BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,sandra in sydney
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 07:59 AM

my santa has been saving up money to send my pressies - there's sooooo much (coal) it won't fit in a standard envelope!!

I can hardly wait!!

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Cllr
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 01:12 PM

To those still waiting do not give up hope I recieved (or rather Champagne Carol recieved) three items, all posted seperately, on Friday and Saturday so there is still hope! Cllr Thank you CCsecret santa!!

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Helen
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 02:33 PM

Maybe it's something to do with Australian Customs (as in the little people who poke about in your pressies after they get taken off the plane, ship or snail - not the Oz customs like poking fun at your mates, or standing around a bunch of burning fuel, singeing lumps of meat and drinking brown fizzy stuff) because it is interesting that the Oz Catters are the ones who don't have pressies: JennyO, Sandra in Sydney, alison, & me.

Hmmm!!

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 02:35 PM

Amber Helen amber!

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 08:36 PM

I got mine well in time - very little delay - I think it's random whether it gets poked into.

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: JennyO
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 08:47 PM

I think freda underhill got hers too.

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: JennieG
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 11:01 PM

I got mine very early (I started this thread after all!), but it had been opened by Australian Customs because it contained food. It was repackaged, and one of their leaflets was enclosed about "what you can and can't post to Australia". The leaflet also said that nothing had been removed.

Perhaps something to beware of on future occasions when sending to Oz?

Cheers
JennieG who is enjoying her yummy munchies!

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Helen
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 01:38 AM

So, maybe we secret-Santa-less people can have our own little Secret Santa gift-giving among ourselves. I'd be happy to send off another present to someone else who was Santa-less, just to cheer them up and help them not to feel unloved and unwanted.

And Giok, it is brown if it is Brown, black (well, almost) if it is Black, brown if it is Blue, or Red, and looks like frothy liquid Vegemite if it is Guinness, etc etc. :-)

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: JennyO
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 02:01 AM

Nice idea Helen. But are we in fact Santaless? We must have been assigned Santas, and only Liz knows who they are. I was thinking of waiting till she is over her current medical procedure, and then asking her if she knows of any reason why my Santa has not responded (except for 3 months ago when he/she said "OK, no morphine for you....") I'm wondering if any of our Santas are sick or anything. I'm quite happy to wait - I'd just like to know what's happening.

It does seem strange that so many of us in Oz have not received our presents. I was wondering about customs and food too, however last year, Col K sent me some Kendall Mintcake, amongst other things, and that came through in time all right.

Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,Giok
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 07:08 AM

I mean amber as in 'The Amber Nectar' which I think refers to Fosters Lager, I prefer Tooheys Old myself; now that's brown.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,sandra
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 07:11 AM

my santa sent a message thru SSSLtS to apologise for the delay in posting my pressies, so I'm not in the same place as you folks. I have a very nice, apologetic santa!! Lucky me.

But I'd certainly be in an extra (4 way) pressie giving!! I like geting & sending pressies & could easily whip out a few more pressies to fill the gap.

we could pm or something & arrange it.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,me again
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 07:22 AM

I just tried to login & got timed out twice, so if you pressie-less Ozcatters want to play mini-Secret Santa, JennyO & Alison have my email address

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Helen
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 03:02 PM

I got PM'ed by my very apologetic, not-so-Secret Santa too, so I am not Santaless any more.

I'm still happy to send off presents to anyone still Santaless though. I like looking for presents for people. It's fun trying to match up what I know about the person and what I think they would like.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST, Sad Santa
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 03:22 PM

This Santa on the other hand does not know if my Santee got their Pressie!
I haven't heard a word from them since they posted to say they wanted to be included in the Secret Santa game and I got their name as my Santee!!!In fact they haven't been on the Mudcat since...
I wish I knew. I posted another Gift to someone else in the same Country the same Day and they got their Pressie.
No Foodstuffs were in there and wouldn't have been a prob as it was inter-Country...if you know what I mean...
So...what do I do about that.
If my Santee does not respond to my requests to let me know I cannot know....I REALLY hope there is nothing wrong with my Santee and that all is well....
I can't even check at the Post Office to find out.
A tad frustrating.....any suggestions?
Sad Santa
ho...sob...ho...sob...ho

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Rustic Rebel
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 04:43 PM

Dear Santa, Just a quick note to let you know I still haven't recieved your package. So that's why they call it snail mail huh?
I will continue to be on the look-out. Maybe this week.
Love, Rusic

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: alison
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 08:08 PM

I'm living in hope with the "customs are checking it out" theory...

if our various Santas could let us know if food was involved we'd have a better idea....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Burke
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 08:30 PM

Santa, sorry, I have not been checking this thread. I have your card somewhere in my bag so I can send you a PM, but I can't seem to find it just now either.

