In each part of the world people are celebrating Christmas in a different way. Every country has it’s own customs related with this holiday and even unique names for Santa. The food preparation are different in Poland and in France, the Christmas decoration looks different in Germany and in the USA. Also gift ideas and ways of giving them may vary depends on country (for example the Scottish Christmas gifts aren’t the same as Australian one). And giving the present that isn’t popular in your culture may be a fantastic idea – gifting is all about imagination and for event like Christmas it’s worth to buy people things they would never buy themselves.
In the USA where Christmas is not quite religious holiday gifts are even the most important part but gift ideas aren’t so unique. It was popular to deposit presents in stockings which are hanging over the chimney (in Sweden for example they are hanging on the Christmas tree). Many years ago stockings were full of sweets, like glace lollipops, and hand-made sweaters. Nowadays stockings are only a reminiscence of old tradition and under the Christmas tree you will find an expensive TV and video camera. In France there is still a custom of giving small presents hidden in shoes: small toys, nuts, sweets (the Christmas tree isn’t so popular in France). Children believes that they are placed there by Pere Noel. As for the Scottish gifts they are the most uniqueness of all. The people of Scotland don’t have so many customes related with Christmas holiday but because of their rich culture their gifts might be a good example and gift idea for every nation. Gifts from Scotland are usually: Celtic design jewelery, kilts (mini kilt for her and traditional one for him; they are even giving kilts to their children as a part of their tradition and this kind of Scottish gift would be a nice surprise for a teenage boy), original scotch whiskey. And only in Scotland there is a custom that the presents are opened very carefully to make sure that the wrapping paper can be used once again.
So good luck with your gift ideas this and every next Christmas. Be creative and have fun.