What was the best gift you got at a CC gift exchange?

I am participating in my first CC gift exchange and cannot come up with something that would be appropriate and appreciated. So, I am asking you what you got, or saw someone else get, at an on-board gift exchange that you really like. I am not looking for complaints, just things that people really like. Thanks:)

For the gift exchange someone brought a Dishtowel with "I'd Rather Be Cruising!" printed on it. :D

LuLu

On our last cruise we did a gift exchange from the hometown and the most popular gift was a stuffed flamingo from florida.

I've gotten a few really poor gifts that were not close to the 5 or 10 dollar price usually set as value to be given.

Once I received a gift basket with a blueberry print tea towel, blueberry tea, and a delicious blueberry jam - it made up for some of the duds of the past.

Win some lose some.

For the gift exchange we were involved with the cost of the gift was limited to a small amount and the suggestion was that the item would be something specific to your

¨home ¨area. We took an Indalo man from out local pottery in Almeria, others brought Canadian Maple syrup, Hand carved wooden items, small koala bear, drinks coasters with local pictures, maple syrup candy, Scottish shortbread, key rings, badges. All items were small, or flat, or edible,

Sandy in Spain

Thank you to all those who posted ideas on gifts...I have a list to take with me when I go shopping. Your suggestions made me happy that I signed up for my first gift exchange.

Happy cruising to all of you.

The last gift exchange we did was in grade school and it hard to remember that far back :). When we see a Roll Call (for any upcoming cruise) where folks talk about Gift Exchanges, skits, slot pulls, etc. we simply smile and avoid the Roll Call and associated M and Greet. Looking forward to a soon upcoming cruise (within the week) where there are hundreds of interesting posts (mostly about the ports and cruise related issues) but not a single post talking about gift exchanges, skits, cabin crawls, slot pulls, etc. It will be the first Meet and Greet we have attended in our last few cruises.

Hank

For the gift exchange someone brought a Dishtowel with "I'd Rather Be Cruising!" printed on it. :D

LuLu

I have a Santa hat with that slogan on it and I wear it every Christmas Day when I am slaving over a hot oven.:D:D

but not a single post talking about gift exchanges, skits, cabin crawls, slot pulls, etc.

Skits? Are you kidding? Oh my goodness, who has time a) to come up with these things and b) to watch them with all that is going on before/after/during the M&G?

Bon Voyage to you for this coming week!

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

Thank you to all those who posted ideas on gifts...I have a list to take with me when I go shopping. Your suggestions made me happy that I signed up for my first gift exchange.

Happy cruising to all of you.

Have fun shopping! Glad that the gift exchange naysayers who responded to your original post didn't dampen your enthusiasm to participate in your first.

Best wishes for a great cruise!

... Oh my goodness, who has time a) to come up with these things and b) to watch them with all that is going on before/after/during the M&G?

In my experience the really active threads with organized activities are the transatlantic cruises.

I have not seen this on shorter cruises or when there are not a lot of At Sea days.

The longer cruises with at sea days tend to have older cruisers, too. So more time for planning, and more time to fill during the cruise.

I received 2 very cool refrigerator magnets from a girl who was from Norway!!!

They have. A good place on my frige along with a nice memory....

Sa far as what to get, I think anything that is unique to your city or state is great.... Once we did a jacksonville beach tshirt from a local breakfast place and once we did a ball cap....they receiver really liked them.....

I have never been on a roll call that they did the gift exchange, although I have seen them mentioned plenty of times. I have never really wanted to participate and always thought "what the heck would I get" or "what would others want to receive?" It just always seemed too hard. However, I'm thinking about maybe giving this a try since I have been seeing the subject brought up so much lately...it must be a sign, but I will check with my roll call.

Hoping that more people post ideas on what to bring. :D

I have never been on a roll call that they did the gift exchange, although I have seen them mentioned plenty of times. I have never really wanted to participate and always thought "what the heck would I get" or "what would others want to receive?" It just always seemed too hard. However, I'm thinking about maybe giving this a try since I have been seeing the subject brought up so much lately...it must be a sign, but I will check with my roll call.

 

 

Hoping that more people post ideas on what to bring. :D

I really annoyed my husband because we did the exchange from our home town and I made him take me all over fort worth till I found the perfect gift.

Sa far as what to get, I think anything that is unique to your city or state is great.... Once we did a jacksonville beach tshirt from a local breakfast place and once we did a ball cap....they receiver really liked them.....

:) Sounds fun but How did you know what size t shirt to get? You wouldn't know who would be receiving it. :confused:

I have run or participated in more than a dozen gift exchanges with cruise critic groups on past cruises. Please believe me when I say it is strictly volunteers who participate and non participants are not in any way considered party poopers! I usually give tee shirts that say Virginia is for Lovers. I assume they will be used as night shirts and I buy them in x large. When my local gift store stopped carrying them I switched to team Jerseys from the local colleges University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. They are light weight and easy to pack. I saw the recipient wearing it as a pool cover up later in the cruise. My favorite gift I got was a homemade pottery flower vase. Thank goodness I had driven to the port and not flown. I also got maple syrup, wine, tea towels with the flag of Australia, baseball hat and box of candy from Hamburg Germany, playing cards with Canada Maple Leaf, Texas BBQ sauce. Hope this helps you decide something you may want to bring to the next gift exchange. Terry

The thought of having to find a gift for a total stranger would have me running from a roll call. It's not for me. Oh if only a Meet and Greet could be just that - to meet and greet fellow forum posters without commitment or obligation. :(

I am with you... gift exchange no way. With today's luggage limits??? But even in spite of luggage issues, I don't even go to a meet and greet... the forum is good enough for me. I don't cruise to make friends.

Bottle of wine

I won't participate in gift exchanges. Doesn't interest me :o but I admit I have enjoyed reading some of the ideas CC'ers here have posted.

I enjoy roll calls that are part planning shore-ex, part planning activities on board, and part getting to know my fellow cruisers.

The best gift I ever got was a heart shaped key ring from San Francisco - it makes me think of cruising every day.

We usually take a famous local chocolate ( Rodgers, Victoria BC), or tea ( Murchies): neither need hauling home.

I always like to get tea towels but they are rarely given any more.

Cheers, h.

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The best gift I received was a Tervis Tumbler. It had a beach design and was used throughout the cruise to keep my soda cold. It will also keep beverages hot.

While we almost always attend the "Meet & Mingles" we've never participated in the gift exchange (which has always been optional and only for those wanting to participate). Seeing some of the items that were gifted, seems the most appreciated were those made by local artisans that were items indicative and unique to the area the gift giver was from.

I would never participate in any activity where a gift exchange was expected.

DON

Gift exchange is right up there next to cabin crawl and scavenger hunt in the BIG NO category.

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