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No one wants a white elephant stampede, so limits must be placed on the who, what, where and when of a Yankee Swap!

- Who

Decide beforehand if children are allowed to play. Some Yankee Swaps are of the PG-13 variety. Others are simply geared to different tastes. Could you imagine a 56 year old confirmed bachelor getting stuck with a Sesame Street jigsaw puzzle? Or a seven year old boy unwrapping a bra?

A child's attention span may be limited, and many tots would be sorely disappointed if they didn't get to walk away with the "real white elephant", tusks and all! Think what explaining you'd have to do if they unwrapped mere Tupperware!

If the swap will be family-safe, but mostly grownups will be playing, it may be prudent to plan a side activity for the children - a supervised craft table or game of charades - or the youngest ones can sit it out on Mommy's lap while SHE plays Yankee swap.

- What

Each participant contributes one wrapped (unlabeled) gift; the object is to ultimately leave the swap with one different gift.

Consider the socio-economics involved. What if one person gets to walk away with a 24 carat diamond, while another gets stuck with a carrot? Unless your swap is geared toward royalty, you may consider putting a price limit on the "white elephants".

Restrict naughty gag-gifts if your group has delicate nerves - you invited them! Be prudent.

Know the demographics of your swap participants, or you may end up a statistic! Plan ahead, set guidelines, or hire a security guard for the occasion.

If you anticipate party crashers showing up, you may wish to have a few extra gifts on hand so they can participate in the swap - or have a strict stick-to-the-guest-list policy (not as much fun!).

- Where

This is a no-brainer. Have you any idea how many people you've invited? What about the RSVP?

Elbow room is a must! Imagine having an elephant stampede in standing-room-only space. Plan ahead. Trim the guest list or rent the square footage to arrange your swap players in a comfortably seated circle - or prepare for chaos!

Of course, if the weather is nice, the Yankee swap COULD take place out on the lawn - check the weather report and/or secure a "rain date". An outdoor Yankee Swap can be great fun. If it's weather is seasonably chilly, have ample hot cider on hand!

- That brings us to "when"...

Traditionally the Yankee Swap is a Christmastide event. Be certain you secure a date that is convenient to most of your guests. Think ahead - if necessary, do a poll - find out which date is most convenient for your guests. Will it be conflicting with other Holiday events? What other parties are on your guests' agendas? Don't be shy - ask.

You may not be able to please EVERYBODY, but do pick a date that's devoid of most other Holiday bashes and obligations! Unless of course you can negotiate some "party date swapping" amongst friends - but then again, why complicate things? Go with the flow and accommodate the most "open date" available for the most guests.

- Other things to consider

Run off copies of the rules and guidelines for your Yankee Swap and distribute one to each participant BEFORE the game begins! Folks should know what they're getting into.

Keep a sense of humor and join in the fun!

Learn more about this author, Violet Fortune.
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