Yes, it's that time of the year again! Or almost. Last year, Garner initiated the first present swap with real presents (parallelly to Doors virtual Christmas present swap.) It worked out relatively well. The rules: I'll collect the names of those willing to participate. Deadline should be December, 4th, so there is still time left to buy and send stuff. You post if you want to join, and wether you can afford to send abroad, and pm me your adresses. Please, don't forget your real names! I'll give each of you your "victim's" name and adress Dec 5th and/or 6th. Keep for yourself whom you've drawn, it's secret! Once you got your present, post what it was and whom you got it from. Don't spend too much money on each other, postage will be high enough. There you go. And yes, I am in.
A price range would be a good idea. It was £5 (or equivalent) last year, wasn't it? It just prevents people buying something mega cheap, and recieving something expensive, and vice versa. Having just stuck my nose in there, I can't decide whether I'm in or not. I'm absolutely shite at thinking up decent gift ideas for people I don't know really really well. Sometimes I can't even think of anything for people I [i:e71e3bf176]do[/i:e71e3bf176] know really well. Or rather, I think of something cool, then immeadiatly think of ten reasons why the recipient would hate it. :roll: Erm.... So don't count me in. I might change my mind though.
Yeah, I'm not sure either... put me down as a possibly maybe - I'll confirm before the finishing date.
Same here. I'm in but I'm crap at choosing gifts. Mainland Europeans and Irish: 5 pounds is about €7,30 Merkians: USD 8.50 Fourecksians: AUS 11.70 Rest of you: Go to google
I'll be in as long as I get someone who isn't in the UK, both ways that is. I want a foreign present and I want the person I send something to to receive a foreign present.
Mal I'll send you a foreign present This time I'm not going to give my work address cos that just went bye bye and I didn't get me secret santa feel like Bob. SO I'm up for trying again this year...
Mowgli has suggested that you can pm me in case you want your Santa to know about allergies he/she might have to take into account. You know, like, to make sure that you don't get a dead cat when you're allergic against cat hair or something. One thing though: Some countries don't let food or plants in (Australia was one of them, I think.) Not even when it is only decoration, like dries flowers. Correct me if I am wrong here.
Pretty much. Dried flowers will get confiscated a straw sombrero will too. The lesson is: Synthetic all the way baby. Australia's quaranting rules are here
I think it makes sense not to buy/make/get anything edible or alive/just died. Whatever I get for anyone it will be something permanent, like a brass doorknocker or something.
I'm in. Don't worry about postages since the Swedish postal system is insane. It doesn't matter where in the world you want to send stuff, you pay the same (outragous) amount for postage.
Okay, did any of you who joined in this thread get no pm, or two pms of different content? If that is so, I've messed it up. Otherwise: Check your pms, and make sure I have your adress so that I can pass it on to your Secret Santa! Actually I am missing only one adress - I've mp'd that person.
Hsing, you sent me a PM with someone to buy for... i didn't actually ask to take part, but i will anyway! (it's my fault for posting and sticking my nose in i suppose.) Edit ~ Actually, I'll be totally broke until the 18th, so mine will be a bit late... Will it be loads of hassle to take me out? Sorry, but thinking about it it's probably not wise for me to commit to something like this which requires money and punctuality.
I received a package from Germany today, Jon won't let me open it until Christmas. I love the little ornament on the wrapping. Thank you, Hsing!
I received my present from Electric Man yesterday. It was a copy of The devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. I had put my (partially read) copy in the washing machine about a fortnight ago and he knew how upset I was about it. I am so easy to pick presents for EM, here's one of my favorite entries [b:a87f6b692b]Dawn[/b:a87f6b692b], [i:a87f6b692b]n[/i:a87f6b692b]. The time when men of reason go to bed. Certain old men prefer to rise at that time, taking a cold bath and a long walk with an empty stomach, and otherwise mortifying the flesh. They then point with pride to these practices as the cause of their sturdy health and ripe year; the truth being that they are hearty and old,not because of their habits, but in spite of them. The reason we find only robust persons doing this thing is that it has killed all the others who have tried it.
