The host or hostess of the “Chinese Auction” party–as part of making the whole concept more challenging and fun–may have set rules, as simple as a dollar-limit as to what may be spent on each gift, and to the number of gifts each person must bring (3 to 5 seem to be popular); or, to crank up the complexity, there may be “extenuating” rules–such as no “white elephant” (undesirable household items) gifts, no dollar limit on gifts purchased the previous calendar year (to allow for people go pick up some great after-Christmas buys to put away for next year) and no dollar limit on nice, unused items that are being re-gifted. Try not to bring repetitive gifts (multiples of the same thing), since part of the fun of a “Chinese Auction” is that the variety of gifts stimulates people to make swaps.
So your choice of gifts will vary depending on the prevailing limits and rules of your particular auction. If the limit is $5.00, head to your best dollar store, where you can pick up pretty bubble-baths and lotions and even a basket or gift bag to pack them in; makeup travel bags; stationery and candles (although candles tend to be overdone); a mini-flashlight; an unusually pretty Christmas stocking and candy to fill it. Good “dollar stores” often have surprisingly fabulous selections of gift bags, and if your party is before the holidays, one gift bag with 4 more tucked inside it, is a very sought-after gift. Burn CD’s of Christmas music, but do use plastic “jewel” boxes to wrap them in. If you have a Harbor Freight (tool store) or Ace Hardware near you, you may find they have a good number of under-$5 small tools and gadgets that will fit in wonderfully if there are men in your group. Even a multi-pack of good-quality batteries makes a really useful small gift. For men OR women, pick up several 3-ounce bottles for traveling with toiletries while staying within FAA regulations. For latté-lovers, Costco sells bottles of luxury flavored syrups for under $5.00. At many mall stores you may stumble upon a “buy one, get one free” or “buy one, get one half-off” sale for smaller items, such as accessories: you can buy one at a more-than-$5.00 price for yourself or to give as another gift, and the “free” item, which may be worth much more than the limit, still qualifies you to give it at the auction.
If your limit is up to $10, check places such as Walmart, K-Mart and Fred Meyer for commercial CD’s of Christmas music (they often have large bins of these, where you can find some surprising classic or popular artists in the mix); also, at this time of year, many such stores have movie DVD’s of older but very popular movies, also good gifts as the recipient can always re-gift them or swap them with a family member for a different title, etc.; again, everyone has a dead flashlight laying around, so flashlights make good gifts; a nice kitchen gadget, kitchen towels or a set of potholders (most people’s potholders need replacing); a screwdriver or packet of wrenches. Two or three pair of socks, toiletry travel bags or a travel accessory such as an inflatable neck pillow for an airplane trip. A knit hat, scarf, or gloves. Try stores such as Marshall’s or Ross for a crystal vase or candy dish or great picture frames. A booklet of gift certificates to a fast-food chain would put the lie to the expression that “there’s no free lunch.”.
Should your limit be $15-$20, you will probably be asked to bring only a single gift. Some offices have gone to “Chinese auctions” as a way of making their gift exchanges less personal (where you’re not buying a gift for someone in particular) and more fun. For $15-20 you can get your choice of a more recently-released movie DVD or music CD–or people love to get gift cards. How about a gift card for 2 admissions to a local movie theatre? For $15-20, you can buy a nice bottle of wine, a rechargeable cordless screwdriver, a book, board game or trivia game (with a gift receipt so it can be exchanged). A gift certificate to a nail salon for a manicure or pedicure is a nice surprise. Again, check stores such as Marshall’s and Ross for a set of crystal glasses or a salad bowl, umbrellas, scarves, tote bags, wallets, leather gloves, slippers or a pair of beautiful home-décor pillows.
Naturally, these suggestions are just the tip of an enormous iceberg of choices out there. If you find a little something that costs a dollar over the limit but it’s absolutely perfect, get it anyway–and lie. I tend to pick up small “good deals” when I find them throughout the year, and have a drawer where I keep them for use as hostess gifts and “oops” gifts (where you never dreamed someone would bring you a gift, but they’re in your living room with a package right now)–and this can be a great place to accumulate little treasures for future “Chinese Auctions” as well.
12.09.08