Santa, you really hit the nail on the head for me! Terry Pratchett buttons galore. I'll be giving some of those to the friends who let me read their TP books.

Sankey was absolutely perfect!! That particular collection was never published in the US. I'd been told there were gospel songs included it in for which Sankey could or would not get copyright permissions. Copyright was not international in those days so he could print any US only piece he wanted. It definately has many more songs than Sankey's US publication.

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: JennyO
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 08:36 PM

if our various Santas could let us know if food was involved we'd have a better idea....

If my Santa could let me know ANYTHING, I'd have a better idea....

Alison, are you interested in Sandra's 4 way Mini Santa suggestion?

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,Confused Pseudolus....
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 11:50 PM

OK, here's what happened...I got my present! Woo Hoo!!!!!! It came from Maine but I still don't know who it is from! I got some honey, a book about Maine, a cool wooden hide-a-way box, a candle, some candy and an awesome CD!!!! On the card there was a hint as to who it was. It arrived on Christmas Eve so the timing was PERFECT but unfortunately, I can't for the life of me find the card with the hint. It was a busy time and things were crazy. So sadly I do not know who my santa is.... :( So santa, help me, give me another hint...I need to know who you are!

Pseudolus

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Helen
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 01:36 AM

Sad Santa,

How about you PM me with the name of your Secret Santee and I'll PM your Santee for you with your request for confirmation (or otherwise) that your gift has been received.

Normally the SECSY Secret Santa Secretary would do it for you but since she's recuperating at present, I'll volunteer to help you out.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,Pseudolus's Secret Santa
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 04:30 AM

Dear Pseudolus,
I am delighted to hear from You.
Glad to know that your Pressie arrived in good time for Christmas and that you liked it.
I can imagine that your Christmas was action packed with the Family and I hope that you all had a wonderful time.
As to my Id and clue on the card....mmmm...now let me see:
I can't post the original clue as it might be too easy now...
So here's another: Robert Service came from my Home Country which has several Ancient names:>)
If you cannot solve the clue I won't drag it out, Ill PM you if the going gets tough!! lol
Talk to you soon.
Wishing You and your Family a Happy New Year.
Santa

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 02:29 PM

Preston Lancs 1874

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Helen
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 03:47 PM

Giok,

To clarify my previous comments: Tooheys has a variety of beers on offer, including the ones with colours in the name, i.e. Tooheys Brown, T's Old (commonly referred to as Black), T's Blue (a light bitter, and one of my favourites but not easily found on tap), T's Red. Then there is T's New.

I've tried Foster's once. It was like fizzy dishwater, so most true-blue Aussies probably just think it was a successful con-job by the marketing gurus to sell it overseas as the great Aussie beer. You rarely see an Aussie drinking it these days - well, especially here in NSW. In Victoria it may get drunk (or drunks drunk!) more often because that is where it was originally made, I think.

VB or Victoria Bitter is all right, IMHO, although I don't drink it often.

My first preference is for bitter beers, and I don't drink a lot anyway, and usually I am the "designated driver" so that's why I liked T's Blue, the light bitter.

Hope this helps decipher what I said earlier when I was obfuscating. :-)

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,Rustic Rebel's SS
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 03:50 PM

Hmmm, it was posted before Christmas but it is does have to cross the Atlantic

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: alison
Date: 13 Jan 05 - 06:56 PM

no thanks Jenny - the getting a pressie bit of it isn't the important thing - whats disheartening is if there are people out there putting their names down so they can get something without carrying out their end of the bargain....

I hope I'm wrong and that the pressies to Oz are just taking their time sight seeing before they get here

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Helen
Date: 14 Jan 05 - 01:27 AM

alison,

I've got a small present for you anyway. I've just been procrastinating getting it organised. I'll try to get it sorted this weekend and sent off.

I don't know if I have your current (postal) address so if you could PM me with the details that's help.

Helen

P.S. I'm pretty sure it's something you would want, but I'm not sure if you already have it.

