s/o Favorite Things - Favorite Things Party?

[Deleted]

I'm confused. How do you guarantee each person gets 5 things? Doesn't someone just randomly pull 5 names to receive their item? Am I totally misunderstanding the logistics?

[h]

I think it sounds really fun and am temtped to do it with my girlfriends.

My mom does something kind of similar for her holiday gift exchange with her closest girlfriends every year. They all go to lunch together and bring the same gift to each member of the group, and it's supposed to be an item you love that is $20 or less. Gifts have been favorite lip glosses, kitchen gadgets, candles, expensive olive oil, coasters, hand cream, etc. But there is no name drawing or anything--everyone gets one of each gift.

[h]

Sept 26, 2012 17:35:56 GMT -5 @libgrl said:

I'm confused. How do you guarantee each person gets 5 things? Doesn't someone just randomly pull 5 names to receive their item? Am I totally misunderstanding the logistics?

I assume that each name is put in five times, so once your name has been drawn five times, you are done. If, for example, 10 people bring 5 gifts each for a total of 50 gifts, and each guest's name goes in a hat 5 times and you discard each name after it is drawn, each person would get 5 gifts and only 5 gifts.

[Deleted]

Sept 26, 2012 17:42:32 GMT -5 h said:

Sept 26, 2012 17:35:56 GMT -5 @libgrl said:

I'm confused. How do you guarantee each person gets 5 things? Doesn't someone just randomly pull 5 names to receive their item? Am I totally misunderstanding the logistics?

I assume that each name is put in five times, so once your name has been drawn five times, you are done. If, for example, 10 people bring 5 gifts each for a total of 50 gifts, and each guest's name goes in a hat 5 times and you discard each name after it is drawn, each person would get 5 gifts and only 5 gifts.

Wow. This s so simple. I swear I'm not an idiot...just tired. ;D

[Deleted]

I love my friends to pieces, but I'm certain that I'd hate their favorite things and vice-versa. LOL.

[Deleted]

Miso, I'm dying to know - what would you take to such a gathering?

[Deleted]

I missed the previous thread.

What are the guidelines? How much do you spend?

I'm not quite sure I understand how this works.

[Deleted]

You buy 5 of the same item. Cost is $5-$6. You leave with 5 things other people have brought.

[Deleted]

$5 or $6?

WTF can you buy for that? LOL.

[Deleted]

I think that's part of the challenge...also, no gift cards, candles or lotions seems to be a rule too.

[Deleted]

Well, candles and lotions are shit. I hate them.

I can't think of anything worth giving anyone for $5 aside from candy.

I would up it to $20. Then you'd get good stuff.

[Deleted]

LOL! I knew you'd say that!

[Deleted]

What would people buy?

No, really.

What would people buy for $5?

I want to know.

Because that would be a shitty-ass party.

[Deleted]

I would cross my fingers that I wouldn't get your shitty gift.

[Deleted]

I would origami $5 bills.

Seriously, though.

FIVE FUCKING DOLLARS?

What do you buy?

Shit.

That's what.

[Deleted]

I think I'd get nail polish. Amazon has OPI for $5 sometimes.

[Deleted]

Everybody would get nail polish.

OH, WHEE. BIG NAIL POLISH SWAP.

[dexteroni]

I would gladly take a free St. Ives scrub. It's my favorite.

And miso, I would hope that anyone who knows you knows better than to invite you to a $5 thing party.

[Deleted]

Airplane bottles of liquor?

[h]

I can think of a lot of things I could buy for $5-6, but I am sure miso would not want any of it. A couple ultra fine colored Sharpies (I love those things!), Rosebud Salve, a package of my favorite snag free hair elastics, the purse-sized tissue packs in cute prints, reusable grocery bags, and any number of tasty food treats could be had for $6 of less. I like stuff.

[Deleted]

Sept 26, 2012 18:48:03 GMT -5 dexteroni said:

I would gladly take a free St. Ives scrub. It's my favorite.

And miso, I would hope that anyone who knows you knows better than to invite you to a $5 thing party.

LOL. Frankly, I don't think any of my friends would engage in such nonsense.

[froggy76]

Sept 26, 2012 18:39:04 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

Seriously, though.

FIVE FUCKING DOLLARS?

What do you buy?

I don't knooowwwww. Thanks for raining on my parade

Here's what I can think of off the top of my head, and it all sounds lame now: lip balm/gloss, lotion, candles, small kitchen gadgets, gift cards, kid stuff (boogie wipes, sippy cups), notepads, pens, giftcards, truffles, socks, books, little bottles of liquor, pasta sauce, salsa...

I agree you could do better stuff with a $20 limit, but spending $25-30 on stuff plus bringing food/drink is probably already too much for some people.

ETA: Envirosax...that's what I would bring.

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Sept 26, 2012 18:56:43 GMT -5 froggy76 said:

I don't knooowwwww. Thanks for raining on my parade

Raining on your parade?

I call it "saving you from throwing a shitty party."

[Deleted]

Why have a theme?

Party time is time to party.

Just have fun.

[Deleted]

Miso, what would you bring to the $20 version of this soirée?

[froggy76]

I like the idea of having a theme because I want to do this with a group of people who don't all know each other. So there's something for people to focus on and talk about. I wouldn't do this with my real friends... we don't need a theme or reason to get together and eat/drink.

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Sept 26, 2012 19:01:43 GMT -5 @libgrl said:

Miso, what would you bring to the $20 version of this soirée?

Honestly, I rarely take stuff like this seriously.

In the past, I've given stuff like the Shake Weight or his and her Snuggies. I'm a big fan of As Seen on TV shit.

If you're making me participate in mandatory fun, I'm going to have my fucking fun.

[ondaflipside]

5 2-buck-Chucks. That's what I'd bring to this party. No useless knick-knacks for me.

[Deleted]

Sept 26, 2012 19:03:40 GMT -5 froggy76 said:

I like the idea of having a theme because I want to do this with a group of people who don't all know each other. So there's something for people to focus on and talk about. I wouldn't do this with my real friends... we don't need a theme or reason to get together and eat/drink.

Who are these people?

Why are they incapable of natural conversation?

[froggy76]

This would be for my suburban moms' club. The theme would be a nice departure from talking about breastfeeding and playdates.

I like the idea of gag gifts. I brought a pack of Richard Simmons DVDs to a white elephant last year, only to find out that we were supposed to get real gifts (like candles and lotion.) The fattest girl at the party got my gift and I felt horrible.