yankee swap/chinese auction

[Baker, John]

        Coincidentally, my brother, in southern California, last night mentioned participating in a game as described by Dale and called it a "white elephant" (which I believe is a new meaning for that term).  The game was new to my brother.

John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
Of Dale Coye
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 9:57 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: yankee swap/chinese auction


Yesterday up here in New Hampshire I heard someone talking about having a
Christmas party with a Yankee Swap.  When it was described I realized it was what
was called a Chinese Auction in New Jersey (this came to the list several
years ago).  It's where you have a fairly large group and everyone brings a
present. Then numbers are drawn.  Number one goes to the pile of presents, picks
one and opens it, then number two can either pick a new one to open or demand
number one's, and so on.  If one present is particularly desirable it can
exchange hands several times.

Dale Coye
Wilton, New Hampshire