Do you like to be creative? Is gift wrapping your hobby? Then you should definitely start swapping. Swapping is a real hype on both Facebook and Instagram in the year 2017. With swapping you send someone else gifts and you also receive different gifts back from the same person or someone else. You can buy these gifts for a predetermined amount in the store. The person who sends you the presents is an unknown man or woman to you. You will only get the organizer’s name and Instagram account. And the person who sends you back presents usually doesn’t know you in real life either. To find out what the other person likes, you can check their Facebook page or their Instagram account. Sometimes you can also find a mood board here.
Swapping is especially popular among the creative people. They turn the package they send into a true work of art and secretly hope for an equally beautiful package.
What does swapping mean?
In the dictionary, swapping has multiple meanings. The closest meaning to swapping as it happens on Facebook and Instagram is: to provide a service in exchange for another service. However, swapping usually involves the same service. You make a swap package for someone and someone else makes a swap package for you. With swapping, it is usually not the person for whom you are making a package who sends a package to you. Who sends you a swap package is determined by drawing lots. The organizer will send you the name and Instagram account or Facebook page of the swap buddy after he or she has drawn. This way you can see what they like and go to the store to buy gifts.
How does swapping work?
On Instagram or Facebook you can search for different hashtags to come across a swap. For example, search for ‘swappen’, ‘swapjunkie’, ‘swappenisleuk’ or ‘swap buddy’. Information about the swap can be found on the Instagram account or Facebook page of someone who wants to organize a swap. The organizer of the swap also provides his e-mail address to register or has created his own page or website with a registration form. When you register, you will be asked for several details. You should think of your name, address and your Facebook page or Instagram account. You are often also asked to send some information about your hobbies, your favorite color or your life situation. The person you are linked to will then receive this information.
Link from your swap buddy
If you have registered for a swap, you have to wait until the registration is canceled. From that moment on, the organizer of the swap will link all registrations. Usually you have to make a swap for someone completely different from whom you receive a swap. You will receive the name, address details, Facebook page or Instagram account of this person and you can get started.
Find out what your swap buddy likes on social media. To help your swap buddy, you can also post a mood board on your own social media channels. For example, show the color that you really like or place the things you would like to receive. A certain amount has been agreed in advance and for this price you will look for gifts for your swap buddy. Your package may always contain more value than agreed, but never less. That way, swapping remains fair.
Make presents yourself
Sometimes you are asked to make two presents yourself, because some swappers are quite handy or have a creative hobby. When you have completed all the presents, wrap them as nicely as possible and put them together in a box. This box may also be decorated. Do not forget to write the address on the box.
All swap packages will be posted on the agreed shipping date. At this moment it is nice to post a sneak preview of your sent package on Facebook or Instagram. This way you make your swap buddy a bit curious about what he or she gets. The packages arrive at all people during the week, but everyone still has to leave the package closed.
Open the package
On an agreed day, all swappers are allowed to open their package with presents. Often photos are immediately posted on Facebook and Instagram. It is also nice if you thank your swap buddy for the package you received.
Swapping with a theme
Swaps often have a specific theme. This makes it clear to all swappers what kind of presents should be included in the package. Examples of themed swaps are:
- Valentine’s swap
- Christmas swap
- Summer swap
- Mamaswap
- Tea swap
- Mother’s Day Swap
- Sinterklaas swap
