LPT: If you are worried about getting a gift and not having one on hand in return, buy several gift certificates from your favorite restaurant and stick them in Christmas cards. If you end up not having to give them out, you can then use them yourself.

I do this every year. Usually without fail three or four of our friends will get us something that we were not expecting. When that happens, I always say "oh, I have something for you too" and then go get the Christmas card and write their name on it. It makes it look like you had gone out and had bought a gift for them.

Then after Christmas, what ever we don't give out, we just use ourselves.