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Category: Gift Exchanges

mother daughter homeschool work
Homeschool Families Making Meaningful Connections with Simple Gifts

Homeschool Families Making Meaningful Connections with Simple Gifts

I saw the need in our community and was excited to think of something that would help – even a little. — Terry Yaceyko School-aged children have certainly been hit with challenges this past year, especially when it comes to connecting with the people they love the most. Not only have they been temporarily cut off from beloved grandparents and special family members, but when the global COVID-19 pandemic hit and schools closed their doors to in-person learning, their usual…

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Gilmore Girls watching TV
Life’s short. Talk fast. (And Gift Often!)

Life’s short. Talk fast. (And Gift Often!)

Can you believe it’s been over 20 years since the world first fell in love with the mother-daughter duo of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore and their fast-talking, witty banter (ever-fueled by coffee)? The hit dramedy Gilmore Girls has certainly stood the test of time, and these Girls are not going anywhere, anytime soon. Stars Hollow: Still Our Happy Place The Gilmore Girls phenomenon seems to have only intensified since its debut in 2000. Love for the show is being passed…

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group of Muslim men and women
After a Month of Self-Sacrifice & Spiritual Growth, a Party is Certainly in Order

After a Month of Self-Sacrifice & Spiritual Growth, a Party is Certainly in Order

Eid al-Fitr falls on May 12 this year and celebrations will continue into the next day. As someone new to these traditions, I was eager to learn more about the festivities surrounding the celebration of Eid al-Fitr and the importance of gift giving, so I reached out to several members of Muslim families and communities who have trusted Elfster to help bring them together. They shared with me their own stories of how they are creating new traditions, not only…

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Christina Imohokpomoh, the Founder of Black Girls Read Books, Too
How One Book Club is Amplifying the Voices of Black Culture

How One Book Club is Amplifying the Voices of Black Culture

Just as every book has its own story to tell, so too do the eyes that are cast upon their pages. Through the lens of an author of color, they share the diverse voices of Black culture from their perspective. As readers, this gives us the opportunity to learn from their life experiences and appreciate their story. But some stories have been harder to tell, through no fault of the author. Writers of color — especially women — are often…

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purim gift basket ideas
A Freilichen Purim! Gift Basket Ideas to Celebrate Spring, Community and Life’s Joys

A Freilichen Purim! Gift Basket Ideas to Celebrate Spring, Community and Life’s Joys

Late winter and early spring are, for everyone, imbued with a sense of rebirth and excitement. It’s a time to escape the long winter—and look forward to the light. For the Jewish people, though, it means something more. It is the time for Purim, to celebrate when they were saved from annihilation at the hands of the Persians. It’s more than a party for the rebirth of spring; it is celebrating the miracle of existence. And what a celebration it…

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Board Game Community Puts Spotlight on Generosity

Board Game Community Puts Spotlight on Generosity

When I was a kid, my family was really into playing board games. For my brothers, I’m sure it was all about the strategy and a little “friendly” competition. For me, it was all about the tiny game pieces. (I mean, who doesn’t love the adorable Scottie Dog of Monopoly fame?) Those family game nights spent sitting around the dining room table talking, laughing and conspiring over the game board hold fond memories. The lessons we learned from being challenged…

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holiday cookies
Cookie Exchange Raises the Bar on Holiday Baking

Cookie Exchange Raises the Bar on Holiday Baking

Here at Elfster, we consider ourselves experts on pretty much “all things holiday” — we are elves after all! Picking the perfect presents, keeping tabs on Santa’s nice & naughty lists and helping your holidays come off without a hitch. You name it, we’re you go-to elves! But when it comes to creating sweet treats, we’ve certainly met our match!  We are super impressed and inspired by a group of over 200 talented and creative ‘Secret Cookie Elves’ who have…

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secret santa gift tag
Don’t Let Distance Deter You From Celebrating the Holidays

