We all know that the holidays are about the spirit of giving. So why not add a little humor to that spirit by organizing a Yankee swap? Gather up your friends, family and the less-than-desirable items you have lying around the house, and organize yourself a festive party full of fun and laughter.

A Yankee swap will add a factor of exhilaration to your all-to-familiar, gift-giving frenzy. Each guest must bring a gift that has been thought up with an appropriate sense of humor. Sounds like fun I know, but where do you begin?

Select a theme:

Although it's not mandatory, selecting a theme for your party can add simplicity. You can select music, fashion, seasons, or even animals. The choice is yours.

The Invitation:

After you've decided the theme and who will be invited, print and/or e-mail your invitations. The invitations should include:

*The rules of what will be considered as an inappropriate gift.

*The theme of the party

*The guests name, time, date, and location.

*The price limit

*And don't forget to add a fun and inviting message, as well as an RSVP phone number.

Organization:

Typically, after everyone has RSVP'd, the anticipated guests are assigned a number. The number designates which turn they will take in choosing a gift from the gift-pile. One being first and so on. If you're unable to organize this in advance, then the order in which guests arrive should be their assigned number.

The Party!:

The person assigned with number one goes first. He/She chooses a gift and opens it for everyone to see. After the laughter has died down, person number two takes their turn with the option of taking the gift away from person number one or choosing an unwrapped gift.

If player two chooses player one's gift the round continues. Player one in turn chooses another unwrapped gift.

The game continues as such. Subsequent players have the choice of stealing a gift that a previous player has already opened or selecting an unwrapped gift. It is a round of gift giving until an unopened gift has been unwrapped.

*Note: The same gift can only be stolen one time in any round but can be reclaimed in another round, until it has been introduced to its third owner. At which time it becomes retired.

The gift exchange ends when the final unopened gift has been unwrapped, with one exception. The person who went first gets to decide whether or not they wish to trade with any of the other recipients.

As with any game, feel free to adapt the rules as you see fit. Have fun and adopt a new tradition. In making the Yankee swap a tradition, it is likely you'll notice several gifts being returned to the game each year, in effort to fluff them off on somebody new.

Learn more about this author, Tonya Barton.
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