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The Bracelet Exchange: Let the Bead Fun Begin! |
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Written by Dara Spiotto
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Tuesday, 15 April 2008 |
 The Bracelet Exchange
Whoo-hoo! I just got the call. It's time for another bracelet exchange. The first call I got was years ago. It was a friend of mine who happens to own a small bead store, and she asked me if I was willing to give up a bracelet that I had made. Thinking it was for a donation, I said ok, but then she said, “But you get a beautiful bracelet to bring home again, just not yours!” I was in!
Since that first phone call a few years back, there have been many, with different ladies being invited to participate. My friend would send out invitations to people, and it could be different people each time, so you never know who’d be involved. Also, so many people wanted to do it that it was necessary to keep the group at about 12 to keep it manageable. So rotating the people themselves gave everyone a chance to be in it at least once or twice a year.
 Begin with a Bracelet
First off, you must make a bracelet. And believe me, simple Czech glass on stretchie won’t do. The other people in your group have as much or more experience at beading as you do. We pull out all the stops, and do bracelets in bead weaving, or use fantastic stones or crystals, or rare vintage beads. You’ll be going home with a bracelet that’s as fabulous as yours, so no worries. The trick is to make a bracelet that you think everyone will want. That makes the exchange way more interesting.
Now, simply wrap your bracelet in a piece of tissue paper (the gift kind, not the nose kind). The reason for this will emerge soon. Stay with me here.
The Day of the Exchange
Usually the bracelet exchange is held at the host’s home, and it’s a potluck lunch. We make a lot of finger foods and deserts because a big meal would take too much time away as far as preparing, eating and cleaning up. Finger foods make it easier to graze and mingle.
 Ok, so you arrive at the host’s home, and when you approach the door, you’ll notice a basket with a bunch of paper lunch bags in it. Drop your tissue wrapped bracelet into a bag and then ring the bell. The host will let you in and take your bag from you, and she’ll fold the top of the bag down and set it on a table in the room. Each person who arrives does the same thing. Why? Well, originally we did up our own fancy packaging on our bracelets, and that created a problem. When we came in, everyone looked to see who brought what for packaging, and then selections were made based on a person, and that wasn’t the way the exchange was intended to be. It should be a random surprise. All of the bags on the table look the same, and the host mixes them up so no one knows what’s in the bags.
Let the Fun Begin!
 Once the eating, schmoozing and visiting is winding down, we all congregate in the family room to begin selecting bracelets. We do this crazy version of a white elephant exchange that goes something like this. Two bowls of numbers are created, one number for each person. Then one bowl of numbers is passed around and each person chooses one number out. Once everyone has a number, then the second bowl of numbers comes out, the host chooses a number out of the bowl. Say the number is 5. That means the person who drew number 5 is the first to choose a bracelet, as opposed to the person who chose number one like in a traditional white elephant exchange. This makes it unpredictable and fun. The person who’s number is 5, in this case, will get to choose again at the end from all the bracelets since they began it. Make sense? If not, e-mail me and I’ll try my best to explain it better.
Stealing Bracelets
Choosing a paper bag is so fun. Opening it is more fun! Once you see the bracelet, everyone cranes their head to get a look. So it's fun to put it on and model it for people. And here’s a twist… If it's your turn and you see another bracelet that you like, you can steal someone else’s. However, once a bracelet has been stolen 3 times it can’t be stolen again. This makes for some squealing, crying, whining and growling because some people don’t want to give their bracelet up! Too bad! It's all in the fun of the game.
 Start Your Own
Creating a bracelet exchange is easy. Just print some invitations up on your computer. You can have a theme such as a holiday, or just have it be open. Choose about a dozen people to be in it, and pick carefully. Choose people that will really want to be there, and that will make a bracelet everyone will want. You can set a value guide, as well, such as between $30.00 and $40.00, and then people won’t show up with something worth $3.00. Also, specify that buying a bracelet at a store is not cool. The idea is to bring something that you made.
Give it a whirl! It’s a great way to be social with bead buddies and get a fantastic bracelet in the process!
“The trick is to keep the possibilities open during the creative process.”
- Jocelyn Giles, on the journey of creation being as important as the finished piece. |
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