☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼

Subject: Secret Santa Time 2017
From: vectis
Date: 07 Oct 17 - 10:45 PM

It's that time of year again when Early Bird Santa and the Elves are busy starting to collate who wants to be santa and santee once again.

If you would like to join in the madness and mayhem for this years extravaganza PM me your real world name and address. An e-mail address for emergency use would be handy too.

If you are wanting to avoid international giving and taking please let me know.

The hints and teasing thread will follow as soon as I have some takers.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa Time 2017
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Oct 17 - 02:04 PM

The Secret Santa thread is one of the ONLY threads allowed to run above the line so participants can log off and post teases to their appointed Santees.

I'm in.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa Time 2017
From: GUEST,Anne Lister sans cookie
Date: 08 Oct 17 - 04:34 PM

I'm in, too.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa Time 2017
From: Rapparee
Date: 08 Oct 17 - 09:51 PM

I'm in. Debt, as well as SS 2017.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa Time 2017
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 09 Oct 17 - 06:54 AM

I'm in!

Subject: RE: Secret Santa Time 2017
From: billybob
Date: 10 Oct 17 - 08:22 AM

please count me in,

Subject: RE: Secret Santa Time 2017
From: vectis
Date: 13 Oct 17 - 05:04 AM

Bump

Subject: RE: Secret Santa Time 2017
From: Firecat
Date: 13 Oct 17 - 08:02 AM

Yes please!

Subject: RE: Secret Santa Time 2017
From: Severn
Date: 13 Oct 17 - 03:24 PM

I'm in. Amen.

Subject: RE: Secret Santa Time 2017
From: GUEST,Hollowfox, sans cookie
Date: 14 Oct 17 - 05:20 PM

Count me in!

Subject: RE: Secret Santa Time 2017
From: vectis
Date: 19 Oct 17 - 02:38 AM

bump

Subject: RE SECRET SANTA Time 2017
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 12:12 AM

What exactly is Secret Santa? A game of some sort?
I am not familiar with it at all but looks like a lot of people are interested. (so they must have knowledge of what it is about perhaps from previous years.) I have no idea what Secret Santa is though.

Subject: RE: ++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 12:54 AM

testing

Subject: RE: ++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++
From: vectis
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 06:09 AM

It is a group of people who enjoy being someone elses secret santa. They send a gift to a mudcatter and receive a gift from a different mudcatter. Only I know who sends to who.

It has led to many wonderful gifts travelling the world every December and bringing joy to another person you may or may not have met.

It is open to all mudcatters to join in if they want to.

There will be another thread going up soon for people to say what sort of stuff they like and what they can't be given (allergies or customs rules).

It is great fun for all. The only reason I have ended up organising it is because I have more stuff than I need and live in New Zealand which is restrictive as to what can be posted to residents, in order to stop pests and diseases entering the country.

Subject: RE: ++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 12:10 AM

Sounds like fun!! Question: When you say what stuff you like to receive - do you send also send a gift to the person who is sending you a gift?

Question: If you live in USA, do Mudcatters only in USA send you a gift? Or can it be sent to/from anywhere UK, Spain, etc?
When you say that only you know who sends to who - how does it work when you usually put your name & return address on the package you send? Then the person would know who you are. Right?

If you send gift to someone overseas you have to write on a claims form that post office attaches to your package. You have to write your name and address on the package (as the sender) and declare what the gift and value is on claims form (when sending overseas.)

How do you determine who sends to what Mudcatter?

Thanks,
Lin
P.S I have never participated in this before so just wanted to know more detail about how it works. :-)))

Subject: RE: ++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++
From: vectis
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 03:00 AM

You send a gift to someone nominated by me. I try to give everybody a santee they haven't had before. You get a gift from someone entirely different. I try to mix and match people who haven't been together before when possible.

You santa can be from anywhere in the world but if there are lots of people from the USA then there is a chance you might get a santa from the USA.

Your Mudcat name and your real world will probably be different so the air of mystery remains. I used to sign mine as S. Santer or something similar. No one knows the address except the nominated secret santa for any individual. The customs declaration can be a bit vague, Saying CD doesn't tell the santee what the CD is.

