I organized the Secret Santa last year for the first time. We had a pretty small crowd, and some people had two recipients because of how things worked out, but I think it was a success overall. Here’s to 2024!
Ok, so here’s what to do:
Put a message in this thread saying “I’m in!” In your message put a little bit about the things you like so that we know what to get you. Spend what you feel comfortable spending, everyone will be happy with whatever they get!
Send an email to klgould5@gmail.com. In the email please include:
a. your user name
b. your real name
c. your mailing address
d. whether you are willing to ship internationally
Send me a PM that also says “I’m in!” Please be sure to add your user name and real name to this message.
Post in this thread when you have shipped the package to your recipient.
Come back and tell us when your package arrives and do be sure and tell everyone what’s in it!
Please sign up before December 1 and ship as soon as you can, but definitely before December 15.
Jumping in. I love shopping for this and I’m not much of a shopper otherwise.
I’m a foodie. I like tea, chocolate, local items, bright colors, SF, black cats, atomic cat decor, cat clothing, scarves, earrings, oddities, France, sports car racing, herb gardening, cotton toques (can’t do wool, sorry) and irreverent humor/humour. - If you can’t find something in that, you’re not trying.
I won’t ship internationally anymore because every package I send arrives missing at least half the items. Even pretty river rocks.
But otherwise I’m all up for this.
ETA: I collect small bowls and have cats who always want new and different treats. I enjoy regional items, fridge magnets and drink can koozies are much appreciated. Locally sourced treats would be carefully rationed and treasured.
Scented candles, especially ones that smell like fruit or cocktails or food like pancakes or donuts.
My t-shirt size is small, my ears are pierced, and I like to wear purple and brown (not at the same time!) I also like heart-shaped things.
I’m a big fan of Peanuts, especially the secondary characters like Sally and Schroeder. (But please, not the little Hallmark tree. I have three already.)
If there’s any kind of candy or sweet, Christmas or otherwise, that’s a specialty where my sender lives, I’d like to try it. As long as it doesn’t have nuts. Mind you, I’m not allergic to nuts; I just don’t like eating them in anything. Only by themselves. Anyway, I mean like someone from Michigan sending fudge, or peanut brittle from eastern PA, that kind of thing.
Some pencils (decorated, not yellow No. 2!) would be good. I do a lot of crosswords.
Some of the things I like: arty stuff like cards and small pieces, candles, cat related stuff, trinkets of any kind from the sender’s locale, Australia (especially Chris Hemsworth and/or koalas), funny books, anything kitschy. I also cherish homemade stuff; if it’s easier or less expensive to gift something of your own creation, please know I will love and appreciate it.
I am in! I will ship anywhere. I miss that days when gifts were surprises, so I’ll take anything. But I love dachshund things, and anything food related. Recipes, cookbooks, exotic ingredients, spices, umm…chocolate. Or any kind of books. Ashamed to admit I like Clive Cussler thrillers, some of his books had dachshunds in them. But like I said before I like surprises.
I may try to find out what team colors my sendee would appreciate. I crochet and could try to whip up something fast.
I’m in! And I like food-related stuff, but because of where I live (Hawai’i, zip code 96728), shipping here can be stupid expensive even though it isn’t technically international for US residents. So, while anything food-related ( a bottle of hot sauce, or some spices, or a local cookbook from your neck of the woods) would be enjoyed, I wouldn’t want anyone to pay much for the shipping. Instead, if someone wanted to send me a card with a couple of cherished family recipes in it, or anything lightweight related to your local food experience (for example, a copy of a newspaper clipping from your local paper’s food section), I would totally treasure that.
As for my own expense, I don’t mind spending a bit extra on postage to get something fun to the mainland. It would be great if I could send something with a local theme made by a local artisan - some Hawai’i salt, a quilted pot holder (Hawaiian quilting is a significant local craft), a kids’ book from the Pacific Tsunami Museum, whatever. So, rather than state a dollar amount, my limit is a weight limit. I’ll send anything, but nothing that weighs more than 24 ounces!
I love wearing earrings & bandanas/kerchiefs.
I work in a pizza kitchen, so anything pizza themed that I could wear to work, like socks or something, would be fun.
