DEAR ABBY: With the holidays approaching, I would like to share an alternative to the traditional office gift exchange. For the past few years, we have drawn names, but instead of buying gifts, we buy toys that in some way remind us of the person whose name we have drawn. The toy can represent their hobby, their job, their personality, etc.
After exchanging the gifts at our annual Christmas party and seeing how creative our fellow workers have been, the toys are then donated to a toy drive.
This tradition is rewarding for us and joyful for the children who otherwise would not receive gifts. -- ELVES IN GLENDALE
DEAR ELVES: I love the idea. The gifts don't have to be expensive, and more than one person can enjoy them.