Think of it as an office or workplace secret santa but on an international scale.

Subject: RE: ~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 10:54 AM

There have been several people wearing the esteemed Santa hat - and numerous charts worked out to keep track of who has given to whom. As numbers dwindle it is more difficult to always assign a new Santa. "Act surprised!" is a good piece of advice here. There are considerations we need to keep in mind for this global mudcat event, like the length of time it takes for parcels to travel around the world. Some of them move at a snail's pace, especially as we get closer to the Big Day (whichever date that happens to be for your family - xmas eve, xmas day, boxing day, or some non-xtian holiday reckoning around that time.)

My particular goal is to choose items that aren't particularly fragile, that are interesting but small, and that I can ship in one of the postal large envelopes or small boxes to keep the shipping price reasonable. The sooner you ship the slower your parcel can travel, so you can keep prices down.

This is also an exchange between people who came to be here because of music, so often times determining musical taste and including a suitable CD is an excellent start to gift giving. Shipping within the US is easier (for me); shipping to Canada or the UK or other Mudcat outposts means declaring the contents. And on occasion participants in the UK have had to pay taxes to collect their parcels - something we would all like to avoid (if someone from the UK could chime in and tell us how to describe the contents, for example - is it enough to say "gift," or is there more to it?)

Here's the Secret Santa "teaser" thread from 2012, to give you an idea of how that part of it works. Here's an earlier one, and so on.

There was a bit of spam (removed) by someone cautioning against sending your information to strangers. That's not what this is. Most of us have been talking amongst ourselves for years, and though we may not have all met in person, we've taken a good measure and enjoyed each other's virtual company. This is an extension of that.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 01:17 PM

Not "spam", just somebody who doesn't want to be involved and is irked that others do.

I did this the first few years, then I quit because, as a moderator, I knew things. Plus, people frequently got on my nerves. Plus, I sucked at getting things mailed on time. My nerves are less aggravatable, mailing stuff on time is do-able, and I shall endeavor to not use my superpowers to peek at things I shouldn't peek at. (Sorta like furtively unwrapping presents before Christmas. It spoils the surprise.)

So this year, I don't have much discretionary money, but I don't need that much, and...

I'M IN!

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 01:49 PM

Not, not spam - spam is rubbish mail !!
And no, I am not irked by people having fun at all ! That was certainly NOT the point of my post. My post was to caution anyone against being very stupid indeed about sending out your "real" address to a complete stranger - I am sure Joe Offer will see where I am coming from on this. Does anybody actually read the news about perverts grooming young vulnerable people?? Yes this may be on the level, but why would anyone take the chance. My aim is to keep people safe. That is all.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 02:31 PM

You're overshooting the nature of this game, unnamed guest who can be seen behind the scenes. If you're not going to play, then GO AWAY. We're grown ups here, there is no danger.

Enough said?

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 02:33 PM

I'm pleased to see Jeri joining in - it is possible to not see too much, you have to kind of ignore the mod superpowers in the vacinity of those threads.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 03:16 PM

Guest, you've "warned" people. We've been doing this for 16 (maybe more) years. We know we're giving people we may or may not know our mailing addresses and names.

End of discussion.

Yep, Acme, should be easy as I'll be logged out to post in "those threads" most of the time. Bring on the fun!

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 04:48 PM

So do you not put your name & address on the outside of package as one normally does when sending a gift? Of course if mailing to someone in USA and you too live in USA you don't need a claims/declaration form but in case package got lost or something wouldn't you need to put your name & return address on outside of package even if mailed to someone else in USA?

If you are wanting a CD do you list the name of the CD you would like to get from Santa or do you have to just write would like a CD for Christmas?   You might get a CD that you do not like at all unless you specifically indicate the CD you would like.

Thanks,
Lin

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 05:19 PM

That's a point where sometimes you can't hide all of the details. Sometimes you can put your name as Santa and your real address; if you print out a mailing label you *might* be able to scribble off your name on the return part and print Santa and get away with it. The post office may or may not let you get away with that. Sometimes you just have to be not too curious to keep playing the game.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: vectis
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 11:46 PM

I am the only one who knows the addresses apart from the person sending the gift and I am well know on Mudcat and have been here almost from the beginning.

