Halforums Secret Santa 2010 - Discussion herein

[strawman]

This is just to get people started thinking about it and discuss. The last one seemed to go pretty well, though there were some very long shipping times, so it might be good to start a bit earlier than mid-November.

The 2009 Halforums Secret Santa thread may provide some insight as to how it went last time.

Think about the following:

- What went well?
- What sucked?
- What rules should be changed/tweaked/removed/added?
- When should we start getting people to participate, when should we cut off accepting new participants, when should we have deadlines for shipping gifts?
- Last year people pretty much announced themselves to their recipient - did you like that, or do you want to try having a completely secret santa this year (ie, you can guess, but you may never know who sent you your gift)?

It turns out it was a lot more work to administer than I expected, and I didn't do a great job. My preference is that someone else lead the charge this year, though I'm willing to do it again if no one steps forward.

Anyway, discuss away!

 

[Gusto]

I'd be down, again.

Regarding the anonymity, it's kinda hard. I mean, I had no idea who was sending me something for Secret Santa until I got the package one morning with HowDroll's name and address on the billing receipt. We can try to keep it a secret, of course, I just don't see how it can be done too much better.

 

[North_Ranger]

All in all, I think the Secret Santa worked quite well, save for some late shipping times.

As for deadlines, there's bound to be a good deal of mail going about at Christmas time, so I think it's reasonable to give the gift time to arrive until early January.

I personally liked guessing and knowing who my Secret Santa was. Of course, I also liked how the recipient wore my gift, hee hee ^^

Also, I think it would be a good idea for people to post 'wish lists', you know, things they would enjoy or could use as gifts go. Or heck, even their sizes if they wish for funny shirts and stuff like that.

---------- Post added at 10:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:45 PM ----------

Also, count me in for this year!

 

[phil]

I still don't know who my Santa was and it's driving me insaaaaaaaaaain!

Or maybe I just forgot.

Fuck ok, what is reality?

I don't think I ever found out. Yes. This is truth, I think.


I liked it last year. Hopefully I'll have a bit more money so I can send out the best presents again and keep my title as king Santa.

 

[Null]

I'd like to get in on this. If nothing else, I can probably MAKE a gift that the person will hopefully like.

 

[KCWM]

im in again

 

[Tress]

I didn't participate last year but I would like to get in on this now. Or am I too much of a lurker?

 

[North_Ranger]

I didn't participate last year but I would like to get in on this now. Or am I too much of a lurker?

Personally I wouldn't mind seeing you hug more faces I like the cut of your jib.

 

[strawman]

I didn't participate last year but I would like to get in on this now. Or am I too much of a lurker?

Last time the rules of inclusion were:

To keep things fair, only those with a join date earlier than April 15 of this year and more than a handful of posts will be allowed to participate for obvious reasons. If you would like to participate and don't fall under the requirements then you will just have to wait until next year. The final say of who can join this activity will be entirely up to the mods so there may be exceptions, but the final word is final. Don't complain if special dispensation is not made for you. This goes for those who may be disincluded as well.

Under that criteria you'd be more than welcome. No one has asked that it be changed, so it'll probably be the same this time around.

 

[Cajungal]

I didn't get to participate, but it was fun to watch it unfold. I won't have a job again until (hopefully) January, so I don't know if I can do it this year either... but it seems to have gone well.

 

[strawman]

I didn't get to participate, but it was fun to watch it unfold. I won't have a job again until (hopefully) January, so I don't know if I can do it this year either... but it seems to have gone well.

But you promised! It's right there in page number mumble mumble of last year's thread!

I've been reading through the old thread to see if anything obvious should be changed, and I'm being reminded how much fun it was, now I'm getting excited about it again.

Remember that your gift can be home made - I'm sure a Cajungal song would rock anyone's christmas. The point of this whole thing is to have fun, which is why spending limits are low and home made gifts are allowed (even encouraged) - everyone should be able to participate if they want to. I couldn't possibly buy what I was given last year (painting by ElJuski, currently my avatar), but I'd be surprised if the gift I bought and gave was still being used. I'm considering doing a homemade gift this time...

The spending limit is an upper limit. Some successful gifts last year were small trinkets, candies, etc with a very local flavor.

 

[BErt]

I'd also like to join in this year. I was going to last year and then thought "nah, I'll start posting more and do it next time"...i then promptly went back into lurk mode. But I did follow along in the thread and it looked like a lot of fun.

 

[Cajungal]

That's true. And it wouldn't be that big a deal to make some sweets like I did for Kevin and my British friends. I always do that around Christmas anyway...

Ok yeah. I'll do it.

 

[Tress]

I didn't participate last year but I would like to get in on this now. Or am I too much of a lurker?

Personally I wouldn't mind seeing you hug more faces I like the cut of your jib.[/QUOTE]

Oh? You busy tonight?

:eyebrows:

 

[LittleSin]

I'm so in.

This time Im hoping I can get the gender of my Santee right.

 

[Hylian]

I am definitely in cause lasts years was so much fun

 

[Sparhawk]

I'll do it again, had fun doing it, and still have one of the gifts right here on my desk.

