holiday party tips gift exchange

Set up your secret gift exchange on Evite

No more pulling names out of a hat. Evite makes your holiday gift exchange game a snap.

Here's how gift exchange works

1. On the "Plan an Event" page, select an invitation style. When filling in the event
details, just specify "Gift Exchange" as the event type. Set up your gift exchange.
2. Once your guests have RSVP'd and chose to participate in the gift exchange, Evite will
randomize the guest list and automatically assign names for gift giving via email.
3. Using Evite will ensure that identities remain secret for the gift exchange.
4. Participating guests will be identified by a gift icon next to their name on the invitation.

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Invite Friends

• Set up your gift exchange on Evite.
• Set a price limit. This will help guests narrow down gift options. You can actually do this when you set up your invitation.
• Send out your invitation at least 2 weeks in advance. People are usually pretty booked during the holiday season.
• Make sure all of the guests are clear on the "secret" concept which means, no telling who you have. Part of the fun is guessing who bought the gift.
• Order some festive decorations to spruce up the party location.
• Prepare seasonal snacks and drinks.
• Make sure you have some fun holiday music on hand to set the mood.
• You may want to specify a neutral drop off area (a closet, the mailroom etc.) where people can drop off their gifts prior to the event. This will help maintain the air of mystery.
• Assign an elf or gift distributor. This person will make sure that everyone has a gift ready to open.
• Decide how you will determine who opens first. Sometimes it's just best to start at one end of the room and go clockwise.
• You may want to add a guessing game element where each person is allowed one guess of who may have given them their gift. If they guess incorrectly, the identity of the gift giver remains a secret until everyone has had a chance to guess. This just prolongs the mystery and the fun.

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White Elephant Gift Exchange vs. Standard Gift Exchange

A white elephant gift exchange allows each guest to trade their gift for one they like better.

This gift exchange requires everyone to draw a number. The person who picks number 1 opens their gift first. The person who picks number 2 can trade their gift with number 1 and so on. At the very end, number 1 has a chance to make a final trade.

With the White Elephant gift exchange people are more inclined to give silly joke gifts which inevitably gets the trading started. A standard gift exchange does not allow for trading. You are stuck with the gift you get. If you want to make it easier on the gift giver, drop hints. Make sure everyone knows you're really dying for the new _____ cd.