Some sort of secret Santa solution needed

[WipsGlitter]

This year we have me, DP, and two DSs. My mum, FiL, BiL, SiL and her wife.

Last year my mum and my in-laws didn't really know whether to get each other presents/what to get each other. It worked out in the end but more through luck than planning.

This year with SiLs wife thrown into the mix it gets even more complicated. We want to keep getting presents within the group, ie me to my mum and her to me and DP, him to his family. So its just my mum getting my in-laws presents and them getting her presents that I'm tryin to work out if there is a better way to to it.

Or should I just leave it to work itself out!

Surely it is easier for your in laws and parents to just get each other a small token gift per couple?

If not you could always do a £10 secret santa on top of the normal gift giving for those attending christmas lunch? But is seems more tat than anyone really needs to me.

Work out how much you would spend if you bought for everyone outside DP and DCs, then halve it.

Ask everyone to bring a general secret Santa present for that amount, say £25? Suggest things such as making up a box of a bottle of wine and cheese, etc. it should be a decent budget?

Or ask everyone to give you £20 and you buy something personal for everyone with that, maybe a nice pendant that fits in a cracker?

If they won't join in, sod them! Let them get on with it themselves.

This year we have both mine and DH 's families coming to us on Christmas Day. As each year has increasingly become a case of exchanging money and gift vouchers we have all decided to not buy presents for each other (except for the kids in the family, they'll still receive presents from everyone).

Instead we have decided to do a secret Santa. Each of us has drawn a name and we have set a limit of £10 to be creative with! The presents will all go under the tree when our guests arrive and then after dinner we plan to get DFil to dress up as Santa and give out the gifts (this is for the Children's benefit )

I've drawn Mil so if anyone has any good ideas.......

Dig - what does MIL like? Then we can start planning the best gift ever to get you DIL of the Year award! (Smug emotion - used to be brill at great ideas for Xmas presents!)

dig I got my MIL book from Book People, john lennon letters it's called. Only £7.99! She loves the beatles, so that helps

Thank you for your help

DIL of the year, now THAT will take some doing, I hope you're up to the challenge!

She's a keen gardener, likes visiting RHS and NT type places and is in her mid 70's. the John Lennon book is a good idea for my Dad (and I happen to know that's who my DH has to buy a gift for so will point him in that direction)

One year we got MIL membership for Kew Gardens, she loves gardening and lives very close. Tickets to some kind of garden show or flower show maybe? I'm planning to send my mum to chelsea flower show (that won't be christmas present though, her birthday one).

Oh sorry, forgot about £10 limit. Little shop of horrors dvd?

Well, the £10 limit is challenging. I used to plan services or visits (eg tour of Lords cricket ground, Chelsea's football stadium, London Canal Museum (ex inlaws loved canal boating)) rather than all the clutter but they are £10 - £20. It was well received because it meant that MIL could see her DS who at that time used to avoid his parents. (Now we are divorcing he cant see enough of them as babysitters when he has DS) Also I live near London so used to go to Fortnum and Mason or Libertys for unusual stocking filler ideas. The food hall at F&M is brill - eg teas, coffees, pack of 6-8 different jams and marmelades £8 - expensive yes but it is a gift that they wouldnt buy themselves. Perfect for a posh but lovely pressie! The windowa alone are worth the trip.

She may like this book (about someone who lived at Felbrigg Hall NT norfolk, 2nd one is Ok, 3rd not so good):
www.amazon.co.uk/Cobwebs-And-Cream-Teas-National/dp/075283410X/ref=pd_cp_b_3

or this popped up - set in Wales www.amazon.co.uk/Castles-The-Air-Restoration-Adventures/dp/0091897319/ref=pd_cp_b_0

This book was a great success with gardening friends and I believe there was a tV series.
www.amazon.co.uk/Sissinghurst-Unfinished-History-Adam-Nicolson/dp/0007240554/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351015316&sr=1-1

Great choice of books, you have got her well sussed! I have already bought her the Felbrigg set and she has borrowed my copy of the Sissinghurst one. I think that a book is the way to go, will take a look at the Castles in the Air book.

Very about Christmas shopping in Liberty's and F & M, I live oop North and always do my Christmas shopping in York.

Prettypirate I wonder if £10 would buy me Audrey