No much chance of having the international shipping kept "secret" to the recipient, at least last year Amazon wouldn't accept a nickname in shipper with my card info to compare to.

 

[Shakey]

I would be up for it again. I had fun with it last year. I say keep the givers secret until the person recieves their gift. Have people include their name with the gift.

 

[Gusto]

And it wouldn't be that big a deal to make some sweets like I did for Kevin and my British friends.

Om nom nom.

I would be up for it again. I had fun with it last year. I say keep the givers secret until the person recieves their gift. Have people include their name with the gift.

I seem to remember telling you to wear your hat with gusto. If that didn't give it away, well then...

 

[Cajungal]

Glad you liked em! You'd better pray I draw your name this year!

Spoiler

....I'll still send you some even if you don't. ^_^

 

[Gusto]

Glad you liked em! You'd better pray I draw your name this year!

Spoiler

....I'll still send you some even if you don't. ^_^

Spoiler

Expect something in the mail, yourself.

 

[tegid]

I say only forbid revealing the name before the person receives their gift, but do not regulate this further: the name can be on the package, or it can be a guessing game, or whatever.

 

[darkangel6988]

I'd like to join in ....I'm nwe to it and havent been around much since I got a job but I'd love to partake in secret santa

 

[Piotyr]

I am intrigued by this discussion heroin.

I am also interested in participating this year.

 

[gargoyle_eva]

If I promise to be a good boy, and post lots more so I'm not a lurker will secret santa bring me anything?? Please oh please oh please!
And I think A good way would be to organise it would be to have a seperate thread with just the participants posting relevant info(ie, sex, country, shirt size, and a few interests/hobbies/gift ideas to help out the clueless), so once we have our names we can go and check out the basic info on them. Plus still have this thread for all the guessing games and other related discussion.

 

[Chibibar]

I didn't get to participate, but it was fun to watch it unfold. I won't have a job again until (hopefully) January, so I don't know if I can do it this year either... but it seems to have gone well.

But you promised! It's right there in page number mumble mumble of last year's thread!

I've been reading through the old thread to see if anything obvious should be changed, and I'm being reminded how much fun it was, now I'm getting excited about it again.

Remember that your gift can be home made - I'm sure a Cajungal song would rock anyone's christmas. The point of this whole thing is to have fun, which is why spending limits are low and home made gifts are allowed (even encouraged) - everyone should be able to participate if they want to. I couldn't possibly buy what I was given last year (painting by ElJuski, currently my avatar), but I'd be surprised if the gift I bought and gave was still being used. I'm considering doing a homemade gift this time...

The spending limit is an upper limit. Some successful gifts last year were small trinkets, candies, etc with a very local flavor.[/QUOTE]

I'm still waiting on my Chicken for two years now from Cajungal

I would like to participate this year.

 

[strawman]

If I promise to be a good boy, and post lots more so I'm not a lurker will secret santa bring me anything?? Please oh please oh please!
And I think A good way would be to organise it would be to have a seperate thread with just the participants posting relevant info(ie, sex, country, shirt size, and a few interests/hobbies/gift ideas to help out the clueless), so once we have our names we can go and check out the basic info on them. Plus still have this thread for all the guessing games and other related discussion.

Sure, join in!

I'm going to let this discussion thread sit around for a week or so, then I'll create a new thread with the rules, the official, "Here's how to sign up..." information, and the timeline. It will also be the place to put hints at what you like. I'd like to give people two or more weeks to sign up since there are a few long-timers that only come by a few times a month that might've participated last time if they knew about it long enough in advance. I'd then like everyone to know their recipient at the beginning of November so that long shipping times can still arrive by Christmas - hopefully missing the big Christmas customs/shipping rush/mess that affected a few people last time.

 

[Shakey]

I would be up for it again. I had fun with it last year. I say keep the givers secret until the person recieves their gift. Have people include their name with the gift.

I seem to remember telling you to wear your hat with gusto. If that didn't give it away, well then...

You were an easy one to figure out. It had your name on the packing slip.

 

[nfldraftman]

I would also like to participate if I qualify. Life has been rather tumultuous lately, and this might be the high point of my holidays...

 

[David]

I *might* be able to participate this year, as I may or may not be getting a check at the beginning of october.

 

[Officer_Charon]

One way or another, I'll participate in it this year... I remember being bummed because I joined around the end of it last year, and thought it was a pretty cool thing to do - you don't hear of too many forums doing stuff like that (or at least, I don't... *grins*)

 

[LittleSin]

Penny Arcade forums does it every year.

Some times they get gifts that are NUTS. Like whole new 360s/PS3s or plane tickets and shit. It's amazing.

 

[Espy]

I am, as always, down like a clown.

 

[drifter]

I am, as always, down like a clown.

For a split-second, I thought you wrote "I am, as always, down with the clown," and I felt sad because then I would have had to hate you forever.

 

[Hailey Knight]

I am, as always, down like a clown.

For a split-second, I thought you wrote "I am, as always, down with the clown," and I felt sad because then I would have had to hate you forever.[/QUOTE]