Please note: Two Partners this time, to cover April and May - homie got caught up in tax season and didn't have time to post an April swap.

Welcome to the first and best Stuff My Stocking Swap! I've been hosting these on and off since 2009. Recently, other hosts have stolen my well-known title - don't be fooled - this is the first and best! :)

Now that I'm all done tooting my horn, it's a new year and I heard that your stocking is lonely. No worries - this swap is designed to take those empty stocking blues away!

How it works

Buy your partners a stocking stuffer from your local thrift store! We'll kill two birds with one stone: your stocking won't be lonely, and you'll be spending money at a local business!

How do you like them apples?

Well, before you take a bite of that apple, here are the pesky little rules:

• No ornaments or holiday decorations! This is a stocking stuffer, meant to be opened on Christmas. Therefore at that point in time, holiday items become meaningless.

• Item should come from a thrift store and be in like new condition. (This means item is not dirty, chipped, stained or stinky - shouldn't have to say this, but um... I'm sayin' it anyway!)

• No food! Nobody wants vintage food - not even the zombies.

• Item should be wrapped and contain a tag with the swap name and your Swap-Bot nickity-nick-nick.

• Please be sure item is not on your partner's "dislike" list. This doesn't necessarily mean it has to be a profile-based item. As it can be difficult to find a profile item in a short amount of time at a thrift store, there will be some leniency here... HOWEVER, please be sure that if your partner doesn't like feet, that you haven't sent her socks. Do your best to make your partner happy, or Santa will drop a big fat yule log in your stocking.

• If it's breakable PLEASE make sure it is packaged well and marked fragile.

This is no minimum $$ amount. However, gift MUST come from a thrift store - not the Dollar Store. Now go out to thrift stores and make Santa proud!

Two Partners: This means you will receive two gifts - one will cover January and one for February. Homie got a late start this month, so two-in-one solves the problem!

• This swap is for experienced Type 3 swappers only. This means no, absolutely NO, newbies. Uh uh. Nope. No way. And if you're wondering if you're still considered a newbie, then don't sign up because you probably are. (A good rule of thumb for this swap: Please have at least 20 Type 3 swaps completed.)

Also, if you only have electronic swaps under your swapping belt, you won't make the cut. If you're a known trouble-maker and fun stealer, you're out. I'll also be checking your dashboard to see if you're naughty or nice when it comes to deadlines.

And please take a look at your profile before signing up - if you have a LOOOOONG list of dislikes, please find another swap to join. If all I find on your profile is "don't send me this, don't send me that, I don't like this, I don't like that," it appears that you would be too hard to please and therefore, take away the fun factor for your partner.

WORTH MENTIONING

If you receive a wrapped stocking stuffer, rate a 5. Please rate as soon as you receive the stuffer. It doesn't matter if you like it - it's a five if you received it, so don't wait until Christmas to rate.