Original Yankee swap gifts: purchasing for adults this Christmas.

What is a Yankee Swap?

Yankee Swap is a popular tradition among families in Maine as well as in other parts of the country. It is a straightforward concept, where Northerners, also known as Yankees, swap gifts with each other. The term is sometimes referred to as White Elephant or Dirty Santa, but all of them follow the same principle of bringing a gift and leaving with one. The rules of the game vary according to family traditions, with some being more competitive than others. The gifts available for swapping can range from desirable to less so. Since Mainers tend to purchase what they want, it can be challenging to buy them Christmas gifts. Let’s make it easier this year.

Forget the holiday combination sets, candles, and Visa gift cards, this is what we want this Christmas.

Maine yankee swap

Purchasing Christmas gifts for adults can be hard. Choose something from the list below, and you can’t go wrong.

YETI COOLERS There’s something about this gem of a cooler that keeps them wanting more, Whether it be full size, travel mug, or even the bucket version, they can’t get enough of them. I prefer the SHITI brand, but either way, we’re usually not turning this gift down.

FOOD I’m not talking about just any food. How about some fresh Maine Scallops? The scallop harvesting season usually kicks off in December, making this savory delicacy highly desirable. After all, we’ve been waiting all year for the fresh ones and they don’t come cheap. We don’t want to miss out on them. Similarly, we look forward to any type of wild meat. If you’ve had a successful fall hunting season, we’d love to get our hands on a few packages of deer, moose, or whatever you have recently added to your freezer.

KNIVES, WORK GLOVES, FLASHLIGHTS Might as well group these items together, as they are always a hit with the men of the family. Yankee swap items like these are among the many that Maine men can never have enough of.

BOOZE, BEER, WINE I find this one is pretty self-explanatory. Spirited gifts are leveled up with some custom cocktail glasses with recipes and ingredients.

HOMEMADE ITEMS Memorabilia, framed family photos, custom-made calendars, or any items that capture special times in our lives. And don’t forget, if you make any homemade jams, relish, pickles, etc. we want in on that.

GIFT CARDS Get resourceful. We’re bound to use it if it’s for our favorite Meat Market, restaurant, or Specialty beverage store (yes, the booze again).

CAST IRON COOKWARE We love the Lodge brand. The Dutch oven is a personal favorite, although any new piece is welcome in any Maine household.

LOTTERY TICKETS Most are well aware that our odds of hitting it big are slim, but there’s something about scratching away with that little bit of hope. Tri-State Megabucks and Powerball are good options too, but if you feel strongly against buying lottery tickets, I’ve never seen a family member (certainly my children anyway) pass up cash in any Yankee Swap.

BOB MARLEY TICKETS He’s Maine’s King of Comedy. Haven’t heard of him? Check him out. You can find him at many venues across Maine, even the entire country, but he is a Mainer, making fun of Mainers, and we’re okay with it.