As I continue to pack up our Christmas decor I’m trying to be more intentional about what I want to see when I open up all those Rubbermaid bins next year.
I’m embarrassed to admit that half of the 8 bins that I have are still full of stuff that we didn’t even use. I’m going to label those as unused stuff and also start a bin for a Christmas Swap for next Novemberish. My sister went to a Christmas Swap where everyone took stuff they don’t use anymore and brought something home that they loved. It’s basically the same concept of a Swap Meet but it’s all Christmas stuff. You know garland you didn’t use, wreaths, lights, wrapping paper, Christmas dishes.
I’m hoping someone out there will invite me to a Christmas swap so I can make sure some of my hard to part with pretties will go to homes where they will be loved. I’ve got a few things that I’ll donate to the Goodwill and some other junk that I’m not ready to part with yet. I’ll make sure to pack the swap box near the front of the decorations so I can grab it quick at the beginning of the season next year.
Have you ever gone to a Christmas Swap? Would you go to one? Will you have one and invite me to your swap so that I can just show up?
I have to say that I would go to one but it would be to give away stuff and not really take anything. I have enough. I would love to do a regular swap. We just moved and I have a huge stack going for a yardsale. You live too far or I would plan a swap with you and it would be fun.
Yes! I’m hosting one in just a couple of days. I polled my friends to see who was interested and most are…so all my extra Christmas cookies, spiced tea (mmmm) and candy canes will be our munchies while we scope out other people’s stuff for next year. And anything unclaimed gets donated to a worthy cause!
Yay for reusing!!
I would so do a Christmas swap. I had loads of decorations that I didn’t use this year. Of course, we move so often that what I can’t use in one house I sometimes can in the next. I have a hard time deciding what to part with.
A swap focused on Christmas is a great idea! But right now we’re working on a mid-winter “regular” one! Can’t wait!
Hey Nester! Merry Christmas to your family!!!
Please come to Minneapolis and take our tree down while we’re away. Thanks! hah.
What a great idea!
I LOVED your regular swap, and would LOVE the Christmas one as well!! Hope I get to go to one.
The swap is such a great idea. And I’m just like you…I have a lot of stuff that I didn’t even use this year. So it’s going to take me awhile to get organized!
I have been planning one since reading your sisters post. I like you even have a tote set aside of things I am done with. So if you think you can make it to Georgia next November let me know, we’ll have a blast.
I have never been to a swap, I would definitely go to one, have never even considered hosting one…until now! And of course I would invite you. Would driving to Virginia really be easier than hosting? For me driving to NC would probably be easier than hosting, so we’re on, you go ahead and host and I will drive down :)
Why don’t YOU hold the Christmas Swap you want to attend? I held a swap meet at my house, invited 12 friends, and served small cookies/brownies and coffee. Very easy, SO much fun! Just hold it. Then hold another for your jewelry. That’s the next one we’re going to do! See, everyone who comes gets to draw a number from a hat and you go in that order, letting each person pick one item at a time. Everyone gets the same number of chances to pick something as the number of items they brought (we limited it to 5), then it’s a free-for-all after that. The host then takes all the unwanted stuff to Goodwill. BTW, right now TONS of people are donating stuff to Goodwill to take advantage of the tax deduction – you might want to check your local one out for great stuff!
Sounds like a good idea and a fun way to have something new for the holidays without spending money!
Wow – I wanna come to the party! What a fabulous idea! Now the wheels are spinning…thanks for posting! Happy New Year!
I love that idea. I am going to mention it to a few people and maybe have a chili night/swap meet.
umm…YES & YES! if you had one I would love to drive up or if you were willing to drive to Gville, SC…we’d love to have you at one here! a friend is getting ready to host one {regular, not Christmas} in Jan/Feb and I can’t wait to go!
I have to admit, I didn’t use half of my decorations. I just wasn’t in the mood to deal with it all and I’m tiring of some of it. A Christmas swap sounds great. I recently saw the idea about swaps in a magazine. Better Homes and Gardens I think or Good Housekeeping. I want to throw that one out to my friends and see what they think. I am putting many things to the yard sale pile too.
