A mountain exchange is usually a small group spending the whole weekend together. That allows an unhurried gift time, but it means choosing gifts that are easy to carry and a budget that doesn't add much to the cost of the trip.
Adapting the exchange to the mountains
Gifts that fit in a bag
Whatever goes up the mountain has to come back down. Wool socks, a hat, gloves, a small thermos or a book all work. Skip anything bulky or breakable.
Gifts after dinner
In a cabin, the best time is after dinner, with the group together and nobody in a hurry. There's no need for an exact time.
Something hot to start
Hot chocolate, tea or mulled wine on the stove gathers the group before you start and gives everyone something to hold while the gifts are opened.
A limit that fits the trip
If the group has already paid for the cabin and lift passes, the gift should be modest. A low limit suits a shared trip better than the office budget.
What works in the cold
Wool socks, a hat, a thermos, lip balm, an instant camera or a hot chocolate mix. Avoid liquids that could freeze in the car and electronics left out in the cold.
Set up your mountain Cuchumbo in a minute
Run the draw a week before you go: share one link with the group and everyone packs their gift knowing who it's for.