Oh damn. I forgot about this with all the things going on in my life right now (My contract didn't get renewed..., looking for a new job...) I'm going have to semi-dissapoint someone. This person will get a late x-mas gift!
[quote:168f068a49="Saccharissa"] [b:168f068a49]Dawn[/b:168f068a49], [i:168f068a49]n[/i:168f068a49]. The time when men of reason go to bed. Certain old men prefer to rise at that time, taking a cold bath and a long walk with an empty stomach, and otherwise mortifying the flesh. They then point with pride to these practices as the cause of their sturdy health and ripe year; the truth being that they are hearty and old,not because of their habits, but in spite of them. The reason we find only robust persons doing this thing is that it has killed all the others who have tried it.[/quote:168f068a49] I think this must be true. It is now late evening, and Dawn will not go to bed. Does this mean she will live longer?
I just got your present today Saccharissa, phew just in time. I'll wait until tomorrow to open it, thank you very much in advance.
Got Tamyra's present the day before my trip to Arizona and didn't have time to write a thank-you post . Yaaay, thank you Tamyra - cookbooks (with test-driven recipes) are VERY good to have, especially when your task is to learn to cook in the next 6 months or so (after spending 26 years in denial of such a necessity). ::does a little present-receiving dance::
Like I said I got mine from Saccharissa too, hadn't opened it though when I mentioned it before. Thank you Saccharissa for the poems, there must be a life-time's reading in there.
I got my parcel today from Garmany! I was therefore surprised to see that it was actually Om who sent it. But that wasn't the end of the surprise, oh no. Then I opened it and found this inside: [img:1d6dab4d6d]http://www.geocities.com/electric_man_08/book.png[/img:1d6dab4d6d] I don't know whether to laugh or throttle her... meh, throttling is effort. I'lll just laugh. Thank Yoom!
Your welcome Weasel. I have no idea why it would have been shipped from Germany, ahhhhh, the wonders of Amazon. Now, where is my present?
Ha Ben... I think you should be complimented... although I do wonder about the big sticks. Who are they supposed to be for or are you hitting yourself over the head with it? Om, it was sent. Honest, cross my heart. Its possibly in the same place as my present... Although with my luck it possibly means we've both lost our presents this year, I feel like Bob at the thought and heres one for Om too
I think if I do something like this again I'll use recorded mail, a proper parcel carrier or Amazon like Sacharissa did, instead of standard mail.
[quote:090171de02="Maljonic"]I think if I do something like this again I'll use recorded mail, a proper parcel carrier or Amazon like Sacharissa did, instead of standard mail.[/quote:090171de02] Problem is that you can't do recorded mail abroad unfortunately, not even to Ireland! (made this mistake at work once, the postroom guy picked me up on it). I think amazon is the best bet, unless you can afford the parcel company prices. Having said that, normal mail sent my present to Saccharissa all right, so it's not all bad.
Just a quick question: who was my secret santa and where was it sent, work or home? I can try and track it down at the post office... I can't have missed out on a present 2 years in a row can I?? :cry: :cry: The postal service hates me.
Hsing thank you again for the photo album, it is very inspiring. Maybe it will become my Connor album. Mowgli, you are very welcome, I hope you have fun with it. Spiky, I'm sorry
I knew that my present to Ecksian would be late because I didn't get his address in time but I haven't gotten my present either... postal Karma? :?
[quote:c11ca17210="Electric_Man"][quote:c11ca17210="Maljonic"]I think if I do something like this again I'll use recorded mail, a proper parcel carrier or Amazon like Sacharissa did, instead of standard mail.[/quote:c11ca17210] Problem is that you can't do recorded mail abroad unfortunately, not even to Ireland! (made this mistake at work once, the postroom guy picked me up on it). I think amazon is the best bet, unless you can afford the parcel company prices. Having said that, normal mail sent my present to Saccharissa all right, so it's not all bad.[/quote:c11ca17210] Yes you can electricman, just pester someone at the counter till they look into it more. I sent some cash in an envelope to the US, and they found a way of regestering after I refused to move untill they asked someone who knew It's not called registered mail, but it does the same thing. Sorry I can't remember what it was called though
It's okay, he was sort of reading my post wrong anyway. I gave three options where recorded mail was only one of them. If I send a parcel abroad I'll use a proper parcel currier like I said, where you can track your package and see that it gets there. That's the theory anyway.
