Christmas Type Gift Exchange anyone?

[LogicSword]

I'd be in for this

[TheRocket]

Rocket, I don't know if I have any kind of "veto" power here, but since you know who this person is I'd suggest that he not be included lest someone else get shafted.

I think I did mention last year that if you signed up and didn't send your Secret Santa anything you would be excluded from it this year. It's just not fair for everyone to get so excited, put money and effort into their gift and then not receive anything themselves. I know who the person is and they haven't been around the forums for a while that I've noticed so we shouldn't have that problem anyhow. I give ample time to back out if needed.

Before it gets too confusing with this thread: I'm not taking down any official names for the Santa list right now. I'm going to keep it all in the official Secret Santa thread. But I am glad Tak made this because I have a very important question that I'd like addressed before we start the whole thing.

IMPORTANT QUESTION: Last year it was set up so you give your Secret Santa a fun little item. It could be any gift under 10$. It was up to you if you wanted to go beyond that. HOWEVER! we had some issues with mailing overseas being more expensive than anticipated. I remember there being suggestions of keeping it local. Personally I find part of the excitement getting a package from a distant land or sending one there!
I would like to know if you guys feel the whole thing should be an international gift exchange or a local one. I mean if there is someone (or a few people) who absolutely want to do this but the thought of sending a package overseas would break their bank, I can set it up so I draw someone locally. I'm just a little worried that it's going to turn into a bit of a cluster. What are your guys' thoughts on it? International or keep it local as best as I can? I personally vote for international.

[Metcarfre]

International, tres bien.

[Darkobra]

I'd actually vote for international. There are things you can get overseas that you just can't get here. It adds to the fun and mystery. I mean if someone from Scotland sent me something, I'd be looking at a Balloch keyring or something.

[The Jester]

I vote international too.

[Evil Jim]

I vote international as well. When signing up for this last year & accepted that having to pay more on postage than the actual gift might be an issue.

I might suggest people being divided into two groups so those who want to exchange internationally do so with each other, & those who don't, stay on their own continent. Unfortunately, this creates a lot of work for TheRocket to pour over world atlases to work this thing out.

[the_lone_bard]

I vote international, though i'm not sure the viabillity of this, but maybe everyone participating donates $5-10 to a paypal account that rocket controls and sends out funds to people that need to, for instance, send something from aus to the far reaches of europe that will wind up costing more than $10.

[TheRocket]

I vote international, though i'm not sure the viabillity of this, but maybe everyone participating donates $5-10 to a paypal account that rocket controls and sends out funds to people that need to, for instance, send something from aus to the far reaches of europe that will wind up costing more than $10.

I'm not going to do this simply because people are already loking at a $10 - $30 cost up front. By joining in you have to, like Evil Jim said, accept that there will be expensive shipping costs. To help with this issue for some people I am willing to draw locally, but I'm not going to take money from others to give to that person. If you want to help someone out with money issues I will let you guys work it out amongst yourselves

[Metcarfre]

Also, move to Cuba.

You Communist.

But yeah, if you're in, accept the fact of international postage costs, or don't play.

[TheRocket]

I might suggest people being divided into two groups so those who want to exchange internationally do so with each other, & those who don't, stay on their own continent. Unfortunately, this creates a lot of work for TheRocket to pour over world atlases to work this thing out.

I was thinking of this but then I run into the issue of the possibility that there be, let's say, 2 people in the USA that want to do locally and one in the UK. Well, then it's obvious who will get who in the USA case - and then in the UK case there would be a person left out.

So what I would end up doing if there is someone who absolutley needs local is putting everyone in a pot and drawing until I get a local person for them. That way it's still a surprise. If there is someone who needs local but is too shy to say so in front of everyone, feel free to PM me when the official thread goes up.

Does that work for people? Make it an international thing, with the knowledge that shipping costs may be steep. If you need local I will try my best to accomodate you. Yes?

I just don't want people to feel left out!

[Elomin Sha]

I would vote no clubbing. 'Cause, c'mon.

What if the individual asks to be clubbed?

