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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Amazon usually or the clearance toy aisle at Walmart/Target. Last year I got my niece a Monster High toy set that retails on amazon for $40 in the clearance section of walmart for $10!
I start shopping in September looking for deals.
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For my family, we used to just draw names for the siblings, and then buy for all the kids. This year we've decided to draw names for the kids, and if you wanted to, go in an exchange for the adults. we'll see how it goes this year, and can re-work things next year. it just got to be too expensive.
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Growing up we drew names for cousins on my Moms side. This year we are doing a kids only Christmas- but on my in laws side there are 5 total and 3 total on my side- those numbers won't go up until we have a second so I'm comfortable buying 4 gifts for one side and two for the other. We will also buy for parents.
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We do this on my side, 3 siblings have 2 kids each, so each kid gets 1 kid from another family, evenone opens a present on Christmas Eve (when we get together.) That way we can spend a little bit more on a decent gift (30-40) instead of 15-20. This works well for us. For DH's side because there are only 2 (niece/nephew) we still buy for them.
We still do a gift exchange on my dad's side with my cousins (pretty much our kids/anyone in school) and this year we've decided to do a movie white elephant. Whoever wants to be involved brings a movie to use in the exchange.
I've really tried to cut down on the amount of gifts I'm giving because I want it to be about the season and not the amount spent. Not always easy. We've stopped doing gifts for siblings (all agreed) and we do a gift drawing with my friends. We do a gift exchange with LO's best friend as well.
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I would like to draw names, I think it would make things more fun. A few years ago, we got a request from SIL and BIL to only exchange gifts for the kids instead of everyone like we used to, so now Christmas is a little boring plus I feel bad for my MIL who has to buy for all the grandkids but gets nothing in return (we try to sneak in a gift for her "from LO"). For my own family, it is just my dad and my brother, so we all exchange since a draw would be silly with so few people.
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We drew names in my family when I was a kid because I had 9 cousins. Now we just have a couple of young children (cousin's little girl and a close family friend's little girl) in the family so we just buy for them, and skip the adult gifts (although we do still get my grandma a gift).
In DH's family we buy for everyone, but his family is smaller. We only have 1 niece so we like to spoil her. DH also likes to get something for his cousin's little boy.
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@Bao: I know your idea got shot down, but just so you know... it's not a crazy idea! We draw names for the kids on my side of the family. There are nine grandkids, and I only have one of them! One is a teenager and one is a pre-teen... I can't afford all that. I think a name swap makes a lot of sense for most families who don't have a whole lot of money to throw around during the holidays. I'm totally with you--I'd rather Sadie get one nice gift, then a bunch of little cheap things she's going to lose or break.
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Growing up, I was one of 17 grandkids. So my mom and her sisters all drew names. They would draw as many names as they have kids.
Now that we're grown and have kids of our own, my brothers and I (and my SIL's too) still buy for all of the kids. We used to draw names among ourselves but have changed it so that we just do one $20 white elephant type game with our parents. I love it!
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