Christmas gifts

lol This is a really silly set up! The point of secret Santa should be to give to others. I mean, if the parents are just getting their own child a gift why don't they just wait til christmas and put it under the christmas tree.

I'm as confuse as you are. It's much better if they ask the kids to bring gifts of certain amount and then exchange it with their schoolmates. If their child receive a cheap present then they can complain to the committee. One organization around here held a Christmas party and they've exchanged gifts also. They bought presents of certain amount and to make sure that no one cheats they've asked the members to include the receipts together with the gifts. This is more ridiculous I suppose ... lol... :)

When we exchanged gifts at school, the teachers told us that we had to buy something not over a certain amount. Then it was around five dollars because then there were lots of gifts under a dollar (yes back in the age of the dinosaurs) and we were expected to get the gift ourselves. Each kid had to buy a gift for another child and all we knew was it was either a girl or a boy. And we did not buy the gift for ourselves, it was for the other kid so in a way it was teaching us giving and so no matter how poor or how rich the family was, they all got the same price range of gifts. And the giver did not feel outdone.

I think you're all missing the point of exchanging gifts. Christmas is a reminder to all of us to share our blessings with other people. It's a way of giving back for all that you have received throughout the year. And this goes out to kids too. Monetary value is not even important. The value we teach the children is what matters the most. That value is sharing. If the point of this scheme is to avoid getting cheap present, then you shouldn't do it during christmas,or any other holiday for that matter. Christmas is about remembering what matters the most in our lives, not the monetary value of presents. In short, it's the thought that counts. =)

we do 'gift exchange' at the office also.. - we put our names in a box, and then each person will pick a name to give the gift to.. so you dont really know who is getting your gift until the very last minute. so, i dont really understand what is the 'real purpose' of 'gift-exchange' that your school, either. i agree with you that it makes no sense to buy a gift, but ask someone else to 'present it back to you'... the children should learn to be generous, and want to give something that they themselves would like to have as a gift - to be given to another person.. as for the 'fixed price' i can understand that.. because we normally do set a minimum price - let's say, everyone needs to get something that is worth at least $10.00, and not cheaper.. so, if you want to get something that's worth $50.. fine.. or if you want to get something that's worth $10.50.. that's fine, too.. but normally i'd see our members getting gifts that's worth average between $12-$20. so.. everyone will somehow end-up getting gifts that is worth the same price.. which is 'fair' to everyone.. since it is a 'surprise' gift from 'a stranger' to 'a stranger'.. maybe my dear viswan would like to change the ongoing tradition at your school for something better?

I think it is a brilliant idea. Of course, it would be more brilliant yet just to skip the whole thing and let the school stay out of both secular and religious holidays and do what a school should do best...teach basic skills and leave the values to society. But if they must have a gift exchange, I agree the the best lesson is taught when people get back what they gave. When I was a poor child I was required by the school to buy a gift for another child and always the gift I gave was better than any I received. Truly, I don't think I learned anything from that except that no good deed goes unpunished. It didn't stop me from doing good deeds, if you know what I mean, but that experience makes me understand what your school is trying to do and I applaud it.

I had to laugh when I read your post. The kids will figure out that they are getting their own gift back! I think that if the issue is some parents spending a lot and others not spending very much, why doesn't the school request that each parent send a set amount of cash and then let school staff purchase gifts with the students in mind. My personal opinion is giving up the gift giving altogether. I think a fun party would be more than enough. Children don't remember the gifts...but they do remember the time.

i have four children and when they are still young it is always a battle for them during christmas party at school because of exchange gifts. the teacher will say an amount on how much you can spend to buy gifts for exchange gifts. my daugther once got a toy for guys and she went home crying. when i talked to the teacher she said oh that is from a mother she knows and when i talked to the mother she told me that it is okay.... my daugther has a brother who can use that. HELLO.... i dont think that was a good answer. what is the semce of exchange gift if the parent is going to buy something for a boy if a girl will going to get it. so i think your school has more sense than what i had experience during the days when my children are still young. there are more stories i just gave you one example.

Sorry, can't really clear it. It is true that gift exchanges are not always the fairest of them all :) But everyone knows that. Some gifts will always be more expensive or more thoughtful than others. But within the amount given which is usually not that much, there can't be that much of a difference. Kids are supposed to learn the joy of giving, and receiving - not the calculation of gifts cost. It's supposed to be light and fun and not taken too seriously. And it's a great practice for when Aunt Edna gives them that really ugly sweater instead of the new ipod LOL Either I am really getting old, or the world keeps getting crazier and crazier. All this political correctness is nonsense half the time, and no one is benefiting from it, on the contrary .

I have never heard of doing a gift exchange that way before. My kids have always done a gift exhange that a boy buys for a boy and a girl for a girl. My daughter brought home a note if she wants to participate in the gift exhange to bring a gift worth no more than $3 for a girl. We got a stuffed puppy and a disney princess card game the dollar store. I think it is a nice gift. All the teaher had to do was say to spend around a certain amount and then you wouldn't need to worry about a child getting an inexpensive or expensive gift. Sending a gift your own child will bring home is kinda dumb.