Don’t Let Distance Deter You From Celebrating the Holidays

Event planning is my happy place. In fact, when my husband tried to throw me a birthday party for a milestone age that shall not be mentioned, I couldn’t let him. Well, actually I tried for about a week, but sitting on the sidelines was killing me. I appreciated and acknowledged his effort but then promptly shoved him aside because he was in my wheelhouse and throwing a party is my jam! It was one of the best birthdays I…

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secret santa gift ideas
Good Secret Santa Gifts to Ask for When You Can’t Think of Anything

Good Secret Santa Gifts to Ask for When You Can’t Think of Anything

There are two very, very simple questions that always leave me stumped: 1) What kind of music do you like; and 2) what do you want for Christmas/birthday/etc.? I listen to music all day, dozens of albums a week, and have deep opinions on all of them, but can never remember a single one when asked. Similarly, there are a lot of things I know I want, but when it comes to making a list for Secret Santa, I draw…

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secret santa party themes
4 Secret Santa Party Themes to Up the Creativity

4 Secret Santa Party Themes to Up the Creativity

Getting into a festive party mood is rarely difficult if you’re a party planner like me. I’m always ready to see family, friends, neighbors, and college pals in person, online, or a combination of both. And I’m still particularly fond of Secret Santa parties especially when the theme is exciting and engaging for everyone involved. Sir Isaac Newton once said, “Truth is ever to be found in the simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things.” And I…

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LGBTQIA+ Coming Out Box
LGBTQIA+ Podcast Fans Swap ‘Coming Out Boxes’ for Pride

LGBTQIA+ Podcast Fans Swap ‘Coming Out Boxes’ for Pride

As summer soon turns to fall, it’s hard to believe it has been over five months since we first heard the two words that would come to define 2020: social distancing. Way back when, as we abruptly hit pause on “normal,” our hearts grew heavy as we physically extracted ourselves from each others’ lives. Our minds looked for ways to connect while focusing on being vigilant about our health and safety. But here we are — our wiser selves —…

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family gathering
3 Fun Gift Exchange Games for Family Gatherings

3 Fun Gift Exchange Games for Family Gatherings

My great-grandmother Irene set up games for us to play as a family during every birthday, anniversary, or holiday gift exchange. In the summer and fall, it was croquet in the backyard. The winner received their gift first, followed by those who came in second and third place. For birthdays, we’d play Dominoes or Uno. Only, she would pronounce it “You Know!” That winner would always be first for a white elephant gift exchange. She’d offer lemonade, cookies, and joy…

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pick names from a hat app
How to Use a Pick Names Out of a Hat App

How to Use a Pick Names Out of a Hat App

As a lifelong Chicagoan, I have a lot of baseball hats that I’ve been wearing for a long time, showing off my love for the White Sox. I have hats I’ve been playing softball in for years. Running hats. Hats for just lounging on the deck and grilling in the heat of a sweltering August. You know what I don’t have a hat for? Reaching your hand in to pick names for a gift exchange. I mean, granted, any of…

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children's gift exchange ideas
5 Children’s Gift Exchange Ideas to Get Everyone Involved

5 Children’s Gift Exchange Ideas to Get Everyone Involved

As an adult, you probably look back over your childhood and remember how you received so many gifts. Now, as a parent, you’re likely the one giving them. But, whether you’re on the receiving end or the one giving the gifts, there’s one thing that has likely remained the same: the excitement. Nothing beats the feeling of opening a gift or seeing the joy on your child’s face when they open a gift.   And, while you might be a pro…

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birthday wish list app
The Benefits of a Birthday Wish List App

The Benefits of a Birthday Wish List App

It always seems a little unfair that your birthday is only 24 hours long, doesn’t it? You wait a whole year for it, and even if you act all nonchalant, you know it’s coming. You’re waiting for it. And then by noon, it’s already half over! There should be a law making it at least 26 hours!  Well, even if they don’t pass that very reasonable and common-sense solution, you can still pack a lot into one day. You can…

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secret santa gifts for the boss
7 Great Secret Santa Gifts for the Boss

7 Great Secret Santa Gifts for the Boss

All right—Secret Santa time at the office! You’ve entered your name in the Secret Santa generator and are ready to see who you’re paired with this year. Will it be your friend in accounting? Your favorite lunch buddy? Or the new woman, who you’d love to get to know better? Oh, the endless exciting possibilities!  Oh, wait—you got your boss. Well, might as well quit and find a new job.  Okay, so you don’t have to be that dramatic, but…

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a wish list creator
What Makes for a Good Wish List Creator?

