It is time for the Holiday Micro Container Exchange again! Every year this event just keeps getting better! I hope to see lots of creative micro caches again this year - some cachers really went above and beyond last year! So please read the rules below and I hope to see everyone there!
Date: Saturday, December 9, 2023
Place: The Marion Pizza Ranch - 6095 Carlson Way Suite D, Marion, IA 52302 We have three rooms reserved for the group. This evert keeps getting better each year, so space is always limited. No purchase necessary to attend the event.
Time: Event starts at 11:30am - 12:30 pm - The micro exchange will start at noon
PLEASE post a Will Attend so that I can get an accurate headcount.
This is a Micro Container Exchange Holiday Event with a twist... it is also a Gift Exchange! You do not have to participate in the gift exchange to log the event as a find but if you do wish to participate in the gift exchange you must follow these rules. Please read the following instructions carefully so that no one is disappointed...
MICRO CONTAINER EXCHANGE RULES-PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
1) Prior to coming to the event, you must hide a gift to be exchanged with another Geocacher somewhere within 5 miles of the event. The gift can be whatever you like... a geocoin, gift card, unactivated TB dog tags, swag items, cache containers...etc. Gifts should be a $15-$20 value. Please use your own judgement when picking out gifts - try to pick out something that you would like to receive. Place your gift item(s) in a secure weather-proof container (Tupperware, Lock and Lock, Christmas tin, etc.) and hide it so that it cacn be found later that day. Don't forget to mark a waypoint for the gift that you hid for step 2. For those families with multiple cachers, you may bring more than one Micro Container but there must be one Christmas Cache hidden for each Micro Container that is submitted or someone will not get a gift.
2) Create a Micro Container and bring it to the event. This can be a bison, a matchstick container, or even a pill bottle - feel free to decorate the container! Inside the Micro Container will be a slip of paper with the coordinates of the Christmas Cache you hid for another cacher to find. In addition, it would be a good idea to write your geocaching name and cell phone number on the paper just in case the Holiday Gift Seeker needs a phone-a-friend to find their gift!
3) At the beginning of the event, the Micro Container will be placed on a table. Once the majority of cachers are done eating, we will start the Micro Container Exchange. Everyone who places a Micro Container on the table will then be able to randomly choose another Micro Container from the bowl.
4) After the event is over, you are free to go find your Christmas gift. Remember...the entire cache is yours to keep including the container so make sure you take everything with you after the hunt. These containers are not to be left behind or published as a regular cache. (but you can certainly take that container and publish it somewhere else!)
5) When you log the event as attended, please thank the cacher who hid your Christmas Cache for the gift. You may share what your Christmas Cache contained if you like and feel free to post pictures of the Christmas Cache too. You can even post a picture of the hiding spot since this is not a regular cache hide.
Additional Thoughts...
You can be as creative as you want in hiding your Christmas Cache. You can make it a traditional type cache, or you can make it a puzzle-cache or multi-cache to make the hunt more fun. Use your imagination!
Email me if you have any questions concerning the rules.