What are Girl Scout SWAPS?

(From www.gsua.com)

Girl Scout SWAPS

Building Friendships One Gift at a Time
SWAPS, the tradition of Girl Scouts exchanging keepsakes, started long ago when Girl Scouts and Girl Guides first gathered for fun, song, and making new friends.
SWAPS were first widely exchanged at national Girl Scout Senior Roundups in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, SWAPS are still the perfect way for Girl Scouts to meet one another and promote friendship. Each one reflects a memory of a special event or Girl Scout sister.

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SWAPS Basics

SWAPS should:

• Tell something about the givers or their group. (Girls may include their address or email information so others can write to them.)
• Represent the givers' country, community, or local Girl Scout council.

Tips for SWAPS Givers 
Girls should:

• Think about the kind of SWAPS they would like to receive from someone else.
• Try not to spend a lot of money. Consider making something from donated or recycled material.
• Be creative, and take time to make hand-crafted SWAPS. (Include directions for making them if it is a craft project that can be replicated.)
• Try to have one for each event participant and staff member.
• Plan ahead so there's time to make them.
• Make SWAPS that can be worn, used, or displayed.
• Ask their group or service unit for help, if needed, in putting SWAPS together.
• Make them portable. Remember, they must be carried or shipped ahead to the event, where other girls will be carrying them away.

What to Do with SWAPS
Girls can:

• Include them with thank-you letters to sponsors and those who helped with a travel event.
• Keep them in a scrapbook, memory box, or shadow box.
• Use them to make a quilt or other textile project.
• Put pins and patches on a hat or jacket.
• Start a council best-of-SWAPS collection.

SWAPS Safety and Etiquette

Girls should:

• Never refuse to swap with another person.
• Swap face-to-face, especially if exchanging addresses or email information.
• Avoid using glass or sharp objects in SWAPS.
• Follow all Safety Activity Checkpoints guidelines.
• Avoid using food products, unless they are individually wrapped.
   

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