Online gift thievery comes to Facebook

The social networks can now be used for friendly larceny, with the launch of an online white elephant gift exchange party called AlbinoPhant.
This Facebook application allows family and friends the opportunity to party together in a virtual gift exchange, just like they would if gathered together in one location. They exchange real gifts, share friendly banter and enjoy the holiday spirit, through the online party.
Gift exchange parties are social events that focus on sharing gifts with family and friends and then “stealing” gifts from one another in an organized party game.
www.albinophant.com brings people together to participate in… Read the rest »

The Elephant in the room has joined a Party!

A new Facebook application moves the White Elephant Exchange Party online, with gift sharing and conversation for family and friends this holiday season.
Albinophant is a mimic of the traditional Yankee Swap or White Elephant parties used in social circles in the US and Canada. With this online version, players purchase real gifts, share them, steal gifts from one another, and then the present for each individual is shipped to their door by conventional methods.
The party is hosted on Facebook so friends can easily join and invite others into the gift exchange within the social network platform. Each player… Read the rest »

Elephant and Mouse form Partnership on Facebook

White Elephant Gift Exchange parties or Yankee Swaps are the most popular gift-giving parties during the holidays. Millions gather in family rooms and church cultural halls to share gifts, steal from one another and enjoy the social banter during this group game.
Today, AlbinoPhant launches on Facebook as the online mimic of this traditional favorite for family and friends. AlbinoPhant is a partnership between the computer mouse and a well known white elephant party game. This online game allows family and friends from anywhere in the country to party together without leaving home.
The game application combines the massive audience… Read the rest »

Online shopping is the new “Cool”

Black Friday is behind us and we are awaiting the numbers from the retailers. One thing that is certain, the online gift purchase is the “New Cool” in many households, and I think that I know why…
Sarah and I braved the crowds in one retailer yesterday for just two items. It was an experience that I can add to my been-there-done-that list! After a 3am start with the lines at the store and in the parking lot… I want to be one of the cool-kids who shop online.
That experience is why I agree with the Marketing Charts blog… Read the rest »

Bloggers, Football, Politics, Predictions and the White Elephant Exchange

Here are the details, as advertised in a blog titled, Real Debate Wisconsin: “Our Cheddarsphere Christmas this year party will be on Sunday, January the 3rd, from 2pm until whenever at Papa’s Social Club”
So it seems a group of bloggers gather in a bar to socialize and share in a white elephant gift exchange. And they organize and promote the party online. This is a trend that we see developing as a result of great web communication tools.
This group also gathers to make predictions for the future, while watching a football game and discussing politics. It seems like… Read the rest »

Exchanging Trendy for Traditional Gift Exchanges

One of the results of a changing economy is what the new austerity has wrought upon the American public. It seems that the trendy “go-go-consumption” trends have turned on a dime and now traditional priorities are winning the day. This is especially true when we discuss the holiday season this year.
A recently released study by Sears, and reported in Marketing Daily suggests that; “Some 90% of those it surveyed say that because of the challenging economy, they are more focused on celebrating family traditions.”

Other studies are suggesting that more than 75% of Americans are realizing that connecting with… Read the rest »

Oregon Family of Thieves – Online Yankee Swap

The Christensen’s of McMinnville are not going to get arrested for helping friends and neighbors steal gifts from each other this year. Their family has been stealing from each other in an online white elephant gift party for the last 3-years. Now they are sharing the fun on Facebook, so everyone can start gift swapping this season.
You have probably played one of the White Elephant Gift Exchange, or Yankee Swap games during the holidays in the past. It is the gift party where everyone brings a fun wrapped gift, they put the gifts in a pile and then they… Read the rest »

Thou Shall Now Steal Thy Neighbor’s Gift… The Guilt-Free Gift Party

It’s that time of year when friends and family gather to shamelessly steal gifts from one another in church buildings and living rooms everywhere. The traditional white elephant gift exchange, Yankee swap or Rob your Neighbor party turns thievery into fun; and even the Bishop, Father, Reverend and Pastor can enjoy these events.
Gift exchange parties are social events that focus on sharing gifts with family and friends and then “stealing” them from one another, while enjoying friendly banter in an organized party game.
This year you can take the friendly thievery online with a new Facebook application called AlbinoPhant,… Read the rest »

An internet full of gift thieves. Fun gift swap on Facebook

McMinnville — The social networks can now be used for friendly larceny, with the launch of an online white elephant gift exchange party called AlbinoPhant.
This Facebook application allows family and friends the opportunity to party together in a virtual gift exchange, just like they would if gathered together in one location. They exchange real gifts, share friendly banter and enjoy the holiday spirit, through the online party.
Gift exchange parties are social events that focus on sharing gifts with family and friends and then “stealing” gifts from one another in an organized party game
AlbinoPhant brings people together to… Read the rest »

The Memory Flood – Opening the overflow gates…

Our oldest daughter, Jade, tried an experiment in memory jogging with our family this week.  I believe that it illustrates how the flood-gate of great memories is opened with social web tools.
She had heard that one niece (Maren) had been exposed to some older Muppet Show episodes at her parents home in Utah.  Jade used a powerful search engine to find this:

(I will bet that many of you will now have this song in your head for several hours… I am singing it in my head as I type…)
Back to the story:
Jade then captured the link… Read the rest »