Actually, the school were my niece had studied also doing this kind of activity during Christmas Party.. But the different is theres no specific amount of money, they can spend how much they want to give to their children.. As for my niece, her mom (which is sister) keep the gift as a secret.. My sister won't tell her daughter that she will give her a gift and what give she will be able to received.. She was the one who go to school and give it to the teacher so that her child doesn't know about they will be able to received a gift.. So that when the time is come, children will think that it came from Santa Claus even the truth is it came from their parent.. The point why the teacher is doing this kind of activity its because to let the children believe that there is Santa Claus.. In every Christmas, they just need to wish and pray all the things that they want to receive on Christmas to God so that God will be able to whisper it to Santa.. I find it cute for the children because it is very effective to my niece.. Before she go to sleep, she will pray and ask it from God.. As what you've mention above , for me the reason given by your co-teacher isn't "good or theres no really sense" because money or the amount of gift that we give and receive from others isn't really important because it is just a money, what is more important is the person gave that gift or choose that gift for me its because he/she thinks that good for me or its best for me and it came from his/her heart.. In some point, I know what she was trying to say.. There are really other parents will buy some cheap gift for the exchange gift and its unfair for others but we can't do anything about it.. But what is really important she/he still find or choose gift to give and it came from his/her heart..

yeah, this does not make sense thuogh they have a point that we might receive lesser value for the gift that we have given . but still we have just to trust other people to give us some gift that is worth the amount they have agreed on. and just because of reason that some will not going to buy the right price or value should not deter us from to continue the tradiction of gift giving.

Hi SViswan! In my country, most of the school have a Christmas party and they do exchange gift with a certain amount to spent, but they don't receive the same gift that they buy. It is quite strange in your school to give a certain amount to spend for the gift and then receive the same gift! But maybe the reason is because some parents can spend so much for their children and the other parents cannot and there's a chance that other children would see a nice gift from the other kids and ask why they didn't get the same! So maybe to avoid jealousy and for some kids to get sad and upset, they come up with this idea. Merry Christmas.

It sounds kind of silly to me to work it that way. If your supose to spend the same dollar amount on a gift it shouldnt matter who its for. If I were to buy a gift for my child or someone else its going to be of the same value. It almost sounds greedy to me. I put care into what I would buy for a gift exchange, I think others do too. Just because it's not my kid I wouldnt just buy something that I didnt think a kid would like, that would be wasting money. I think that the same thing could happen with the parents buying cheap or expensive even if they are gifting for their own child don't you?

This is absolutely ridiculous!!! What's the point in giving the same gift that the children themselves brought to school? Since the price is fixed - so, you can assume a standardized quality, provided nobody plays a cheat role! Now it would be better to re-distribute the gifts among the kids by organizing lottery. Not only it will be unbiased, or impartial - but it will bring lot of fun for everybody. I think this is the idea you can share with other teachers.

Hi Sandhya, Its been a long long time but I think the Christmas spirit has caught up with all of us. No I cant clear this out for you, its rather a roundabout way of putting things in perspective. A better way would have been for all children to take the gifts to school and then Santa just mixes them and so each child gets a separate gift from what s/he’s got. Like the school can stipulate say Rs. 20 per child and with that you can send whatever you want to (pencil boxes, sketch pen sets, kids drawing books etc) and then let Santa mix them all and hand out the gifts. My son’s school has similar parties (in fact they have quite a few) and I really like the format. The entire class is divided into two or three groups and each child from each group is asked to bring a particular food worth say Rs. 20 (never more). So one group brings the cup cakes, one group the chips, one group the flootis and they all have a grand party. The school provides the decorations (hats and streamers and glitters) and they have a gala time. Till they were in kindergarten, they did not have to carry any food and the school gave each toddler a box of cakes for Christmas.

If I understand correctly, it is not a case of there being a set price limit and then all the gifts are randomly distributed; it is a case of the children being RE-gifted the same one they have already bought for themselves right? If this is the case then it does seem a bit odd, yes. It is fair enough that there is a price limit and I can also understand the school's concerns with one gift being favoured by ine child over another if there were no controls; but surely the price boundaries alone would limit chances of anything negative happening? It does seem a tad overcautious to me. Maybe if they were to set some more boundaries in parallel with the price outlines it would limit any chances of neagtive repurcussions and keep things more exciting for the kids. For example, a gift no more than 10 dollars and it has to be a book, or something like that?

You are right in a sense that the children will get the same gift, which they will bring, so it might not be a new idea or new thing for them to carry. On the other hand it is also not possible to exchange gifts carrying different monetary values. Perhaps, the intention might be to teach a child - "what does a gift mean or Santa brings gifts on the occasion of Christmas". I think the kids would feel happy that atleast, they are getting something as a gift through celebrations or Santa. Small kids won't understand or won't take it too seriously that they are going to take their own gifts back. I think, let it be and let the children bring their own gifts and enjoy themselves.

It aslo doesn't make sense to me... the reason of the teachers who initiated the idea totally defeated the purpose of gift giving... and dwells mainly of materialism... we should teach students at a very young age to appreciate whatever gift they give because it is the thought that counts... What if the parent cannot afford expensive gifts... that doesn't mean their child does not deserve to get expensive gifts... i wonder why the principal consented to this activity... he/she of all people should know the meaning and value of giving and receiving gifts...

Sounds pretty pointless. You are right, it does not teach them anything about exchanging, and the joy of giving. I don't see how parents could buy cheap presents for others if there is a price set. Say hypothetically that the price range is $10- $15. The gifts will be pretty comparable regardless of whether a parent wants to buy a 'good' gift or not. Have you gotten any feedback from the parents? I'm curious what they think of it. I don't think I would like it if my son's school did something like this.