Second Annual LRR Forum Secret Santa!

[The Jester]

We wait, so that it is still a secret until the last person.

[TheRocket]

Is the Santa list ever to be published, or do we wait till everyone has gifted?

We're going to wait until the last person gets their gift or by the end of Jan, which ever comes first. But seriously everyone should have sent their gifts out by now. If you haven't, remember signing up and not going through with your obligations are automatic disqualification for next years fun. I had dissapointed people last year because of this and do not think it's fair for someone to do that.

[Metcarfre]

If I could have a small suggestion for next year, could we may more time between receiving our assignment and the designated mailing time? I was able to find something in a week, but I know some people had issues with that. Say, get your recipient prior to Desert Bus, with mailing three weeks before Christmas?

[JackSlack]

How do you know if it has been sent or not? I sent mine, but it's not been received. (Or if it has, my recipient has chosen not to say so.) Is it basically honor system?

[theDreamer]

Well, I sent rocket a PM with the shipping (like she asked) the second I had sent it.

And seriously, so sorry it was late.

The worst was when I went to ship it, only to discover my cellphone (which had the address) was dead.

That made it wait till after christmas (though by the time I had the gift and everything, it couldn't have made it there before christmas without costing >$60)...

Luckily, Karma made mine not get to my place before christmas, and since I'm not in waterloo anymore, it could be there right now and I won't get it for 2 weeks or so.

[Tapir12]

So I got back home yesterday to discover a note from the post office saying I had a package from a far away land and I had better come pick it up!

So off to the post office in the pouring rain I went. There, I was presented with:



The first layer of packaging was ripped away to reveal:



And what's that in the corner? It seems familiar!



After admiring the lovely paper, I carefully removed it to find:



Some Scottish pride to compete with the Aussies! I will happily read about King Robert the Bruce and benefit from the "Wit and Wisdom of Highland Cows" while eating my Scottish chocolate. I've got some Scottish blood in me somewhere too.

Thanks Scottish Santa, you put a big smile on my face today!

EDIT: It's not chocolate! It's something more akin to doce de leite, and very yummy!

[Ahlir]

Mum told me my book bought via the gift certificate my Santa gave me has arrived at hers. I used her address just in case. So once I go down there and get it I will post a pic.

[Avistew]

I figured it was high time I post my gifts! Sorry it took me so long.



I loved them, the card was written in "French", which was really cool, the cat is adorable and the book kept me company in the hospital last week. It's very funny.
Thank you Santa!

[EnglishMQ]

Opened it on Christmas Day and forgot about pics, but in answer to my Secret Santa's question, no, I did not have these, now I do and they will be used, thank you!

[Geoff_B]

Woo I have those

[Darkobra]

Tapir, you lucky bastard. That Scottish tablet is the cow's bollocks. GORGEOUS! No, I don't know what they taste like, so don't ask, Geoff!

[TheRocket]

If I could have a small suggestion for next year...?

Absolutley! This is for all of you, if you have any suggestions on how I can make the process easier and more enjoyable don't hesitate to pm or post it here!

...could we may more time between receiving our assignment and the designated mailing time? I was able to find something in a week, but I know some people had issues with that. Say, get your recipient prior to Desert Bus, with mailing three weeks before Christmas?

Yes, this is what I would like to do. I think I gave a little too much time for sign ups. I am hesitant to start sign ups all the way in October though... I don't want to be *that guy* that starts Christmas stuff before Halloween has even happened. What about if sign ups Start NOV 1st, and end NOV 15th? Then you recieve your person via pm and have until the first weekend of dec to shop (the 7th/8th weekend).

Does that sound better? Or is that too short a time for sign ups?

[SilPho]

3 weeks to shop and ship sounds like plenty. But with the assignments going up in mid-November the eager shoppers might even have their gifts arriving at their recipient's doorstep before the start of December. Not a bad thing, but it could possibly get pushed back a little further if you wanted to extend sign up time.

[TheRocket]

How do you know if it has been sent or not? I sent mine, but it's not been received. (Or if it has, my recipient has chosen not to say so.) Is it basically honor system?

Pretty much. I mean if there is a repeat of last year, the person just won't have recieved anything at all. That was really unfair and sad considering the recipient took time to think about/spend money on his gift to his Secret Santa.

I trust the people that have signed up. I haven't gone through the list and marked people off as sent/recieved but I will do that sometime this week.

[Tally]

...could we may more time between receiving our assignment and the designated mailing time? I was able to find something in a week, but I know some people had issues with that. Say, get your recipient prior to Desert Bus, with mailing three weeks before Christmas?

Yes, this is what I would like to do. I think I gave a little too much time for sign ups. I am hesitant to start sign ups all the way in October though... I don't want to be *that guy* that starts Christmas stuff before Halloween has even happened. What about if sign ups Start NOV 1st, and end NOV 15th? Then you recieve your person via pm and have until the first weekend of dec to shop (the 7th/8th weekend).

Does that sound better? Or is that too short a time for sign ups?[/quote]

I agree with Metcarfre's request to have more prep time between being assigned a name & needing to send. It helps to have more time to personalize the gift, and for those who like to make things, more time is super helpful.

I think Nov. 1-15 sounds like enough time for sign ups. (And one really has to start thinking about those kinds of Christmas things come early November, or one runs entirely out of time. It's the decorations and Christmas music playing in the malls before Dec. 1 that really gets me.)

[Metcarfre]

I don't see an issue having early signups... and trust me, I'm as anti-early-Christmas-crap as they come. If people aren't checking the forums once a week at least, should they really be the ones participating?

... that sounds harsh.

You could always do a "Warning: Incoming Secret Santa" post that sort of gets people to pre-register...

[Lord Hosk]

OH OH! It could be arranged as a special event on desert bus, do a live draw and announcing it all.

Graham: Metacarfre im going to need you to cover your ears or turn off your feed. TheRocket, you got Metacarfre whos real name is Robert Bobbington he lives at 472 west eastville road Hometown Canada.

It cant fail!

[Geoff_B]

Seems legit

[Metcarfre]

Who...?

[Lord Hosk]

Robert Bobington you dont know him.

[Duckay]

Is Metacarfre Metcarfre's fourth wall breaking evil twin?

[Fezzul]

Metacarfre, cover your ears and eyes.

(Everyone quietly leaves...)

[nonjabiru]

I've been meaning to post this for a while now but here's my Secret Santa stuff. Sorry for the desk clutter.


Package, with bow tie covering up address. Not too exciting, but it's not everyday I expect to get something from Australia.


I admit, I got a bit exciting seeing the wrapping and just tore into it. But here's the two most important parts, the card and the LoadingReadyaRrow.


And the item wrapped? Nerdy cooking book. I need to have a Discworld party and cook...nearly everything at some point. Perhaps if I can convince friends to watch all the movies some day.

Also, I predict somebody on the forums tomorrow will be getting a belated gift.

[Lord Hosk]

you kinda gave away your secret santa there.

[King Kool]

Well, I wrote "John Travolta" on mine, so who knows WHO sent that one?