NHGR: Yankee Swap Gift

[njnester319]

Hi all! Although I don't post a lot, I do read everyone's posts everyday and know you girls always have some great ideas for things so I thought you could help.

We have a yankee swap coming up for work in a few weeks. Our budget is $20 and the gift must be TSA friendly (as we have some people coming in from across the country for our big meeting). Alcohol or gift cards aren't allowed.

Does anyone have an idea for what I can get? Have you ever gotten a really cool gift? I'm totally drawing a blank on what to get.

Thanks!

[sjh722]

I put this travel mug on my amazon wishlist after someone posted it this morning:
www.amazon.com/Contigo-AUTOSEAL-Stainless-20-Ounce-Easy-Clean/dp/B009HVH4XO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1KOXVSWJVG0JF&coliid=I2ZS7DHYRSNJYQ

[emjacobs]

Is there something that you could get to highlight your city / area? Like a basket of chocolates if you have a nice local candy shop?

What kind of company do you work for? Where are you located?

[njnester319]

I do advertising for a home builder in PA. The only thing with chocolates is they might not make it to the office that day

Thanks for reminding me about that coffee mug SJH! That's a good one.

What about an electric wine opener? I know not everyone drinks but there is this one at bed bath and beyond: www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=14620168
Though alcohol isn't allowed, I think last year there were a few of those "redneck" wine glasses so I'm sure a wine opener would be okay.

[sjh722]

I think DH bought me one of those wine openers a few years ago. It doesn't work very well.

If I need a $20ish thing I usually browse the general merchandise at Costco - they often have stuff I wouldn't have thought of, but it makes good generic swap gifts.

[emjacobs]

I would be under-whelmed if I got a wine opener, but I don't drink. I'm sure someone would swap though.

[emoflamingo]

I don't drink wine either, so that would be meh for me as well. I'm apparently just crotchety because I don't drink coffee either, so I'm not sure what I'd do with a travel mug.

In addition to Costco or Sam's, I'd browse TJ Maxx and see what they have in the gift type sections.

Or, if you have a store that sells local products, maybe they have some cool TSA friendly items. There are a bunch of stores like that here and I can usually find something.

[pitterwoo]

I put that mug on my Amazon list too! I like the Costco suggestion. I might wander Bed Bath and Beyond for random ideas. I like gifts that are actually useful, but tend not to be the kind of thing that you think of getting for yourself.

[njnester319]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'll have to see if I can borrow my MIL's Costco card to see if they have anything good in the one by us. I'll check out BB&B too. I'm sure I could find something there.

[emjacobs]

Another idea, we do a thieves Christmas and the best thing I have ever gotten was a pair of LED Mag lites. They were the big heavy long ones, we've never put new batteries in them and they are great. We actually had them snatched from us a few times before we locked them in as ours.

[TBM]

Jul 24, 2013 14:50:56 GMT -5 emoflamingo said:

I don't drink wine either, so that would be meh for me as well. I'm apparently just crotchety because I don't drink coffee either, so I'm not sure what I'd do with a travel mug.

You can put anything in a travel mug....you know, anything that you don't want to spill in your car. ;p

[emjacobs]

Jul 24, 2013 16:24:51 GMT -5 TBM said:

Jul 24, 2013 14:50:56 GMT -5 emoflamingo said:

I don't drink wine either, so that would be meh for me as well. I'm apparently just crotchety because I don't drink coffee either, so I'm not sure what I'd do with a travel mug.

You can put anything in a travel mug....you know, anything that you don't want to spill in your car. ;p

Yeah I don't drink coffee either (emo are you my twin???) but I love me some travel mugs

[emoflamingo]

Jul 24, 2013 16:27:37 GMT -5 emjacobs said:

Jul 24, 2013 16:24:51 GMT -5 TBM said:

You can put anything in a travel mug....you know, anything that you don't want to spill in your car. ;p

Yeah I don't drink coffee either (emo are you my twin???) but I love me some travel mugs

I'm apparently very uncool lol. I usually use my reusable water bottle that doesn't fit in my cupholder or my giant (free) L&D mug that I can fill with enough ice and water to quench the thirst of 3 kids. (Love that thing.)

See, totally uncool. I might as well go get some elastic pants and pull them up to my armpits.

[magdala]

We do a Yankee Swap every December. Last year, I picked up a pepper grinder from BJs (like a Sam's club or a Costco).
The year before, I did a bottle of wine but that won't be TSA friendly.

[mmp]

Electric tart burner with a handful of wax melts. You can get them at Kohls for less than the Yankee Candle store.
The electric ones are better than the ones that need tea lights.
Also, a removable top is best.

[tarheels]

Jul 24, 2013 14:06:06 GMT -5 sjh722 said:

I put this travel mug on my amazon wishlist after someone posted it this morning:
www.amazon.com/Contigo-AUTOSEAL-Stainless-20-Ounce-Easy-Clean/dp/B009HVH4XO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1KOXVSWJVG0JF&coliid=I2ZS7DHYRSNJYQ

I have no idea what a Yankee swap is, but we have a bunch of these coffee mugs and they're the greatest! DH even drops them, knocks them over, and they don't spill.

[emjacobs]

Jul 25, 2013 5:45:31 GMT -5 mmp said:

Electric tart burner with a handful of wax melts. You can get them at Kohls for less than the Yankee Candle store.
The electric ones are better than the ones that need tea lights.
Also, a removable top is best.

Wax melts don't always travel well, especially in the summer.