Creative Secret Santa Exchange

Secret Santa is a tradition in the USA, but we did our research and it is celebrated around the world in different ways.  The idea behind a Secret Santa is for a group of people to put their name in a hat and everyone chooses someone to give a surprise gift or gifts to.  It is generally done around the Christmas Holiday and in some countries December 6th is a day for the Secret Santas to come out.  Sometimes the gifts are specifically chosen for the person and sometimes they are a bit more random but make someone’s day.  There is even a twist on the traditional which is called Dirty Santa in some circles and that is where everyone brings a gift and each draws a number.  When it is your turn you choose a gift from the stack or you can steal a gift from anyone in the room, thus the dirty part.  Gifts are exchanged, stolen and then they become safe at some point and they are a lot of fun.  We thought it would be fun to do a Secret Santa exchange here at CCB and we asked our Crew and Collective members to join in.

Secret Santa gifts traveled around the world to bring a smile – this special set traveled from Brazil to the USA

The exciting part is we have members from Brazil to Sweden and from Russia to Canada and many place in the middle, below and above.  It was fun to create a project for someone you have never met, but have gotten to know online and to see the reactions when the goodies arrive.  Cherished treats that are one of a kind.  Something handmade, a sweet treat or a little something from places far away.

We thought it might be fun to share a few of the Secret Santa projects with you and inspire you to start your own crafty exchange.

Ilana Polakiewicz created this adorable angel ornament for Crew Member Tonya Trantham wrapped in a sweet little handmade paper box made from the 7gypsies collection – Ordre du jour.

This little angel ornament is the perfect little art piece for Tonya’s tree.  

What was used:

Matchbox
To & Due – Ordre Du Jour Collection – 7 Gypsies

Paints
Glimmer Mists – Black magic, Dijon, Tattered leather, Marmalade, Sun sisters – Tattered Angels
Coffee

Embellishment
Washi tapes – Global – 7 Gypsies
Fractured dolls – Idea-ology Collection – Tim Holtz
Letters – Idea-ology Collection – Tim Holtz

Others
Glue
Gel Medium – Golden
Glitter – Luminous – Finnabair / Prima
Texture paste – Platinum crackle – Prima
Gesso

Handmade cards, candies from around the world, little works of art, something to keep you warm and something to melt your heart.  

So if you are interested in hosting a Secret Santa exchange close to home or across the world it is pretty easy to do.  Choose a person who coordinates the project and receives the names and addresses for everyone and determines who will exchange with whom and let each person know, then the rest is up to them.  

If you are doing a local exchange, ask each person to bring one item wrapped to the exchange. You can set limits depending on the group with regard to cost, size and if it must be handmade or not.  Everyone draws a number and the #1 chooses the first gift from the pile and opens it in front of everyone.  #2 can steal the first gift or open another and then you are onto #3.  You can only steal an item twice and then it becomes safe.  As you get to the final person they get the last gift or steal one until the final gift is unwrapped.  This is fun and people get very creative on how they hide their gifts.

If you would like to join the Crew for other fun activities like this join us on our Facebook Group – The CCB Collective.  Just ask to join today.

Happy Holiday Creating!!

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