swaps

**wwe11** · 01-06-2009, 11:33 AM

I was just wondering if you all do holiday swaps here? I haven't seen any and was just wondering. Like say you have a partener and you can only spend so much on them say Valentines or etc. and then when everyone got their packages they say waht they got and who was their partener. I just thought it may be fun.

**G'MaDebbie** · 01-06-2009, 11:51 AM

We just did a Christmas card swap, but I am unsure of a gift swap.

**justpeachy92** · 01-06-2009, 12:56 PM

We used to have monthly swap thing, with a different theme for each month. I have no idea why they stopped.

**Darlene** · 01-06-2009, 01:03 PM

When they worked as planned, yes they were fun. We stopped them because there were problems with some people not following through on their commitment for one reason or another. We may bring them back some day, never say never.

**shadowfax** · 01-06-2009, 01:32 PM

I am currently running a Secret Pals program on another forum. This will be the fourth consecutive yerar it has been up and I took over just recently.

Very often there have been problems with members drooping out of the forum without notice and leaving their pal hanging. There have been people who simply got overwhelmed and stopped without saying anything and some who were expecting more than their pal was able to deliver. These things can be discouraging. Along with that is the need for a diligent member or two to manage the thing which can become quite a headache.

Secret Pals is a year long program though. Doing a Holiday swap tends to go a bit better but you still have some of the problems on a smaller scale.

For me personally I think it is a fun and rewarding program and has brought my other forum family much closer together.

**wwe11** · 01-06-2009, 03:14 PM

Thanks for all the answers.

**Nana2two** · 01-06-2009, 10:31 PM

I think a recipe swap sounds like a fun thing.

**jlaporte** · 09-09-2009, 12:05 PM

i love this idea, id love to join in. as long as i can keep it frugal i am in!i dont kno about anyone else but with only 1 paycheck i kno my limits and i cant send huge pkges,but id love the chance to give it a go!

**frugalfranny** · 09-09-2009, 01:59 PM

They are a great and very fun IDEA but the reality is that they often don't work as hoped/planned.

I ran a couple in CA in an office I worked at. About 95% of it went terrific and people had a great time.........then there was the other 5%. The people that never bought anything, didn't bother to participate but it was a VOLUNTARY sign up, always signed up and had some EXCUSE on why they couldn't/didn't/wouldn't participate. I even went so far as to say that I would announce the name of the non-participants.....and did......and another excuse came up. (the MANAGERS were the worst!!)

Not sure, in this economy, and with the mailing expense, that it is the time for one of these.

The other thing to consider is that we have people on here that don't celebrate Xmas.......for various reasons, be it religious or financial.

The recipe swap would be fun......and very cheap, and wouldn't have to be 'holiday' oriented. Also, I have thought about a 'fat quarter' swap for the people that sew. Or yarn swap for the people that knit/crochet. These are all small packages.......easy and cheap to mail.....and either free (recipe) or relatively cheap to buy.

**jlaporte** · 09-09-2009, 02:13 PM

well either way id like to be in. for any of it.would give me something to do and look forward to.

**Sara Noel** · 09-09-2009, 02:16 PM

The handmade ornament swaps went ok. But for the most part, swaps and trains have not worked out well here. Someone always ends up keeping the train and never coming back or never sending their swap.

Someone always volunteers to lead the swaps and I think they're pretty brave because it's a major headache. So if anyone wants to lead a swap, fair warning.

**mauimagic** · 09-09-2009, 02:27 PM

We've had dishcloth swaps and scrubbie swaps - think these have gone pretty well. I had mentioned an ornament swap for Christmas because I think it would be a lot of fun. I am involved in the 13 days of Halloween swap on another blog - will be interesting to see what happens - personally I think it's fun, but also very different because it's 13 gifts!!

**Sara Noel** · 09-09-2009, 02:37 PM

The ornament swaps here were usually making as many ornaments as there were participants. So everyone got one of each ornament vs. one on one swaps.

**Katybird** · 09-09-2009, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Sara Noel

The handmade ornament swaps went ok. But for the most part, swaps and trains have not worked out well here. Someone always ends up keeping the train and never coming back or never sending their swap.

Someone always volunteers to lead the swaps and I think they're pretty brave because it's a major headache. So if anyone wants to lead a swap, fair warning.

As a member that led swaps in the past, I certainly second everything that Sara said.