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Yankee Swap (for adults)

Yankee Swap (for adults) In-Person

This game goes by many names: Yankee Swap, White Elephant, Greedy Punter, Thieving Elves, and so many others. Let's laugh together and open a present! Further details below.

 

Date:
Friday, December 12, 2025
Time:
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Time Zone:
Eastern Time - US & Canada (change)
Location:
Meeting Room
Audience:
  Adults  
Categories:
  Conversation Group     Daytime     Sustainability  

Registration is required. There are 30 seats available.

Here's how we're going to play:

1. This is not Christmas specific. Anyone can play! If you've never done a Yankee Swap, it's good silly fun. Please join us.

2. Bring a wrapped gift, but let's be sustainable! Bring something that you are regifting, like an unused candle or a puzzle you're done with or a nice mug but not something that looks used. If you don't have something like that, maybe a jar of jam or an inexpensive chocolate. We shouldn't be able to tell what it is from the wrapping. The point is to have something nice enough to unwrap or laugh about.

3. If you cannot bring a gift but you want to play, email Elsa (ERowe@scarboroughlibrary.org) as she has extra gifts to play with. She already has them, so it's really okay to ask.

4. Once here, all the gifts go on a table and we draw numbers out of a bowl.

5. The first person picks a present and unwraps it.

6. The second person picks a gift, opens it, and then decides if they will keep it or trade it for one of the already opened gifts.

7. Each number does the same as in step 6 until all the numbers have had a turn to pick a present, open it, and either keep it or trade it during their turn.

8. The person who was number 1 gets final say and can trade with any opened gift!

After, informally trade if you want to! The important thing to note is that this is just for fun, please keep a sense of humor, and don't get too attached to anything as it could be snapped up at any point in the game! And, though we'll be stealing gifts from each other, we're doing so with kindness and in the spirit of fun.

If this sounds fun to you, please join us! We need at least five people for this to be fun, so please register below so we can plan ahead. If you are unsure of your plans it is okay to just show up last minute! We know this time of year can be hectic.

Library Contact

Profile photo of Elsa Rowe
Elsa Rowe

Community Engagement Manager

erowe@scarboroughlibrary.org
207-396-6279