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 15 Jan 05 - 02:24 AM

My present just arrived from Australia, and it is FANTASTIC! Santa, you really outdid yourself. You not only sent the kinds of things I finally left in the hints thread, but you successfully deciphered my mystery hint: "Every time I get in the carr, I feel alienated. Help me, Caleb!" Santa sent me the book "The Alienist," by Caleb Carr, along with some sea music CD's, political badges (I collect campaign badges), and a few other souvenirs from OZ. This was all at no small expense, I might add, being shipped from Australia.
Santa also left me a few hints about Santa's identity (if any of you fellow Australian members know, please don't spill the beans). I'll mull over it and see if I can solve this mystery. But for now, one great big thank you for such a generous and right-on-the-mark gift! I'm truly humbled by your efforts.

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,Chanteyranger's pleased but still secretive
Date: 15 Jan 05 - 07:59 AM

Greetings Chanteyranger, from your very pleased Santa. Now I'm puzzling over what other clues I might be able to give you, without giving the game away. You must have it narrowed down to a city anyway.

I've posted in this thread as myself, but I don't think that clue will help you much, as there are a few of us - heh heh heh!

SS

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jan 05 - 08:27 AM

Chanteyranger's santa -

around yet at home

the Bard stated bonkers

but we think s/he's home grown.

with fingers in the garden

it's a time of pure rest.

with a cornucopia of wit

let shim be blessed.

..

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 15 Jan 05 - 12:32 PM

Got the rest of it! Mail carrier was finally able to get through the snow in front of the mailbox (gonna move the mailbox tomorrow, I think; gotta position it closer to the road without being so close the plows wipe it out).

But now I have to find the proper frame for a glorious bat goddess! (As well as the other drawings.) I really like your drawings, Santa! The calendar is a treat, too, and the silk scarf is right on the money color-wise.

Thank you, thank you!

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Rustic Rebel
Date: 15 Jan 05 - 09:09 PM

Thanks so much to Edain! My package arrived last night. A delightful book on the folklore of fairytale, by Macleod Yearsley. Published in London, Watts and co., 1924! And in good shape I will add.
Thank you.
Peace, Rustic

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 04:55 PM

My apologies for a very belated public THANK YOU to jaze for the stupendously wonderful Secret Santa gifts he sent me. I opened them on Christmas, but hadn't figured out just who the 3D name was in MudcatLand, then I lost track when I went for a stay at the local sawbones' hangout. My daughter sussed it out for me while I was away.:-)

First, a gorgeous Christmas box which reminded me of my grandma's hat boxes...it's a keeper! Full of TWO books, both of which I know I will love; lovely chocolates and yummy-smelling soap, plus some laughing cat socks his wife picked out AND a BEE-YOU-TEE-FULL fairy cross pendant from the good ol' earth of Virginia. Best of all, though, was his own story of part of his growing up years. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down and I am MOST HONOURED that he shared it with me. THANK YEW, THANK YEW, THANK YEW, Kind Sir!! Now, as your friends have said, "write the book!"

luvya'll and Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: jaze
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 08:27 PM

No apologies needed,Kat. You're very welcome and I'm pleased you enjoyed the gifts. This is great fun,eppecially when your Santee enjoys the gifts. Good to have you back!

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,A nosy elf
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 08:33 PM

Did Alaska Mike ever hook up with his prezzie?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Helen
Date: 20 Jan 05 - 01:39 AM

Thank you Ranger Steve for my lovely pressies. A book of beautiful New Jersey photos, and a cassette tape of your own music - I'll listen to it later tonight - and a lovely little kaleidoscope which makes pictures of real life things around me.

Thanks, very much, and please forgive me for whingeing, and I feel doubly awful about that because now I know that you were unable to send them earlier.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Jan 05 - 06:54 AM

Thanks, jaze! I am sorry, I forgot to mention the CDs you sent, too. Believe it or not, I am just getting fit enough to finally listen to them and a couple of others which I received at the holiday. I didn't have a CD player except at the computer nad no wherewithal to sit up to listen, but now have a handy little player near the bed where I am spending a bunch of my time, so will enjoy them immensely, I am sure.

It has done my heart good...this Secret Santa stuff. Thanks, again,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Mar 05 - 09:39 AM

yesterday!! when Mudcat was down so I could not thank Santa Amergin, but I did mention it on The Annex.

There were 4 of the out-of-print Andre Norton books I wanted, 2 wonderful CDs from Mmario & 2 reminders of Santa's home - a handcrafted bookmark which is marking my place in a great book about Oregon.

Plus the perfect thing for a fake world-traveller like me - a carrybag from a shop called 'Made in Oregon' which I can carry about Sydney & look like I've been Overseas.

many thankyous to Amergin

I didn't see the Santa/Santee list, has it been posted?

