I was kidding. Of course I’ll do it…but no one is getting my Hello Kitty on the toilet figurine.
So far I have e-mails from:
alice_in_wonderland
Czarcasm
gardentraveller
Hal Briston
heraldgwena
PapSett
picunurse
rockingchair
Stoid
TruCelt
wickky
Bad News Baboon, Wile E, Tristan & gurujulp - I don’t have e-mails from you yet (in case you sent them and they are lost.)
Count me in!
I got a postcard a couple of weeks ago saying that the Salvation Army was going to drive through our neighborhood on this date and pick up whatever we left out on the curb for them. Well, this morning I got up to put my stuff out and found it was pouring rain…and I knew it was A Sign. This is the year I lose my White Elephant virginity!
Ok - I have a couple more e-mails in - I’ll update the list in a couple of days.
Now - I have had a mega-newb (Join date: April 2011) ask to participate. It’s up to all of you - if someone will volunteer to have this person I’ll let them join - otherwise I’ll tell them to come back when they’ve been here for a year (as per usual as well as the OP).
Lemme know folks.
I’m in, email sent!
Sorry, I didnt check back to the thread. Email has been sent!
I’ll take the newb. I love to send out and am cool if nothing gets back.
Long time listener, first time participant in a WE exchange. I’ve been reading all of the threads and studying up on what people have sent in the past and can’t wait to pack up a box. Sent my e-mail off to Alice moments ago. maybe I can get my kids to help find things. Maybe not. The whole family thinks I’m nuts for reading these boards so much… Wont they be jealous when I get my box and don’t share with them all of my treasures!
I’ve sent email.
Is it usual to wait until you are assigned a name to start packing?
Thanks!
Nah - pick away! You’ve got a couple of weeks yet before you’ll get a name so I would go ahead and get a box and start filling it with your once loved treasures. Then when you get your person you can customize if you wish, or send it as is.
I don’t want anything, have too much stuff already. But sure would nice to have an excuse to send presents to Bad News Baboon, whom I have had a crush on since seeing her picture Arnold’s thread.
Sorry cashew - that’s not how this game is played.
If you want to send bnb a gift be my guest, but you’ll have to do it in your own thread.
So are there any kind of rules about saying who you are, what you like, what you have, what you need?
I was thinking that it might be slightly helpful to share a few facts about ourselves, in broad categories, so that matching people up would go better?
For example:PETS:
I have a dog and love dogs, so dog-related items are welcome and useful AND I have dog-related items to give. Cats and other pets, not so much in either way.
COMPUTERS:
I am a Mac freak and I have boatloads of Mac related stuff that would be useful to another Mac person but not really to a PC person, and vice-versa.
CHILDREN:
Don’t have any or know any under the age of 14, so I can’t give or use anything related to children.
ALLERGIES:
I don’t have any, and every single thing I own has been touched by dog hair, so if my Elephant-Match were to be allergic to dog, that would be bad.
MISCELLANEOUS:
I love paper and office supply-type crap, and I have TONS, including silly things, so my send will likely have plenty. If you have unusual bitchen things in that category, cool.
I am very comfortable with depictions of nudity and other sexual things (that aren’t just gross) and I have much of the same to send out (all of it vintage, obviously, and therefore kind of cool and interesting, but not for people who would be offended.)
I am not religious in any way, but I’m interested in alternate spiritual stuff.
Love to cook, love to garden, live in the sunny, warm state of California.
So, if everyone supplied a basic checklist like that, I think it would help make the exchanges more successful. Not that it should be a perfect item-for-item agreement, but if someone else’s list said they were PC-using, rabbit-raising Muslim severely allergic to dog hair, getting a box from me would be not only a giant bummer, it might even kill them!
I dont’ want to burden you, Alice, it just seemed like an idea that might be helpful. If not, never mind…
My comment was more tongue-and-cheek, wanted to compliment her picture.
If we can provide a list like Stoid has suggested, I want in too. If it’s not too late, that is. This is the first elephant exchange I have done, am green - so any advice would appreciated. (don’t need advice to not flirt with the other members, that’s just common sense 
)
So, can I have permission to be in on this?
edit to add - never mind, see the links in the OP, will read them..
I think a list would violate the spirit of the thing.
Oh, seriously, is that right? It just seemed like the list would be make it easier to fine tune items for the recipient that they might actually like - which would be more fun than them getting stuff they don’t like.
But I admit I don’t know, not sure what exactly a white elephant exchange is all about at this point - and will stay out of the discussion on that note.
People can post lists if they want with the understanding that they will be totally ignored by me.
If your elephanter has enough stuff lying around that they can taylor a box for ever possible elephantee and choose to do that, I dont care but that’s REALLY not the point.
Right - so a bit more info for newbs.
So, the point of the White Elephant exchange is that:
a) you don’t know who you’re being matched with
b) you don’t know what you’re going to get
c) you have no say in either
It’s a bit of a leap of faith that the person who is sending to you will send a mix of good stuff and bad stuff and when you rummage through your box maybe you’ll find some gems mixed in the with junk. Literally, the idea was to dump your junk drawer in a box and mail it off. Now, I suspect that most people use a bit more care when choosing items but that’s neither hear nor there.
What the point is NOT:
a) we’re not shopping in other people’s houses here
b) it’s not an excuse to get someone’s address to send them gifts 'cus you have a board crush on them
c) it’s certainly not to have other people outfit your new kitchen or bathroom or whatever with needed supplies
So, with that out of the way:
a) If reading this anyone wants to drop out, just send me a message.
b) If people want to posts lists, I don’t care. I don’t feel it’s in keeping with the spirit of the exchange, but I don’t have the power to delete posts with lists so I’m not getting my panties in a bunch.
c) I will NOT spend any time or effort trying to match senders and receivers on the basis of posted lists. The ONLY consideration I will make matching people up is shipping restrictions and those will be limited to countries or continents (as opposed to states, or regions of the US).
Finally, if you’re a dog hating, cat allergic mormon muslim JW who doesn’t read and hates knick-nacks, who’s going to be deeply offended if you receive an item related to one of these things - well, this is probably not the activity for you.
So - carry on then.
here
Please insert this above, where appropriate.