Spread Some "Cheer"

At my job, we are taking a different approach to the "Secret Santa" method of gift exchanging that most companies take part in during the Christmas holiday. With the recession in mind (and the fact that our company will not be giving out raises this year), we are doing what's called a "Secret Cheerer". The purpose of a Secret Cheerer is to bring some Christmas "cheer" to a fellow co-worker's day or morning by showering them with small gifts no more than a couple of dollars. The holidays are a time when a lot of people become lonely and depressed for various reasons. Last week, names were secretly drawn and for the two weeks leading up until Christmas, all of the "Secret Cheerers" will be secretly placing gifts on the desk of the person whose name they pulled. Or, they can choose to send their gift via another person to prevent their identity from being revealed. Gifts can be given on a daily basis, a few times a week, or the "Secret Cheerer" can wait until the end of the two weeks and give one big gift.

Gifts can be anything from candy, a doughnut,bagel, cup of coffee, a Christmas card, a holiday poem, candle, $1 to get something out of the vending machine, lunch money, flowers, plant, etc, etc. The ideas are endless. All of the "Secret Cheerers" will be able to reveal themselves at our Christmas Party on December 23rd. Secret Cheering is an unique way to still have fun and be able to exchange gifts while on a budget. I'm not participating in it because I was absent when names were pulled (I fell ill and had to call out sick last Thursday and Friday). But, had I not been sick, I would've definitely participated. It's fun to try and come up with original "cost-effective" gift ideas that will bring a smile to someone's face. Sometimes it's the little things that count...