We have always done it but we stopped last year. The family just got to big.

German Catholic?

I had to laugh reading your question and then looking over to see that look on Schultz's face. :lol:

We draw names for the adult family members. Before the draw everyone writes down 2 or 3 things along with sizes that they might like to have. The limit is $50. If you get your own name then all names are put back in the hat & we all redraw. The kids are bought for individually until they get married then they along with their spouse get to draw names.

I had to laugh reading your question and then looking over to see that look on Schultz's face. :lol:

 

Completely unplanned, but funny nonetheless, now that I think about it. Throw a thick accent behind it and I might be able to pull it off. :lol:

I wish we did. It costs me a fortune buying gifts.

Yes! I have 63 cousins on my mom's side of the family and we do it every year.

We do on my dads side of the family. We only do the kids tho and limit the price to 20 bucks.

 

Last year the adults switched it up and did something I forget what they call it where everyone brings in some kinda junk that they dont want anymore and they draw names and get to take their pick of someone else's junk. It was pretty funny last year.

My side of the family (our parents and 2 other siblings) have decided not to exchange any presents this year. They are however going to get for my daughter (only grandchild, only neice).

 

With my husbands family we usually just buy presents for the nieces and nephews.

 

Ofcourse . . . we'll be having our usual wrapping paper destruction for the grandchildren!!!! It's alot of fun with 2 grandsons trying to see what they've gotten!!!

My wife's family, they put the names into a hat and keep pulling out and putting back till they get a relative they WANT to buy for.

 

LOL!!!!!:sssh:

 

 

 

 

 

 

You pick your friends but not your family . . .

We used to have the grandchildren swap presents, there were six of them all around the same age. Lost the oldest one a few years back and it just was never the same. Each of the kids families would buy for the grandparents but they now are gone too. Now we just buy for our own family and try to have dinner with the siblings/families.

Not sure what will happen within the next couple of years, suddenly I have 2 great nephews and 1 great niece with 2 more on the way next year.

I don't have a very big family so we all just get each other gifts but my wife has a very large family so they draw names every year.

I was also wondering when I first read this thread if it was a Catholic or German tradition. My father's family was German-Catholic, so we also celebrated the feast of St. Nick. We always had candy in our shoes that morning.

I have friends in the Netherlands and St Nicholas Day is as big as Christmas there ,also I'm 61 and we have celebrated St. Nick's day as long as I can remember , We are German Catholic on both sides of the family .