Greetings from F52 HQ
Ready, Set, Wrap: The 2019 Holiday Swap Is Here!
You can sign up now to spread a whole lot of holiday cheer (and get a slew of tasty treats in return).
For 10 years, Food52 has been a gathering place for people who believe food is the center of a life well-lived. We support and connect home cooks of all stripes; share the handiest tools for every room in the home; and travel the world to bring back tips, stories, and delicious recipes to give to one another. Food brings our community together, and our community makes Food52 a home.
Which is why we’re excited to announce the return of our favorite community event of the year: The Food52 Holiday Swap.
If you haven't been involved in the Swap before, here's a mini-history lesson: Nine years ago, F52er Noëlle (aka, enbe) posted on the Hotline, suggesting a simple, food-centered gift exchange that was sure to bring a whole lot of joy. Noëlle has so graciously worked together with us, year after year, to make the Swap happen, and we couldn't be more grateful. As you can imagine, it involves lots of coordination; in 2018 alone, Noëlle made sure 1,107 people from 15 countries around the globe could all join in on the fun! (And in case you missed the recap in the New York Times, we can assure you a good time was had by all.)
F52ers always give the most thoughtful gifts to each other (check out #f52holidayswap on Instagram and our account here), and they're also thoughtful in giving back: All participants donate $5 (or more) to Food52's annual charity partner.
This year, we're teaming up with one of our favorite charities, No Kid Hungry: It's a national campaign to end childhood hunger in America through before-and after-school meal plans; food skills and nutrition education programs for families; and research, policy, and advocacy measures. We're thrilled to support this important cause once again, having raised more than $15,000 alongside them in our 2017 Swap.
So come one, come all—seasoned Holiday Swappers and Swappers-to-Be! We encourage everyone to participate in one of the warmest, funnest ways to share homemade goodies, recipes, and traditions with other Food52ers. You'll get all of that good cheer (and snacks) back in return, making cherished memories and new friends along the way.
Interested in joining? Read on for a a step-by-step guide, written by none other than Noëlle.
Who doesn't love surprise packages, especially around the holidays and especially from fellow members of our lovely Food52 community? Here, back for its ninth year, is the Holiday Swap—and it's about that time to sign on up!
1) Submit your information to this form by Monday, Nov. 18. (You'll need to sign up for a Food52 account first if you don't already have one.) Spread the word and convince your favorite F52ers to join up as well.
2) Right after that, contribute a donation of at least $5 to No Kid Hungry. A small-but-mighty donation allows for the most community members to participate.
3) Receive an email with your Swapee's name and address by Tuesday, Nov. 26. Make sure to add [email protected] to your address book so the email doesn't get sent to your spam folder. (And note that even though that we call it a "swap," you just might send to and receive a gift from different folks, getting a chance to interact with two F52ers instead of one!)
4) The best part: Prepare a holiday package for your Swapee! Think of all the possibilities! Homemade is ideal (you like to cook, right?), but really, the goal is to send someone a little bit of holiday joy in whatever way you know how. Maybe your Swapee's profile will give you some clues about all their favorite treats, or maybe you can just tell your banana jam will make the perfect companion to their morning toast. Be creative: Keep in mind that some items will survive shipping better than others, so please package them well.
Psst—an idea! Great things happen when we gather together. This year, we're encouraging Swap participants to package their gifts together, and share photos of their parties by using #f52holidayswap on Instagram. We'll be doing the same at our office in New York!
5) Drop your package in the mail by Tuesday, Dec. 10 and try to sit tight.
6) Get a package in the mail from your Secret Swapper and open with glee! Take pictures before you dig in and share them on Instagram—tag them with #f52holidayswap.
7) Thank your Swapper by snail mail, email, skywriting, or your preferred method of communication. (We can't say enough how essential this step is, so try not to forget, please!)
By signing up for this swap, you are promising to send a gift. Don't leave a fellow Food52er hanging! (We will find out, and unfortunately, you will not be allowed to participate in future swaps.)
For community members outside the U.S.—you’re welcome, too! Note, though, that if you are international and sign up, you're committing to sending anywhere, either in your home country or elsewhere in the world.
Have any questions? Ask them in the comments, or email us at [email protected].
What's your favorite way to spread holiday cheer? Share in the comments section below!
Written by: Food52
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38 Comments
I just got an email that indicated there wasn't any verification of my donation. I don't have the receipt, since it was in my car- that is now totaled due to a severe rear end collision. The receipt, along with some other personal items, and my car are sitting in some salvage yard- unknown to me since I was taken to ER.
PLEASE don't prevent my participation! I have been looking forward to this swap.
I can provide my bank statement, which shows the donation November 8th. I have to use the library for internet. I didn't want my credit card info hanging around on a public computer so I donated, then deleted the form. Thus it is not available for a 'screen shot.'
The doctor's say I MIGHT be able to return to work on December 4th. But, the concussion is not healing as fast as they hoped.
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