[Metcarfre]

Then I hope their Secret Santa isn't Empath or anyone else from Newfoundland.

Hey-o!

[Danzama]

I vote international.

[War Monkey782]

I have no idea how to send things overseas but I am willing to learn.

[Master Gunner]

So what I would end up doing if there is someone who absolutley needs local is putting everyone in a pot and drawing until I get a local person for them. That way it's still a surprise. If there is someone who needs local but is too shy to say so in front of everyone, feel free to PM me when the official thread goes up.

This is what I was going to suggest. Having to be local only applies to the sending of a gift, not the receipt. So you just make sure that if someone says "local", the person that they're sending a gift to is local to them. However, that person in turn could be sending a gift oversees, and the local person could still receive a gift from overseas. Everything still works out mostly the same, and the only issue would be if most/all people from a certain region all can only ship locally.

[TheRocket]

AND THEN EVERYONE OPENS THEIR GIFTS THE SAME DAY ON G+ HANGOUTS!


Haha, jk.

[Avistew]

Everything still works out mostly the same, and the only issue would be if most/all people from a certain region all can only ship locally.

Even then, the only issue is if it's a single person. Otherwise it can be a close group regardless of the number. Sure, if they're 2 or 3 they'll know who's sending them a gift (if it's two people they know they're sending it to each other, if it's three they know they'll get a gift from the person they're not sending it to) but they can still send and get a gift.

I'd be interested too, and I'm now in the US if it ends up mattering. Although it's looking like it probably won't.

I haven't been there for very long though and I'm probably not the only one. How should one go about getting a gift for someone they don't really know well? I wouldn't want to ask them about themselves since it's Secret Santa for a reason.

[Ahlir]

I haven't been there for very long though and I'm probably not the only one. How should one go about getting a gift for someone they don't really know well? I wouldn't want to ask them about themselves since it's Secret Santa for a reason.

Easiest way I can think of is go to their profile. There is a link where you can view all their posts. It's stalker-ish but it will give you a basic idea of the person.

I vote international as well... But I might have to post to local only. I don't think I can handle a $30 posting few. But I'll confirm this on the main thread when its up.

[PlasmaCow]

I'd actually vote for international. There are things you can get overseas that you just can't get here. It adds to the fun and mystery. I mean if someone from Scotland sent me something, I'd be looking at a Balloch keyring or something.

Would that be Balloch, Cumbernauld or Balloch, West Dumbartonshire?

I think this sounds fun, international makes the most sense certainly, although you could always replace "local" with "regional", so north america, europe, etc, which would lower international shipping prices somewhat compared to trans-atlantic or trans-pacific.

[King Kool]

I will ship my Secret Santa anywhere.

[Duckay]

I love the idea of international, because... well, reasons many other people have said. It's exciting to open a package from a far-off, distant land. And also fun to find local bits and pieces that someone from another country would find amazing.

[tak197]

I think I said last year that I was going to start sign ups the first friday of November.

Yep, she did.

Yep, twice in that thread and also once in the Dessert bus craft thread that can be found HERE. I made a boo boo on the months in that one so I just edited it. (For some reason I had begining of OCT and end NOV)

I'm still planning on doing it but I'm not taking any names down right now. I'll make an official thread for it starting in November. Is that cool, Tak?

Yes, it is cool with me bestie!

[Tally]

Holy Santa on a Christmas cracker, has it really been a year since the last exchange already?!? Is it just me, or does time start zipping by at a terrifying speed the older you get?

Anyway, I totally want to take part in this again! I vote for international as well. (For those concerned about shipping, I think that with a little creativity it's possible to keep shipping costs down by sending fairly flat, lightweight items that are still awesome things. Maybe anyone who's really really worried about it could ask for special dispensation to be given a local or in-country partner?)

[JackSlack]

If it goes international, I'm in. But I think it's nutty to do that if more than half of you are on one continent.

[Fezzul]

International sounds OK. If I get anyone in the UK, I will be stopping by there in December for a couple of days, so I can send internationally there.

If not, as Tally so rightly put it, creativity is the key.