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,JennyO's Substitute Super Secret Santa
Date: 12 Mar 05 - 12:44 PM

I should have said something sooner--I'm working on a little something for our JennyO whose connection with her original Secret Santa ran into a postal predicament. Soon it will go in the mail.

Your SSSS

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,Alison's SSSSS
Date: 12 Mar 05 - 02:00 PM

Well Ali mo ghoil, as your original SS seems not to have been playing by Aussie rules, I have the honour of having been selected by Santa's Elf as a late substitution. As I'm about the same vintage as Rex Hunt don't expect too much physical play or long passes. I play by Celtic rules instead, and there is a non food little something in the post as I post.
Failte
SSSSS

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Helen
Date: 12 Mar 05 - 06:08 PM

Teresa & Alison,

I know it's nearly Easter but I started a new job a month ago and then had to go away for a couple of weeks training and then I got a letter from the Tax Office saying they won't wait much longer for my last 3 tax returns, but....

Teresa, when your present came back claiming you weren't at that address it also came back with one of the items broken so I've been searching high and low for a replacement - why was it so easy to find in the first place and so hard to find again? I don't know. Anyway I finally found one this weekend so yours will be posted again tomorrow.

Alison,

I am nearly there on yours as well - your extra non-SS present which I think you'll like. It has been sitting waiting to send except for one item, which I'll do today and send tomorrow as well.

I haven't forgotten, just been disorganised.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: JennyO
Date: 13 Mar 05 - 12:07 AM

Thank you thank you thank you SSSS for stepping into my Santa's shoes. I've been Santaless for too long.

But now I have something to look forward to! Oh happy day, calloo callay! I can believe in Santa again. I'll be watching the mailbox with anticipation!

Jenny

(I still have no idea what went wrong - there was no communication. A postal predicament, eh? I wonder if I'll ever know what happened....)

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: alison
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 02:13 AM

mine arrived today

thanks Santa (whoever you are) - the book and the CDs are wonderful
& the bookmark couldn't have been more apt - it has been a horror of a week - "I try to take one day at a time, but sometime several days attack me at once." ... couldn't have arrived at a better time

thank you so much

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 02:53 AM

I finally figured out that my Santa was JennyO (sea music scene in Australia thread). I want to say here what I said there, for all to see: Jenny was a GREAT Santa! Generous, on the mark, witty, and any other good word that comes to mind. I'm just sorry you've been left in the lurch by your Santa. It's an unfortunate thing that crops up every year, which I know first-hand, as I got no pressie nor explanation the Christmas before last. Why would anyone sign up for this and not keep their end of the bargain?

Anyone want a rescue Santa? PM me with the name and address of a friend here who's been left in the cold, and I'll send something.

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 03:43 AM

Is there anyone out there who still hasn't had a SS present or communication?

The list was unfortunately eaten by the computer when it died last year... I will do some work on my PMs and try to reconstruct it, to post here.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,Alison's SSSSS
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 04:04 AM

Well well, them reindeer excelled themselves, just shows you that it's better to wait till the rush is over. Glad you liked the goodies, and that the notorious Oz customs didn't sit on it. BTW in my opinion that book 'Behind the scenes at the Museum', although it took me a bit of getting into, is the best book I have read in many a year. I hope you enjoy it.
SSSSS

ps The PC might be a clue!!

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 06:56 AM

Liz - I lost stuff twice last year - the first a big crash, the second ONLY the change from a PC laptop to a Mac & most of that stuff will come back when my personal help desk can get on to it.We are so reliant on these mechanical/electronic slaves (oops masters) that when something goes wrong we are stuffed.

sandra (surrounded by paper copies)

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: alison
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 07:22 PM

Dear Santa

it would have been had the postcode not been illegible!! I'm guessing Scotland though... am I close?

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: JennyO
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:39 AM

Why would anyone sign up for this and not keep their end of the bargain?

I had been asking myself the same question, Chanteyranger, but you have turned out to be a great Santee too!

Not only does he say nice things, but while I have been waiting for an SS present to appear, he has sent me a copy of his and Radriano's CD. It arrived a couple of days ago, and it is EXCELLENT!

It does help to restore my faith in mudcatters. Apart from anything else that might happen now with this year's Secret Santa, this connection makes it all worthwhile.

Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: GUEST,Alison's SSSSS
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 10:04 AM

Post Card Alison, not Post Code Keep looking!!
SSSSS

Subject: RE: BS: My Secret Santa present has arrived!
From: alison
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 06:55 PM

it was the postcard that made me think Scotland

but further than that... no idea

but thanks again

alison