Is Secret Santa stressing you out? Here’s your holiday gift-exchange survival guide

Secret Santa gift exchanges among friends, family or co-workers can be a fun way to get in the holiday spirit. Or they can be just another seasonal stressor. Maybe you don't know or like the person you've been assigned to buy a present for. Maybe you're struggling to find a gift that the recipient will actually like within the given price point. One way to make things run smoothly is to get an organizer more involved. There are even ones online, like Elfster. Consider gifts with a purpose, like kitchen gadgets or winter gear. Or gifts with a monogram. Or gift cards. And remember that sometimes Secret Santa swaps actually cut down on stress by keeping you from having to give individual presents to everyone in a group.