Traditionally, every Gathering conference includes a Gift Exchange in which some attendees swap puzzles, magic tricks, artwork, papers, novelty items, books, etc. Attendees at the Gathering are not required to participate in the Gift Exchange. Attendees who wish to participate in the Gift Exchange must either submit a physical item for the Exchange Bag or submit a paper for publication in the Exchange Book.

If you’re looking for inspiration, think of the exchange as something you would be excited to share with Martin Gardner himself. We recommend something original or unique, something made by hand, or something other attendees would enjoy or value.

Gift Exchange Requirements

  • What is the deadline for submitting in order to participate?
    For G4G14, the deadline is April 7th, 2022. Attendees must submit an exchange paper or a physical gift to the online registration system in order to participate in the Gift Exchange (see your invitation email for a link to the registration website).
  • How many physical copies should I bring for the Exchange Bag?
    For those who registered for the gift exchange and plan to submit a physical gift… IMPORTANT NOTE: Please bring or send 250 copies of your gift for the exchange.
  • What happens to any extra exchange gifts?
    All gifts submitted to the exchange become the property of the G4G Foundation. It is difficult for us to estimate the exact number of gifts needed for the exchange; we always estimate a little high to ensure we can accommodate everyone who wants to participate. We pack all of the gifts into exchange bags, so returning excess gifts to participants is not logistically feasible.
    • For the previous Gathering, there were a few extra gift bags, which were donated to the Museum of Math for youth contest prizes. We will continue the policy of donating extra exchange bags for G4G14.
    • We understand that attendees put time and funds into their gifts, and we do our best to estimate the number as accurately as possible. But there will likely be excess exchange bags and we hope that all participants will be happy with our donation of the extra bags to a good cause.
  • When and where can I ship my exchange items?
    Shipping should be arranged to arrive at the Ritz no earlier than Monday, March 28th, 2022 and no later than Wednesday, April 6th, 2022. Please ship your items to:
      • The Ritz-Carlton Hotel
        c/o G4G14 Gift Exchange – Participant Name
        181 Peachtree Street NE
        Atlanta, Georgia 30303, USA
        404-659-0400
    • For international attendees this window for receiving items may be difficult; if you need to arrange for items to be received before March 28th, 2022, contact support@g4gfoundation.org, and we can make special accommodations.
    • IMPORTANT: Be sure to track and insure your package when shipping. G4G is not responsible for gift exchange items that get lost in the mail.
    • If you wish to avoid shipping, you are welcome to bring your gift exchange items with you to the conference. Please bring them with you to registration so your items can be properly documented.
  • How should I name my exchange file?
    When uploading all files to the online registration system, please use the file-naming convention:
    • AuthorLastName-AuthorFirstName-GiftExchange-ShortTitle-G4G14
      Follow this example:
      Doe-Jane-GiftExchange-GameOfLifeTricks-G4G14.pdf
  • Where can I see examples of past Gift Exchange items?
    You can view papers submitted for G4G11, 12, and 13 on our website here:

Gift Exchange Items

Gift Exchange Items

  • Other questions?
    If you have additional questions about participating in the G4G14 Gift Exchange, please email them to: support@g4gfoundation.org