How are StreetPass items rewarded?
In Animal Crossing: New Leaf, I've noticed that players that StreetPass with you more than once will give you handheld accessories when you visit them at the Happy Home Showcase. These items are handheld accessories... things like balloons and party favors.
Is there any order or pattern to how these are rewarded, or are they randomly selected from a pool of potential rewards with each new visit?
There is indeed a certain order in which you receive the items, up to a point. Afterwards, you receive one of the previously awarded items randomly. The order is as follows:
First time: Nothing Second time: Balloon Third time: Balloon Fourth time: Pinwheel Fifth time: Bunny Balloon Sixth time: Bubble Wand Seventh time: Heart Balloon Eighth time: Ice Cream Ninth time: Soft-serve Ice Cream Tenth time: Party Blower More than ten times: Random item listed above
The color of the items you receive is random. You also can only Streetpass the same person every 8 hours to receive these gifts.
Additional Sources