Almost any kind of edible treat is appreciated, I’m partial to dark chocolate, and I enjoy jerky/meats or cheese, but I don’t have allergies or anything.
You can guess from my username that purple items are welcomed. I also like green and blue, and really anything with lotsa colors/rainbow type things.
I have a cat, named Monkey, who would very much appreciate being included.
I, too, have an irreverent sense of humor, so please lean more towards dark/offensive and less towards schmaltzy. You can skip the religious stuff.
I’m big on nature, flora & fauna … okay, that’s gotta be a decent starting point.
If anyone wouldn’t be interested in receiving a few shots of booze, please say so now! Wext Virginia makes some very nice hard apple cider and Tennessee is just around the corner.
I like:
chocolate, preferably dark but also enjoy milk, white, etc.,
lavender scents, (I can’t have candles-prohibited by my husband’s Dr but soap is ok),
Michigan State Spartans Go Green, Go White
Chai
A book (I’m fine with used books) like the alphabet books by Sue Grafton (I have many of them I,L,M,N,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,X) or like the numbered Women’s Murder Club books by James Patterson (I have the first 6 & #9)
Peanuts-Snoopy (we watch A Charlie Brown Christmas every Wigilia-Christmas Eve and I snagged a CD of it at a garage sale in Oct),
I have been a backpacker/hiker (before this year; this year I’ve been a caretaker); I hope I can get back to it.
No ornaments-not putting up a tree, either real or artificial, this year again-prohibited by my husband’s Dr.
Nothing cat related. I know it’s in my user name but I’d prefer not to receive anything cat related.
We had a poster named Sparteye, since passed away. She would post in green font. Once I replied to her in blue and yellow and she told me she didn’t know I had a death wish. I met her IRL. I also worked in East Lansing for three years, loved the area. Still miss Curious Books on Michigan Avenue, and the Harrison Roadhouse further east a few blocks.
At the risk of being negative, please no mugs or tree ornaments or food items (OK, chocolate is always good.) And no TVs please - we’ve amassed way too many!!
I would be delighted with something from the sender’s area, unless you’re from DC, since that’s just up the road. At the risk of being difficult, just surprise me. OK, another guide - red is my favorite color and my husband and I are boat people (we have a trawler.) And I’ll be 71 in January, if age will help you decide. (No, I don’t need a walker - we have one already. )
I love getting gifts that represent the sender’s location! I would kindly request no drinkware, only because the amount of mugs and glasses we currently have is…excessive. I do not like coconut or raspberry, but otherwise no food restrictions. In response to a poster above, alcohol is ok. I’m a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan, and my husband and I are both Penn State fans as well.
This is all shaping up nicely! We already have more than 150% of the 2023 participants, including six new Secret Santas! And there are still seven days before signups close.
I think it’s interesting how this exercise really makes us think about what we want/like/don’t like/don’t need.
As for me, anything local to you is wonderful. I like pretty much any food except mushrooms (I’m trying to train myself to like them, but I’m not there yet) and cooked fruit. I love all chocolate and cheese. I love little dishes for earrings or condiments. Love cards and stationery and stickers. No allergies! Oh, and booze is always welcome.
Just a little bump in case someone is wondering if we’re doing SS this year. It looks like “something local” is a popular option. I live in Amish country - would something local be a buggy? A straw hat?
There’s also the Naval Air Station, so another possibility. Can’t wait to get my recipient.
How well would a shoo-fly pie ship? I have bought a few from the Amish. I don’t really like shoo-fly pie, but it’s hard to resist buying one for some reason.
At the cafe where I was baker I made some shoo fly pies, but they weren’t a regular item, I would get special orders for them, mostly this time of year.
Now you’ve got me thinking of raisin pie, which my grandmother would use molasses for. It smells heavenly when in the oven. I’m thinking that it, and shoo-fly pie would have to be frozen to ship properly or you’d just get a box of crumbly goo.
At the risk of being difficult, just surprise me. OK, another guide - red is my favorite color and my husband and I are boat people (we have a trawler.) And I’ll be 71 in January, if age will help you decide. (No, I don’t need a walker - we have one already. 
)