Babs, my family has done that for years at our big family gathering. We all buy for all the kids, but we adults just bring a male or female gift and do the white elephant thing.
It IS tough.... I have my mom, 4 sisters, a step sister, a sister in law, and 5 nieces who are of the age to be in the exchange... and trying to find something that would suit ANY of them is a joke.
One of my sisters one year made a kind of "basket" into which she put a bag of Starbucks coffee beans, a bottle of Kahlua, a couple of new romance novels, some pampering things like foot soaks and face masks (yanno, the moisturizing kind, not the skeery kind) and some nice aromatherapy candles. I'm the one who got it, it was a nice gift for ME.... but it was a good thing my mom didn't get that one, cause she wouldn't have used hardly any of it. (she has never touched alcohol, doesn't read romance novels, and doesn't drink flavored coffee)
Another year, my mom made 2 puzzles, really neat western themed ones... then set them with sealant and put them in handmade barnwood frames. (hard to explain but they're very cool- if you like southern/southwest art deco)... anyhow, I got them, and I love them, they are the main focus in my living room. Two of my sisters... would never have hung them up.
So, yeah, no matter WHAT kind of ideas you come up with, you'll be lucky if they suit for everyone. Unless of course you buy a gift certificate. LMAO But, imo, that's tacky and impersonal.
Good luck, I know I was of absolutely no help... just wanted to jabber jaw back at ya:) :wave:
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