“Yankee Swap is like Machiavelli meets… Christmas.” – Dwight Schrute
Come one, come all, it’s that time of year again! You’ve heard of White Elephant, Yankee Swap, Dirty Santa, whatever you wanna call it. This year at Lightning, we’re celebrating the holiday season with “GREEN Elephant”! On Thursday, December 13th from 7-9pm, come out to Little Harpeth Brewery downtown and participate in our very first sustainable gift exchange! Each player will bring some kind of “green” gift to the pool, and we will draw numbers to see who picks the first gift. Every turn after, the next person can choose to pick an unwrapped gift or steal someone else’s! Once you add your gift to the mix, you will receive a wristband/stamp that permits one free drink! The full list of rules and restrictions is below.
Can’t think of anything? Check out our list of gift ideas below for inspiration! You don’t have to be a grinch to get GREEN!
“Green” Elephant Rules:
- Each player brings one wrapped gift to contribute to a common pool
- Players draw numbers to determine what order they will go in
- The first player selects a gift from the pool and opens it. They will later have a chance to steal a gift at the end of the game if they want.
- The following players can choose to either pick an unwrapped gift from the pool or steal a previous player’s gift. Anyone who gets their gift stolen in this way can do the same – choose a new gift or steal from someone else. There is a maximum of 3 consecutive steals per turn. If there are 3 consecutive steals, the next player must choose a new gift.
- After all players have had a turn, the first player gets a chance to swap the gift he or she is holding for any other opened gift. Anyone whose gift is stolen may steal from someone else (as long as that person hasn’t been stolen from yet). When someone declines to steal a gift, the game comes to an end.
- A present can only be stolen once per turn, which means players who have a gift stolen from them have to wait to get it back.
Gift Restrictions:
- All gifts must be “green” in one of the following ways
- Re-gifted
- Sustainability related product
- Zero-waste / carbon neutral / etc.
- Local artisan product
- Organic foods
- Experiential gifts
- Newly purchased gifts should be under $30 in value. Re-gifts have no limit on value.
- Avoid common allergens
- No weapons, drugs, alcohol, or any other illegal items
GIFT IDEAS. (with estimated prices)
$5-10:
- Reusable straws (steel): $5-10
- Handmade soap, sold at Nashville Farmers Market: $5-10 (Winter hours Friday/Saturday 9am-4pm)
- Bulk bin candy (Whole Foods, Kroger, Turnip Truck): $5-10
- Fabric shopping bags: $5-10
- Reusable produce bags: $5-10
$10-20:
- Solid shampoo/soap: $10-20
- Reusable travel mug: $10-20
- Thistle Farms Bath and Body product: $10-20
- Potted plant (succulent, cactus, flower, etc): $10-20
- Handmade socks / scarf / hat: $10-20
- Energy-efficient Christmas lights: $10-20
- Bamboo makeup brushes: $10-$20
- Homemade candy / treats: $10-30
- Organic bamboo cutting board $15-$20
- Loose leaf tea + infuser: $20
- Make a DIY gift: $10-30
$20-30:
- Brita Filter: $20-30
- DIY compost bin: $20-30
- Movie Theater tickets + reusable popcorn bowl: $20-30
- Guitar lesson: $20-30
- Clothes drying rack: $20-30
- Branded Collective Jewelry – Tiny Cuff: $20-30
- Recycled jewelry: $20-30
- Stainless steel/glass containers: $20-30
- Reusable lunch bags: $20-30
- Sustainable cards with seeds in them to plant: $20-30
- Eco-friendly/positive impact local clothing brand: $20-30
- Gift card for wellness activity (yoga, Climb Nashville, spa, etc): $20-30
- Holiday Tour/Show (Opryland): $20-30
- Gingerbread House Making
- Ice Skating
- Cirque Dreams Holidaze
- ICE! featuring How The Grinch Stole Christmas
- Delta Riverboat Christmas Cruise
- The Night Before Christmas On Ice
Other Resources:
- Good Makers Market – November 18th
- Nashville Farmers Market
- Zero-Waste Gift Ideas
Remember to use recycled or reusable wrapping! Be creative! If you’ve got even more ideas, comment below!