How to Organize a Yankee Swap or White Elephant Exchange

One way to organize such an event in an office or other workplace, is to set it for the late afternoon (or end of shift) just before everyone leaves for the Christmas weekend. That way, if that's how everyone agrees to do it, it can be done in less than an hour. Then all can hurry home to their families to enjoy the holiday. If you and your coworkers prefer, instead you can make it a feature of a holiday luncheon on that last day or several days earlier.

The Yankee swap gift-giving tradition requires each person involved to buy a gift, wrap it in a plain, unmarked package and bring it to the workplace. The participants agree beforehand on the maximum value of the gifts, usually between $5 and $10. Sometimes the gift givers are all encouraged to follow one theme, such as funny, naughty, liquid, edible, handmade or other.

At the event, all the anonymous gifts are placed together on a table or around a Christmas tree. Pieces of paper with numbers on them are folded and put in a hat or cup. Then, each participant pulls a number, which determines who picks up the first gift.

The Yankee swap starts with the holder of the #1 slip. If he or she isn't satisfied after unwrapping the gift, there's an option of swapping with the holder of the #2 gift. This goes on as each gift is unwrapped, usually with a limit of two or three swaps allowed per person. If the party involves time for eating and drinking, the swaps may go on behind the scenes.

Organizing a Yankee swap event committee is simple if everyone cooperates. From among the group, several people volunteer or are chosen to honcho the affair. One or two are responsible for setting the rules, making the number slips and monitoring the swaps. If the event includes food and drink, others will be in charge of securing party space, decorations, food and drink.

Unless the company pays for the party, another member is responsible for collecting money for party supplies from everyone. If necessary, other committee members are responsible for clean-up of the party area.

A Yankee swap at the office or workplace can be an enjoyable, fun event that could raise the holiday's high spirits considerably higher.