My friend – forget about the Christmas swap, I’m counting on another fun decor one way before that :)
Ok if you are putting that so cute white furry wreath in your Christmas Swap box I will take it off of your hands right now! It was on my list of Christmas crafts but who was I kidding I had NO time to do Christmas crafts this year…
Good luck packing up…I’m starting today but I only have 3 boxes so not as dawnting as 8!
i think the swap is a good idea. I always pick out a few things I don’t think I will use again and goodwill it. This year I was determined to clean out my wrapping paper stash. I used up all the old half roles and so, next year I can pick all new paper! it’s the little things that bring me joy! ha ha!
Some ladies from church just organized the same kind of swap here. It sounds like a smart idea to me. Last year was the first year I was intentional about what decorations I kept and which ones I didn’t. Let’s just say I didn’t have much to open this year…that’s OK. It finally forced me to invest in some decent stuff. :)
It was so funny to read your post because YOU inspired me to have a Christmas Swap and it was fabulous!
I just modified your regular swap tutorial and decided it would be fun to have new decorations without spending any $$ this Christmas.
I posted about it here (along with my confession to being a big fan of yours)-
http://lettucebeglad.blogspot.com/2009/12/when-in-doubtswap-it-out.html
You absolutely need to do one next year!!!
Happy New Year-
Carolyn
I have participated in a clothing and purse swap but not a Christmas Swap. What a great idea! -Peyton
This sounds like a GREAT idea! Better than a cookie swap!
Sooo, if I have one, will you travel to Alaska to attend? =]
Do you not use ornaments etc. that are sentimental and have been handed down generation after generation? There is a lot of “junk” that I clean out each year but I can’t imagine not decorating my tree with things that were my grandmother’s or mother’s and remind me of my childhood. I have a tradition (that my mom also did with her children) of going and buying one special ornament for each child that reminds them of something that happened that year, then when they are married with their own tree I will give them the ornaments so they will have something special to fill their very first tree. ;) It is easy to change the colors of ribbons, bows, poinesttias, berries or other tree fillers to make it all work with the theme. =) Hope you had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I just adore your blog, and if I lived closer I would go to a swap with ya. =)
Christmas swap–good idea. I’d also take a house swap, a wardrobe swap, a body swap and a kid swap. Not necessarily in that order. Oh–how about a brain swap? Mine is deteriorating, I think. Maybe it’s because I’m blogging at 1 in the AM and have to feed an infant in a few hours.
If I went to a swap, my stuff would all be in the box for the thrift store, sad, but true. I’m not good at giving away the good stuff–I want to keep it for myself! ;)
For the last two years I’ve been boxing up my Christmas decor that I don’t want anymore and taking it over to my neighbor’s home across the street. She is totally into Christmas decorations indoor and out. It’s fun to visit her and see my decor up in her home and not tossed into the garbage that Goodwill tends to do if seasonal items aren’t sold.
I just called her this morning to let her know I have my box ready for her and she mentioned that a friend of hers was expressing how she’d love to decorate more in her home but can’t afford it, so she’s going to share my box with her friend as a treat.
I hosted a decor swap this year as part of my Ladies Christmas Party. We brought items that could be used any season. Played a few goofy games and drew numbers to see who would choose their gift first. So fun! Oh, and had lots of yummy Christmas goodies to munch on, of course!
oooooh! (squeeling!) I love that idea. No, I’ve never been invited to one. My friends usually wait for me to come up with an idea LOL. But I’d go to one in a heart beat! I like what Tracy@Comfort and luxury (above) said… putting it on your JULY calendar so you’ll be preparing (and not forget!).
I was in a mail round robin once that was a hoot but the box got really, really big! The concept was, put in the box something , or somethingS, you’re going to get rid of, but it’s too nice to just pitch out with the morning trash. (Oh, you have to sign up for this one) and ship the box to the next person in line. They put something in, and take something out. It goes full circle, back to the starter person. One way to do it “virtually” LOL
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