Gift exchange at Meet and Greet

[mimi217]

Our cruise is coming up and we signed up for the meet and greet and gift exchange through our roll call. Just curious about what people buy for these.  My question is what is the best gift you have received or have seen at one of these exchanges. Trying to get ideas.

Thanks in advance.

[denmarks]

The gifts are usually representative of where you live. For example I live in Chico, CA so I give a Sierra Nevada beer mug.

[Essiesmom]

I live near Savannah so I have given a small sampling of Byrd cookies.  But I no longer participate in exchanges because I am traveling carryon only and any space is precious.  EM

[donaldsc]

I would not participate in a M&G that involved a gift exchange.  I go to M&Gs to meet people and to exchange information.  I don't go to get a tacky gift from your home town.  I hardly need a beer mug, some cookies or a cap from your home town minor league baseball team.  Just more junk.

 

DON

[DarrenM]

Mmmmm now what is my town famous for?

 

Pretty sure you wouldnt want used needles as a gift. Broken glass I doubt. Stolen goods?

 

I think I will give this one a miss next cruise.

[Floridiana]

Although I think a gift exchange is a bad idea, I would bring something consumable that does not need to be carried home: beer, wine, cookies etc. 

Edited October 2, 2019 by Floridiana

[WatchHill]

I have skipped any M & G that involved a gift exchange. IMO, the best "gift" is you and your desire to meet others and share in a wonderful cruise vacation.

 

Darcy

[SantaFeFan]

17 hours ago, mimi217 said:

Our cruise is coming up and we signed up for the meet and greet and gift exchange through our roll call. Just curious about what people buy for these.  My question is what is the best gift you have received or have seen at one of these exchanges. Trying to get ideas.

Thanks in advance.

 

No gift exchange for us. We left grade school decades ago. 

[XBGuy]

I'm sorry OP, I have no advice for you.  It seems that gifts that somehow represent your home are popular for such events.  I'm sure you can come up with something.  I see your are from New England.  Isn't Salt Water Taffy popular there?  Something like that might be good.  Have a great cruise.

 

 

For the life of me I cannot understand why Cruise Critic participants insist on denigrating an activity when somebody is just asking for guidance.  It is fine to not participate in something.  It is equally fine to do so.  If you are not interested in an activity, and somebody is asking for help, negative comments are not helping them.  Why can't people just resist being negative?

 

I have often posted here on Cruise Critic that, as far as I'm concerned, one of the great attractions to cruising is that everybody gets to customize their experience.  Cruising offers a wide variety of experiences.  I would imagine that there is at least one thing that any cruiser does not enjoy.  The good news is that he does not have to do that--OK, the muster drill is the exception.  The fact that you or I do not enjoy an activity is no reason for either of us to denigrate that activity or the people who do enjoy it.

 

 

[c-boy]

I usually give  out these

 

[bbwex]

I have to agree with those who have opposed giving gifts at the M&G.  First of all, if doing gifts scares away some people who don't want to get involved in all of that, you have destroyed the intent of the M&G.

[JimnKaren]

I have created a bull-eye type thing with my photo as the target. It is unique and it will generally create a big of laughter. Can you do something like that? Ya gotta be creative.

Alternately, lotto-type tickets are not expensive and just may create a bit of excitement.

 

Jim

[jocap]

I did this once some years ago, and took a small packet of local ginger bread and local recipe book with the ginger bread in it.

[mimi217]

8 hours ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

No gift exchange for us. We left grade school decades ago. 

No need to be rude. My question was asking for ideas not rude remarks!

[SantaFeFan]

4 minutes ago, mimi217 said:

No need to be rude. My question was asking for ideas not rude remarks!

 

Ahh, another person allowing themselves to feel insulted. Some people are just too darn sensitive and get insulted by every little thing, and don't have a sense of humor. Sigh. Relax. Is this really worth getting all bothered about????? Laugh it off!!! 

[lenquixote66]

4 hours ago, c-boy said:

I usually give  out these

 

Ode to be on a cruise with you.✌️

[DarrenM]

12 hours ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

Ahh, another person allowing themselves to feel insulted. Some people are just too darn sensitive and get insulted by every little thing, and don't have a sense of humor. Sigh. Relax. Is this really worth getting all bothered about????? Laugh it off!!! 

