Unisex grabbag?

loro929

This year, I am attending a Christmas dinner in which everyone needs to bring a "grab-bag" gift to play one of those gifting games, where the presents are assigned a number and you draw a number and then take the present with the corresponding number.That being said, obviously there will be both males and females attending, so of course, either a male or a female could be the recipient of my gift. 

Budget is $25.00 and no Gift cards. Age range 27-35.

What would you buy in this situation? I am really at a loss.

holyguacamole79

How about a Tervis tumbler for a popular sports team?

JennyColada

We do a white elephant exchange with my friends (it's similar, but it's usually gag gifts). The most popular item last year was a blood sugar monitor and chocolates. Lol. The year before that the top gift was some overly fancy wine opener that I re-gifted for the event.

In terms of "real" gifts: maybe a book or DVD? Food is always good.

loro929

JennyColada said:

We do a white elephant exchange with my friends (it's similar, but it's usually gag gifts). The most popular item last year was a blood sugar monitor and chocolates. Lol. The year before that the top gift was some overly fancy wine opener that I re-gifted for the event. In terms of "real" gifts: maybe a book or DVD? Food is always good.

This could be an option - some kind of cocktail/bar equipment - who doesn't like a good drink

lovegood90

Alcohol!

amelisha

Booze is my go-to for these, or even just something like a couple of whiskey glasses and some of those "rocks" (literally rocks, I guess - the square ones that look like ice cubes) you use to chill drinks without ice.

I bartended, so I will sometimes get small bottles of all the ingredients for a popular cocktail and package those with a recipe (always popular: tequila, triple sec, fresh limes, and coarse salt for a margarita; or whiskey, bitters, raw sugar, soda, and cherries for an old-fashioned). Or something like a bag of coffee beans, fancy homemade marshmallows, a couple packets of good hot chocolate, and a small bottle of Baileys.

The other thing that is usually really popular in my social circle is kitchen tools. For $25 you can get something like a novelty pan (I have one of those giant cupcake silicone cake moulds, for example), cool cookie cutters (dinosaurs? Star Wars? something weird like that is always popular), a pizza stone...something that maybe a lot of people wouldn't already have.

littlemushroom

How about a board game or something like that? Pass the Pigs, Quiddler, Farkle, etc are all small and you could get a couple for the price limit you have. Or maybe some decks of cards and a cheap set of poker chips or a book on card games? Those kind of things go over well in my circle.

Scratch off lottery tickets are also a big hit.

princessleia22

Food and alcohol are always good choices.  Chocolate, cookies, wine, liquor, etc.

What about a movie night kit with DVD and popcorn?

Some type of game?  Cards Against Humanity is a good one for that age group.  And it's right on budget.

 

loro929

@amelisha great ideas too! 

Homegoods always has great, unusual small kitchen tools/appliances that could make a nice gift basket. I will have to stop there and check out the selection of goodies available.

penguin44

Going along with the alcohol theme, almost everyone in my family has asked for these as a Christmas or birthday gift from me.

http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Sphere-Ice-Molds-Set/dp/B007ACTN54/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417628876&sr=8-1&keywords=sphere+glass+mold

http://www.amazon.com/Suns-Tea-Manhattan-old-fashioned-Whiskey/dp/B006GWQ988/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1417628850&sr=8-10&keywords=double+wall+glass

hellosweetie1015

....I read the title as Unisex Grabbing. Don't judge.

I would probably go to ThinkGeek for this and just pick out something cool from there. Or maybe a movie you enjoyed this past year.

Or the Game of Things. It's fantastic. We play it a lot. It always ends up highly offcolor with us, but it's a BLAST no matter what.

JennyColada

I always wanted an excuse to buy these:
http://www.perpetualkid.com/clink-glass.aspx

KatieinBkln

Cheese. 

Cheese is always the answer.

theartistformerlyknownas

We have the same rules for the swap with H's cousins (who are kind of highfalutin') and I got a gift bag of 3 fancy mustards from this artisinal place downtown. A couple fancy cheeses, a fancy mustard and a jam would be even better.

loveislouder

Not helpful but I read Unisex Grabbing and thought this thread was going to go in a completely different direction.

ElcaB

loveislouder said:

Not helpful but I read Unisex Grabbing and thought this thread was going to go in a completely different direction.

I think we think alike. 

A board game is a great suggestion. What about a nice set of wooden coasters, or a really awesome travel mug? 

hellosweetie1015

ElcaB said:

loveislouder said:

Not helpful but I read Unisex Grabbing and thought this thread was going to go in a completely different direction.

I think we think alike. 

A board game is a great suggestion. What about a nice set of wooden coasters, or a really awesome travel mug? 

I am so so glad I'm not alone.

esstee33

loveislouder said:

Not helpful but I read Unisex Grabbing and thought this thread was going to go in a completely different direction.

I can't not see it. 

mrsdee15

The most popular ones for our work party are always wine with lottery scratchers tied to it.  Also, our office is freezing, so there is usually a Snuggie or two.  One guy last year went and got a case of $2 buck chuck.  Our limit is $20, and really alcohol is the most popular it seems.

beethery

I went to a yankee swap last year. I hit costco that morning and got a cutting board set and a travel mug set.

Everyone else brought alcohol. Guess you can't really go wrong there.

loro929

ElcaB said:

loveislouder said:

Not helpful but I read Unisex Grabbing and thought this thread was going to go in a completely different direction.

I think we think alike. 

A board game is a great suggestion. What about a nice set of wooden coasters, or a really awesome travel mug? 

Sorry for the post and run last night - but i am back now and have some comments:

(i) Now I'm even reading the title of my own post as unisex grabbing. (Is grabbag one word or two? - maybe that is my own fault there.)

(ii) Thanks for al the great suggestions - now I have to filter them out to pick something out - it seems like it will be between some alcohol-type gift basket (wine or cocktails), some kitchen gadget (coasters included - who doesn't like a good coaster?! I have the best coasters at home currently, they are like little chalkboards and they come with chalk and you can write your names / messages on them - always fun during a party!), or a fun game (or game /wine combination - to get the party started).

I will post when the final decision is made - but seriously thanks for getting me out of my unisex grab-bag (is that less "grabby") gift buying rut!