[quote:4b95f09bdf="spiky"]Just a quick question: who was my secret santa and where was it sent, work or home? I can try and track it down at the post office... I can't have missed out on a present 2 years in a row can I?? :cry: :cry: The postal service hates me.[/quote:4b95f09bdf] I'm so sorry Spiky, it's not the posties fault, it's mine. I had your present all set to go, but in my haste neglected to post it before I went away for the holiday period. Rest assured that I will correct this grevious oversight forthwith, and to make up for my tardiness I will include somthing extra to make up for the present you missed out on last year.
[quote:083b70f688="Ecksian"]I will include somthing extra to make up for the present you missed out on last year.[/quote:083b70f688] A tin of curry ?
I got Mowgli's card and present! Cool! I was standing right in front of that very notebook, wondering if I should buy it for myself, but deciding against it due to the lack of pocket money! Couldn't quite believe my eyes when I unwrapped it. Also, the card is cool, with all our avatars worked in and all... I thought about scanning it and putting it into my gallery for all of you to admire it, but I'd like to hear Mowgli's opinion on that first.
Yipee!!! You're very welcome, Hsing! Go ahead and scan the card, if you want (let the world behold my mad, 2-am collage-making skills)
[quote:8c307b8075="Ecksian"]I'm so sorry Spiky, it's not the posties fault, it's mine. I had your present all set to go, but in my haste neglected to post it before I went away for the holiday period. Rest assured that I will correct this grevious oversight forthwith, and to make up for my tardiness I will include somthing extra to make up for the present you missed out on last year.[/quote:8c307b8075] Yay! I am loved Extras not required but will be greatfully accepted just for the thought that it wasn't the posties fault again... Now all I have to do is get back from holiday to collect it...
Although not part of the Secret Santa thing I was supposed to get The Art of Discoworld for christmas but it became lost in the mail so now I get the money and can go buy it myself at Barnes & Noble. My mom should have bought it there in the first place because it cost the same wether it was shipped over seas or bought from the store.
...just call it prolonged anticipation. Also, should you have gotten it - I've posted my impression in one of the book forums. I wouldn't mind commenting at lenght on the pics! Ah, and before I forget it - Mowgli, the book mark you sent me - a string with crystal pearls on both ends... I liked it a lot, but had to pass it on. My daughter was very fascinated of it, but i internded to keep it at first. A few days ago, they took a blood sample of her - that's very hard to do when the person has hands and arms too pudgy to find a vein, and they had to poke around quite a lot 8in her foot) before it worked ... The beutiful glittering thing took her mind of the pain, and she's now wearing it as a tag on the zipper of her favourite jacket and is very proud of it.
I'm too old fashioned and out-of-date to be compatible with anything except my headphones, and even there, the flow of information is usually one-way (media to head).
[quote:07f6160735="spiky"][quote:07f6160735="Ecksian"]I'm so sorry Spiky, it's not the posties fault, it's mine. I had your present all set to go, but in my haste neglected to post it before I went away for the holiday period. Rest assured that I will correct this grevious oversight forthwith, and to make up for my tardiness I will include somthing extra to make up for the present you missed out on last year.[/quote:07f6160735] Yay! I am loved Extras not required but will be greatfully accepted just for the thought that it wasn't the posties fault again... Now all I have to do is get back from holiday to collect it...[/quote:07f6160735] Ecksian, I did a tour of the two possible suspects for the present but neither post office had a package for me. Could you pm me the address you sent it to and the date its was sent? If this fails either you have to go into the post office to track it down or yet again the postal service has thwarted my ambitions of getting a christmas present. Back to feeling like Bob