But I like to be offended. Its my profession.

[navybankerteacher]

4 hours ago, DarrenM said:

But I like to be offended. Its my profession.

You have, upon occasion, demonstrated substantial skill.  With a bit more practice you might move up from being offended to taking umbrage.

[lenquixote66]

9 hours ago, DarrenM said:

But I like to be offended. Its my profession.

Pray tell,are you a politcian ?

[Nic6318]

On 10/2/2019 at 10:21 AM, SantaFeFan said:

 

No gift exchange for us. We left grade school decades ago. 

 

Hi

 

While not feeling insulted, I just wondered how you see a link with grade school, unless you really were trying to demean someone, after all it is just good fun. 😂

 

My family does this for Christmas presents just because of the number of people involved. It has nothing to do with grade school, it's just a matter of practically. 

[rugerdog]

On 10/2/2019 at 11:29 AM, XBGuy said:

For the life of me I cannot understand why Cruise Critic participants insist on denigrating an activity when somebody is just asking for guidance.  It is fine to not participate in something.  It is equally fine to do so.  If you are not interested in an activity, and somebody is asking for help, negative comments are not helping them.  Why can't people just resist being negative?

 

Agree 100%.  

 

As far as responding to the actual questions the OP asked, I have brought a bottle of local wine or local unique candy.  I have received candy (pralines from down south), and a small cookbook which was easy enough to pack, both of which I enjoyed.

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

[SantaFeFan]

50 minutes ago, Nic6318 said:

 

Hi

 

While not feeling insulted, I just wondered how you see a link with grade school, unless you really were trying to demean someone, after all it is just good fun. 😂

 

My family does this for Christmas presents just because of the number of people involved. It has nothing to do with grade school, it's just a matter of practically. 

 

It was mostly meant in jest. 🙂

 

It's quite simple. The last time I exchanged gifts with strangers was in grade school where were forced to exchange gifts after picking random names for Christmas. Most of them were kids I did not hang out with and hardly knew. It was very impersonal. It felt like a fake "feel good" effort. 

 

Family is completely different. You know them and care about them, and can at least put some personalized effort to give them something that THEY will appreciate, not something that we like. I put effort in thinking what family members might like and knowing that they will most likely enjoy the gift. We do this every Christmas. A true gift is given for the benefit of the receiver, not the giver. 

 

At a meet and greet, if a complete stranger gave me a gift, I honestly would not give it much value. When it involves strangers, it can't be personalized so it actually means very little. So why bother hauling stuff that most people couldn't care less for?

Edited October 3, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[rugerdog]

On 10/2/2019 at 11:33 AM, c-boy said:

I usually give  out these

 

I may have to steal your idea . . . this is the best one so far.  😎

[Nic6318]

2 hours ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

It was mostly meant in jest. 🙂

 

It's quite simple. The last time I exchanged gifts with strangers was in grade school where were forced to exchange gifts after picking random names for Christmas. Most of them were kids I did not hang out with and hardly knew. It was very impersonal. It felt like a fake "feel good" effort. 

 

Family is completely different. You know them and care about them, and can at least put some personalized effort to give them something that THEY will appreciate, not something that we like. I put effort in thinking what family members might like and knowing that they will most likely enjoy the gift. We do this every Christmas. A true gift is given for the benefit of the receiver, not the giver. 

 

At a meet and greet, if a complete stranger gave me a gift, I honestly would not give it much value. When it involves strangers, it can't be personalized so it actually means very little. So why bother hauling stuff that most people couldn't care less for?

 

Hi

 

I am truly sorry for your bad experience as a youngster. 

 

It's just a participation activity, as you said among strangers. The gift isn't meant to "wow" anybody. A coffee mug or a bottle opener, it doesn't matter. There is no obligation to participate just as there is no obligation to even attend. If it's not for you, then of course the whole process would be meaningless. 

 

Sometimes you get a hundred people and sometimes you only get two. I have been to M & G's with both. Some have been fun and some not so fun. Those you can just leave. See...no obligation. A few wasted hours in a lifetime, or who knows, it might be fun. Sort of like the box of chocolates that Forrest talked about. 

Edited October 4, 2019 by Nic6318

[clo]

3 hours ago, Nic6318 said:

My family does this for Christmas presents just because of the number of people involved.

But you know each other.