So this is the forst time I've participated in one of these "Secret Santa" thingies at work and I gotta say that I think I did okay.

The person's name that I drew is a guy that is a major horror movie buff, so it was pretty easy, but I found a cool edition of:
Tod Browning's Freaks on DVD.

Looks like some nice bonus material, too.
(BTW, it's a $15 limit.)

Hope I get something half as cool from the person that drew my name.

Anybody have any Secret Santa stories/debacles/major scores?

that's about the coolest secret santa gift i've ever heard of.

The one time we participated in the Secret Santa, I bought the guy I picked a personalized beer mug, and of course, a six pack of his favorite beer. He loved me after that. In fact, I became his administrative assistant. Hmmmm....?

Never happens.

Wow, those are good secret santa gifts. I did one once and got the girl I had a snow man ornament because on her decription she said she liked snow men. I didn't know her very well. My secret santa gave me a mug with the 8 reindeer on it and some candy. The trick was acting like I enjoyed my gift in front of the whole office.

Overall, my observation is that a lot of people get candy or Borders gift cards.

On a related note, when I lived in NY I would participate in Operation Santa Claus every year.

Basically, you drop by the NY General Post Office and pick out a few letters-usually from poor kids-that have written to Santa asking for gifts.

Then, you do your best to make it happen for some of these kids. You don't get any kind of recognition, but, it makes you feel good.

I should see if they have something similar here in GA.

I have NEVER gotten a secret santa gift as good as one I've given. I remember one year, in elementary school, I gave someone a bitchin' Bart Simpson bank w/ Butterfingers inside, and I got back a 99cent box of fruit-flavored candy canes. And I've never been a fan of those. I remember crying in the car on the way home because I was so dissapointed. Still didn't make my mom buy me a Bart Simpson bank, of course, but I haven't done one since...
I often think of doing "secret santa"-type things, but I know that:
A) I won't get back something that's as cool as the thing I get, and
B) The person who gets the present from me won't like theirs as much as the one they gave to someone else.

It's a twisted, twisted road you lead yourself down when you take to the secret santa-ing...

A follow-up:

We had the gift exchange today.
Although the guy I bought the DVD for had the day off, he came to the exchange breakfast and was extremely pleased with the gift. He said he was going to watch it today.

I dun good.

I received:
-A box of Frango mints (my favorites)
-A $15 gift card to Best Buy (see poll thread)

I got good too. Nice.
Now, GO VOTE in the poll and help me decide how to spend the damn thing!

frangoooooossss...mmmmm....

My friends started this Bad Santa thing.... each year we have a Christmas party and then those who want to participate in the bad santa, are given a name to pick a "bad" present for. Basically you're teamed up with someone you know well, so you can get the perfect gag gift. $15 limit.

My bad santa last year got me the perfect gift... he got a box of Cheese Nips, crossed out the word "cheese" so it just said "nip" (b/c he knows I always get pissed off when the group calls me that) and put a bag of Uncle Ben's rice in there (b/c we all know Uncle Ben's is NOT real rice!). Then a DVD of Notorious C.H.O. (I absolutely loathe Margaret Cho- long story) and a fake car alarm (b/c I have bad luck w/cars) & a keychain that said "I didn't lose the keys this time, I lost the whole damn car!"

It was awesome. I wonder who my bad santa is and what they have in store for me this year... not to mention I'm overwhelmed with opportunity for who my secret santa is.

My secret santa exchange at the office is whatever- you write down 3 things you want, and usually you end up getting what you want... so it's not really a surprise, which I find no fun in.

I remember those gifts, Dri! I thought they were hilarious! Steph gave me porn of black guys sportin' HUUUUUMONGOUS dicks.

I need to buy my Bad Santa a gift sometime soon, not to mention my Secret Santa here at work.

Uhhh yeah because the party's on Friday!

As I was instructed to tell horrid truck stop stories again, I will say that the worst secret santa gift I got was last year. Our work force is made up of either old people or really young people, and wouldn't you know it, my name was picked by one of the elders. She bought me toe socks. I despise toe socks. I like all my digits to be warm in a group--I won't even wear gloves, always mittens! I also have horrible circulation, so wearing toe socks cuts off what tiny blood supply my feet are getting and I always feel like I am getting frost bite. So, I acted gracious and gave them to my cousin for Christmas. I can only anticipate the wretched present I will get this year from some creepy cook.