A fun way to connect with friends and family throughout the year is to set up a themed gift exchange.
For example, if you enjoy trying different types of wine you could set up a quarterly wine exchange. Each member of your group would buy a bottle of wine for the person they drew.
Or maybe your circle of friends loves to garden and you hold a seed exchange every spring with new flowers or vegetables to try growing.
Holding a themed gift exchange can be a fun excuse to get together or a reason to create a circle of friends in the first place.
There’s no easier way to build friendships than around common interests and hobbies.
Themed Gift Exchange Ideas
Here’s a list of different themes that could work great for an exchange:
- Craft and Art Supplies (swap patterns, favorite tools, paper, paint, etc.)
- Books
- Fan club memorabilia (TV Shows, movies, games, etc.)
- Pet treats and accessories
- Chocolate, desserts, and sweet treats
- Wine, beer, and spirits
- Homemade items (produce, flowers, seeds, preserves)
- Self-care items (bath salts, massage/spa experiences,
- Makeup and nail polish
- Kids toys (great for swaps too)
- Clothing and fashion accessories
Experience Exchange
For the more adventurous, holding an experience exchange between friends or family can also be really fun.
How does it work?
- Each person in the group draws a name (try Giftster to draw names online with Secret Santa).
- Every person must give their pick a gift certificate to try an experience. Or the experiences could be free. You decide on the rules for each exchange.
- To set some boundaries (optional), every participant could make a Giftster bucket list of all of the different experiences they want to try.
- After the exchange is complete the group could hold a get-together to share stories about their experiences. You could even choose to do the experience together with the person you pick in the group for another unique twist.
Types of Experiences
- Outdoor Activities: Paddleboarding, skiing, snowshoeing, snorkeling, surfing, sailing, etc.
- Classes: Cooking, crafting, photography, writing, baking, etc.
- Sports Events
- Travel
- Food & Drink: Visit a new restaurant, winery, or brewery to try something new
How To Draw Names
Giftster (free) is a fun service to use to create wishlists and draw names automatically. Once you’ve created a group with 3+ people you can add a Secret Santa draw. Giftster will automatically draw names and each member of your group is alerted to who their pick is. Traditionally, this fun feature is used for holiday gift exchanges and games such as a White Elephant.
Themed gift exchanges are a fun way to connect with friends and try things you may not have otherwise. Like a book club or sports group, regular exchanges are great excuses to get together and build more memories with loved ones.
Try Giftster today for your next themed gift exchange.