What Makes for a Good Wish List Creator?

“Make a wish!”  That’s probably the most common line in fairy tales. But there’s something kind of weird about it…since the most exciting part of the story is when a wish actually comes true, we never expect them to. As fun as wishes are, they almost seem to contain their own nearly-assured disappointments.  But they don’t have to. If you’re holding a gift exchange, and you let people make a wish using the best wish list creators, they will almost…

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A Secret Santa generator lets you do a name drawing with exclusions.
How to Do a Secret Santa Name Drawing with Exclusions

How to Do a Secret Santa Name Drawing with Exclusions

There’s a secret sauce to everything meaningful. Back in the day, the secret sauce for me was the ever-popular Big Mac sauce. There was nothing like it, and I ate it too often. Otherwise, secret sauce represents a unique feature or special quality that ensures a successful process. So, for a gift exchange, the secret sauce could be how you draw names or ways to set up everything just right to make your event special. Sometimes the most special moments…

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A good name-drawing randomizer will change your gift exchange!
What to Look for in a Name-Drawing Randomizer

What to Look for in a Name-Drawing Randomizer

Years ago, when preparing for a Secret Santa, we were drawing names out of a hat in my parent’s house. My uncle had made a big deal out of printing everyone’s name on squares that were the exact same size so that there could be nothing out of place. His perfect scheme was foiled a bit when he drew his own name, and started to put it back. It turned out that everyone had drawn his name.  When making the…

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celebrating the end of slavery
Elfster Group Supports Black-Owned Businesses for Juneteenth Gift Exchange

Elfster Group Supports Black-Owned Businesses for Juneteenth Gift Exchange

“If the cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail. Because the goal of America is freedom, abused and scorned tho’ we may be, our destiny is tied up with America’s destiny.” – Martin Luther King Jr. Today, communities all over the nation will come together to celebrate an unofficial holiday — Juneteenth (also known as Freedom Day, Liberation Day and Jubilee Day) — to commemorate the abolition of slavery in the United…

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Following gift exchange etiquette makes the game more fun for everyone!
Gift Exchange Etiquette You Should Know

Gift Exchange Etiquette You Should Know

I love hosting parties. Yet in the midst of planning, there are multiple balls in the air to juggle. Let’s face it—as a party planner, gift exchanges can be overwhelming. Without the right tools to get everything accomplished, it can feel like a lot!  Still, there are ways to make it much easier, including keeping gift exchange etiquette in mind. As trends come and go, basic gift exchange etiquette remains a critical part of the party planning process. The way…

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woman at disney
Disney Lovers Remind One Another They Are Never Alone

Disney Lovers Remind One Another They Are Never Alone

Relax. Take a deep breath. In. Out. Ahhh. Now think of your happy place and the people you’d love to be with in that place. I’m sure it is a moment filled with laughter, joy and a little sunshine. And these days, we could all use a little sunshine in our world. No doubt, the past few months have been a challenge. As we all faced the uncertainty of an unprecedented global pandemic and the challenges that come with that,…

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Secret Santa is a great way to connect during quarantine.
How to Have Fun During Quarantine with Secret Santa

How to Have Fun During Quarantine with Secret Santa

It all started with DJ D-Nice hosting Instagram Live dance parties weekly. Then GRiZ, an up-and-coming Detroit DJ, and 23 other artists hosted a 24-hour dance and reconnect party online. While that might not be the norm for reconnecting with friends and may or may not be your thing, it’s definitely an exciting way to unite during a difficult time. Regardless, you, your friends, family, and social network deserve to have fun, let loose, and enjoy some laughs together! When…

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