and useful and easily found in local bookstores.

[jjb415]

[quote name='Perfect Stranger']Count me as another one who's way too busy to be purchasing gifts that might not be used anyway. In addition, I have enough clutter and don't want any more gifts.[/quote]

Thank you, I agree. I thought that I was the only one who wasn't interested in gift exchanges. It is nice though that so many enjoy them !! :)

[ASMYL4U]

Hi,
We've done a swap on the last five cruises. Its always something from your home state. If you pick my gift you can bet it'll have a big red "P" someplace on it,+ I always add candy! I stink on computers so if there is a list for the gift exchange please add Dave and Alda (MrPop & ASMYL4U) 2 gifts