How It Works

The Remembering Together Holiday Ornament Swap is a crafting event organized each holiday season for families who have experienced the loss of a baby due to miscarriage, pre-term labor, still birth and neo-natal death. It is a lovely tradition, and a beautiful, cathartic way to honor the memory of the babies that we love and miss so much. In past seasons, we have had as many as 350+ participants from all over the world. The Remembering Together Holiday Ornament Swap is non-denominational, and welcomes all in the baby-loss community. 

Step 1: 

Simply register during the registration period (usually the first couple weeks each November), right here at our blog, on the Sign-Up page). After the registration period closes, the Swap Team gets busy making swap assignments. You will receive your assignment usually within about four days of the close of registration. We make Swap assignments by country, or region; meaning that you will never be expected to ship internationally. Where possible, we also do our best to make Swap assignments according to how you celebrate the holidays, i.e., Christmas, Solstice, Hanukkah, etc. We realize that there are many ways to observe the holidays, and respect those who keep both secular and religious traditions. 

Step 2: 

When you receive your Swap assignment, you will have the family's contact information, and the name of their baby(ies) for whom you will be making an ornament. Then comes the fun part! You handcraft an ornament, incorporating as many of the elements they have specified as possible. The registration form asks for the baby's(ies') name(s), important dates, and special colors or symbols associated therewith. It is not always possible to get everything on the ornament, but the baby's name is the most important! Families want to receive something specially crafted for their sweet little one(s)! So please, do your best to really personalize it, and craft it with love. (Absolutely no store-bought or internet-ordered ornaments allowed). The beautiful thing about the Swap is the healing and catharsis that comes from the act of crafting. Your love shows! In turn, another family will be hand-crafting an ornament for your baby(ies). Please note that the person for whom you are assigned to make an ornament is usually NOT the person who is assigned to make one for you.

Step 3: 

Once the ornaments have been made, families ship them to one another. The shipping deadline is usually on or before December 3rd.. this gives everyone a nice long time to enjoy their ornament throughout the holiday season. The shipping deadline is important, so please do not get your ornament out late. Once you have shipped the ornament, please email your recipient to let them know it's on its way! Retain a copy of your postal receipt (or snap a photo!) just in case of any postal mishaps.

Step 4: 

Enjoy your beautiful ornament! And know that someone is enjoying the beautiful ornament you made for them!

For more information, or if you have questions, please refer to our handy FAQ page. For full rules of participation, visit the Golden Rules of the Swap page. You can also reach out to us at rememberingswap@gmail.com.