Last year, I experienced my first Yankee Swap, and I learned something valuable: Niceness doesn’t win. Niceness won’t get you the wine cooler. It doesn’t get you the six-pack of tomatillo hot sauce or the tropical-flavored margarita mix. But what it will give you is the bird feeder that nobody wants. For gift exchange virgins, this is how it works. The host or hostess asks you to bring a gift for the gift exchange. They’ll suggest an amount to spend, which is often a range, say $15-25, or some set amount. When you arrive at the swap, you pick a…
Author: Linda Wolff
Linda Wolff
Linda Wolff's work has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, and many more. She's the voice behind CarpoolGoddess.com, where she proves that midlife, motherhood and the empty nest aren't so scary.