I returned from NYC this afternoon. I got some great ideas for my swap partner and will be placing my order in the next week. I just need to figure out how I'm gonna get a personal note in the swap box if I ship it straight from the dealer.

I can see where it may be terribly difficult to stay within the 3 item gift limit. I remember, on one occasion, before we had a limit on the number of gifts we could send. I went waaaaay over the top (thinking I was doing a wonderful swap box) and I think it made a few CFer's uncomfortable. I never thought about it until after the fact. I never intentionally meant to hurt any one's feelings. Then I was on the receiving end of a fabulous swap box that went way over the limit. I was excited, but I'm not certain my CF buddies were as excited as I was ;-)

So, from now on I'll play the way the swaps should be played and I'll try hard not to be a rule breaker ;-) I need to be gently reminded at times to play by the rules. So, Ann, thank you for the gentle reminder and thanks for all that you do.

Just to check for home canned goods: a total of one quart's worth of jars, right? Two pints, or four 1/2 pints, etc?

Jessica, yes if anyone is sending homemade canned goods, then they can send one quart and count it as one "Item". So two pints, four 1/2 pints or any configuration that adds up to one quart.

Ann

I have been giving great thought as to how to cheat, but I will stick to three items or sets. Ann, that is a good point that you make someone else feel uncomfortable at receiving a bounty of gifts when they played by the rules. Thanks for the reminder.

I also like the limited swaps because I think the "anything-goes" swaps scared some people from swapping because of the pressure to send lots of items. And you know items equal - $$$, LOL.

I have my three items and about ready to ship!

Thanks, Ann! I think we all are temptes to cheat, so this reminder is timely.

I have two, and one in the works. Hopefully, I'll be mailing by the end of the week!

Linda

This has been helpful to me. I was in the store yesterday swap shopping. I had picked out a three compartment condiment dish and three jars of condiments, counting that as one item. Nope, those count as two! I put them back...and then found something better!

I think not only the recipient may feel uncomfortable with cheating, but then he/she may feel bad about his/her own package to his/her partner (sorry about all the pronounds LOL) if it isn't as 'filled out'. And the person giving to the cheater (I need a better word) might also feel bad.

Another here who is tempted to cheat as I am having a difficult time deciding "which three items". But, I like the 3 item limit. I have two in hand and will find the 3rd this weekend....I am soooo late in getting my act together for this swap. Life and two broken toes are in the way of shopping! LOL! I hope to mail early next week at the latest.

Andi, you poor dear. What happened to your toes?

Thank you all for taking the reminders the way they were intended.

I have two of my items and I went to Victoria to pick up the third item today but it wasn't ready yet. Hopefully I will have it by the end of the week and can get it mailed shortly there after.

Ann

Jessica, let's think of "cheaters" as OG's - the "overly-generous" -- LOL.

Much better, Gina. Anything is better than 'cheater', I don't like the connotation.

i like the idea of three items or sets of items, but not one time did i or would i ever personally feel uncomfortable with any one person that sent or received more than the stated amount as it apparently has others.

ann, this is the first i'm hearing about the quart equivalent. does this hold true for store purchased items as well?

i have one item as of today. i already had a whole theme going, but i looked at the items as sets of things and i shared that with a friend who was kind enough to show me the error of my ways. like jessy, i personally would see the condiment compartment dish and condiments and think of it as a set and count it as one, but i can see how it doesn't cut it.

i'm hoping a few other things come to mind in the next week so i can wrap this up and get it mailed.

maryanne

Maryanne, I think you have got it. There is a big difference between putting together different items into three groups and then calling each grouping a set. Jessica's example is perfect. The condiment dish was one item and the condiments would have been a second item. But, if Jessica had found a condiment dish and condiments already boxed together as a set then that would have been one item.

We have a number of members that can and they all use different size jars so we came up with the "Quart" or the equivalent as a way to make it fair in a "three item" swap for the "canners".

Ann