My family celebrates Christmas. In years past we always got gifts for everyone. I would buy my mom and dad something plus my three brothers. When dogs and nieces and nephews entered the fray it was the same. The gifts never felt personal though. I have always tried to make gifts personal, but as my family got bigger and bigger it got tougher. I was resorting to getting gift cards and CD's for everyone. It was simple and easiest. And believe me I understand how inconsequential gift giving can be. That is not the reason for the season, but that is how we have always done it in my family. Then I met my wife and her family did the same. It was all about giving and receiving gifts for the holidays.

As we got older, and it became tougher and tougher to get multiple gifts, we shifted to the Secret Santa route. I fully believe this is the best way to give out gifts. It is about as personal as you can get this time of year. My family did something different this year, a saran wrapped ball and it was a total blast. But my wife's family stuck with the Secret Santa idea.

I was fully bought in on my person. I got a newer family member as well. My wife's cousin got married this year and I got her husband for Secret Santa. I have met him a few times, but I have only gotten to know him better the past couple months. I have spent a little more time with him and had a few conversations. That helped immensely. But what was an even bigger help was communicating with his wife. She and I texted back and forth since Thanksgiving, when I drew his name out of a hat. She gave plenty of wonderful advice and avenues with which to follow on my gift finding adventures. This helped and it made my searching all the more personal. I found out what he likes and was able to get specific gifts that suited his likes and wants. I was able to find obscure things that were in his wheelhouse. It was way more fun shopping for these gifts than just buying a few gift cards or giving out cash. That is so lazy to me. This was like a competition and I was determined to win. But it wasn't just me. My wife got her aunt a very specific gift that was just for her aunt and it was perfect.

The gifts were great. My wife's uncle got a back scratcher attached to a shoehorn, plus an enormous book about champagne. This may sound odd, it was odd to me at the time, but her uncle was stoked. He was so very happy. I was gifted a very specific University of Michigan football ornament and a wonderful Michigan fleece. I was floored when I opened it. It was so great and so perfect for what I like. The gift exchange was great last night. Everyone was so very happy with what they were given. We were all cheering and oohing and aahing while others opened gifts. This approach, this attention to detail, makes for a much more fun experience. We all did our homework. We all took time. We all found specific things for the specific person we drew out of the hat. It was the same for my family whenever we do Secret Santa. Instead of lazy, last second ideas, we all gave out cool stuff. I got a mini Super Nintendo one year. I got my brother a Teddy Roosevelt painting. My other brothers have gotten each other obscure and hard to find records. It is dope.

So if you spend the holidays giving gifts, and you have a bigger family. I definitely recommend going the Secret Santa route, especially if the kids are grown ups. It is the best way to give and receive gifts in my opinion. Happy Holidays everyone.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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