A Yankee Swap (in its most common form, though there are variations) is a New England holiday party tradition wherein everyone brings a wrapped, inexpensive gift. Sometimes the gifts are obnoxious (and make the rounds of the Swaps year after year); usually, though, they're decent.
Everyone who brought a gift draws a number, and chooses and opens a gift in the order of the drawing. If someone who went before you got a present you like better, well, when it's your turn you just go take their present and give them yours.
It can get brutal.
Obviously it's advantageous to get a higher number in the drawing, but best to get #1, because when it's all over #1 gets to choose from among
all the presents if he or she wants to trade.
So last night was Himself's office holiday potluck and the obligatory Yankee Swap. I drew #17 out of 19; pretty good positioning.
The most-swapped object was one of those ice-cream-making balls that you kick around. (This, however, was not something I coveted; I'm perfectly okay with my Cuisinart ice cream maker, which has a delightful little device called an on/off switch and requires no physical exertion other than the flick of a finger.)
When our turn came Himself opened a very respectable 2011 calendar/planner but (having received strict instructions in advance) swapped for #4's present, which had already been swapped by #11.
It is two balls, 120 yards each, of a delicious self-striping wool/acrylic blend in shades of blue and teal. And bamboo circs size 9.
What, oh what does it want to be?
This pattern on the KnitMonster site really struck my fancy: a unique accessory, with enough of a lace pattern to make for interesting knitting but not so complex that it would compete with the striping of the yarn. 
There was just enough yarn for a modest-sized (42 x 20) triangular scarf (though not for a fringe, pity). It's cozy and warm and I've been wearing the heck out of it since it's been so f'n cold.