Almost time to collate all the participants and sort who's who.

Don't forget to PM me:-

your real name, Mudcat name if different
your address
an e-mail address in case of problems if you are happy to send it to me.

And I will get the elves warmed up for this years extravaganza.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Severn
Date: 22 Oct 17 - 10:51 AM

Throughout the years, I have made a lot of friends through Secret. Santa, have met some on my travels or theirs and even stayed with a few of them, learning about what happens in their home area and sharing things about mine. I have received CDs of music that I have learned songs off of that have become part of my performing repertoire and have added to that of others. Some have songs that I have or will play on my radio show. The teasing section can, at its best, an excuse for creative writing back and forth, which I consider part of the present. It has always been a rewarding experience that I recommend it to those who are in the deciding stage.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: vectis
Date: 24 Oct 17 - 05:24 AM

Thank you Severn I still play your present to me from years ago, and am so pleased we got to meet too. Isn't Mudcat wunnerful?

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 24 Oct 17 - 10:10 AM

Severn is an amazing Santa and has been mine TWICE - I am a lucky girl!

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 08:10 PM

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 09:04 PM

We need more takers, some fresh blood. Would any of you like to reach out by sending PMs to friends and inviting them to join us?

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: RTim
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 09:22 PM

IMHO - it needs to be in BS..............

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Jeri
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 09:25 PM

Tim, it's not going to BS because people have to be able to not be logged in to play the game.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Rapparee
Date: 29 Oct 17 - 07:49 PM

Up, I say!

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: GUEST,Allison A (Animaterra)
Date: 30 Oct 17 - 09:42 AM

I can't seem to log in, hope my membership hasn't lapsed. Perhaps I have forgotten my name!

Anyway, ok, ok, as a long, long, looooonggg time Mudcatter who now mostly only lurks occasionally, I have been lured from my lair, shy woodland creature that I am (thanks to Anne Lister and Facebook), and I'm in.

Re the sharing of addresses: long ago, in a Mudcat far, far away, there were a few brave adventurers who traveled around the US and then the UK, staying in strangers' homes, meeting folks face to face who had only been names on a screen before that. They and the strangers, who opened their homes, were acting out of trust that these folks who seemed pretty decent on the screen were as decent, or more so, in real life. And it was so.

I have participated in many Secret Santas and will join up for this one. I will trust that the folks who are also participating are decent folks, and if I choose to put my return address on the package I send, in order that it might get back to me if there's a mishap, that the addressee won't misuse it.

In this life, you have to have a degree of trust. And fun.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Jeri
Date: 30 Oct 17 - 03:04 PM

This probably doesn't help (ask Joe if it's your P-word), but your name is EXACTLY AllisonA(Animaterra)

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 31 Oct 17 - 07:06 AM

Thanks, Jeri- I figured it out by searching topics I had contributed to in the past. I was adding spaces between my name and the (). All set now!

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: GUEST,jacqui.c
Date: 01 Nov 17 - 05:25 PM

I'm in!

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: vectis
Date: 04 Nov 17 - 03:44 AM

Oh Goody! Glad you are in Jacqui. I still treasure my dragon shawl.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Hollowfox
Date: 09 Nov 17 - 12:38 PM

Is everything all right, vectis? I'm waiting with baited breath and there's nary a nibble.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 09 Nov 17 - 03:04 PM

Me, too! I'm actually checking in on Mudcat every day- haven't done that in years!

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Firecat
Date: 09 Nov 17 - 06:28 PM

Same here!

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: vectis
Date: 11 Nov 17 - 01:29 AM

Sorry guys, been away, sorted soonest.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Hollowfox
Date: 11 Nov 17 - 11:23 AM

*whew* I'm just glad that everything's all right. You're more important than the Secret Santa project, however much fun it is.

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: vectis
Date: 12 Nov 17 - 07:50 PM

AllisonA(Animaterra)

Please PM me your postal details etc
ASAP

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 07:28 AM

***secret message sent. activate the fun!***

Subject: RE: ☼~~++SECRET SANTA Time 2017++~~☼
From: Anne Lister
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 03:49 PM

Looking forward to whatever happens next!