# SDMB Christmas Exchange 2012 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 14, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984 "2012-11-14T15:33:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Anaglyph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Anaglyph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaglyph)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/181 "2012-12-21T10:24:59Z")
My present arrived yesterday from Philly just in time for Dec.21st “Doomsday”, as it contained a do-it yourself apocalypse kit: - A [pocket volcano](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOL0eAhh6_I) - if I run that under water, I presumably can generate my very own pocket tsunami - A [pocket tornado](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62xENQ-2LpU) - A virus: since all catastrophes came in a light version, it was a [rhinovirus (common cold)](http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/commoncold.html), not [ebola](http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/ebola.html) , [black death](http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/blackdeath.html), [typhoid](http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/typhoidfever.html) or [cholera](http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/cholera.html) - A baseball cap in the same shade of blue as the virus with an atomic symbol (to shield me from radioactive fallout?). The sender did not indicate his SDMB identity. Thanky you very much, whoever you are! The origin of the package (Philadelphy) reminded me of the two years I lived and worked in King of Prussia, more than twenty years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/182 "2012-12-21T16:08:03Z")
> [@Silvorange](#): > > I still have no idea who my gift was from. The one I sent looks like it cleared customs and got to the post office yesterday, so I guess it will be delivered today! 🙂 Despite the best efforts of the postie, I got it today (he stuck a collection note through the house letterbox with no name and no flat number, so someone in one of the other flats thought it was for them…) I was going to be all sensible and leave it until Christmas, but it looked too exciting, and I would have had to leave it 'til the 27th otherwise, so I opened it 😃 Got a personalised baseball bat! Bourbon smoked sugar! _And_ an awesome blurfing platypus embroidery! Platypuses are definitely one of my favourite animals- how did you know? Thanks! I can’t keep the smile off my face now! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/183 "2012-12-21T16:10:49Z")
I won’t post who was anybody’s Secret Santa, just in case they choose to remain anonymous. but if they haven’t posted by later today, I’ll throw them a quick e-mail and just let them know people are curious. Platypii are awesome, btw. ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/184 "2012-12-21T16:32:19Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > 🙂 > > Despite the best efforts of the postie, I got it today (he stuck a collection note through the house letterbox with no name and no flat number, so someone in one of the other flats thought it was for them…) > > I was going to be all sensible and leave it until Christmas, but it looked too exciting, and I would have had to leave it 'til the 27th otherwise, so I opened it 😃 > > Got a personalised baseball bat! Bourbon smoked sugar! _And_ an awesome blurfing platypus embroidery! > > Platypuses are definitely one of my favourite animals- how did you know? > > Thanks! I can’t keep the smile off my face now! I’m glad you liked it! I was getting a little worried by the various delivery attempts and failures when I checked the tracking. You said you liked weird animals, and platypuses are the winners in that category. As a bonus, I got to see the expressions on the faces of people who overheard me telling my husband, “I finally sent my blurfing platypus to England!” ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/185 "2012-12-21T17:08:45Z")
> [@Silvorange](#): > > I’m glad you liked it! I was getting a little worried by the various delivery attempts and failures when I checked the tracking. > > You said you liked weird animals, and platypuses are the winners in that category. As a bonus, I got to see the expressions on the faces of people who overheard me telling my husband, “I finally sent my blurfing platypus to England!” P.S. [Here is your bat (and me) next to the world’s largest baseball bat.](http://s1135.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dottie_Cat/media/Random/ForHazel002_zpsf1abbc12.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1) [And here is the blurfing platypus, in case anyone was wondering.](http://s1135.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dottie_Cat/media/Random/Blurf_zpse0eacb01.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/186 "2012-12-22T07:08:40Z")
I received mine today, and it went straight under the tree (I _was_ tempted to open!). Thank you, Secret Santa! I’ll open it on Christmas morning. It came across the pond, from the UK (it cleared customs, too), and then clear across the USA to California and arrived in time. Thank you, **Filbert**! ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/187 "2012-12-22T07:44:52Z")
Is anyone interested in assembling our “gift chain” together? If so, then copy & paste and add to the gift chain segment below, or if there’s no connection to the current segment, copy it anyway and add a new line with your unconnected chain segment. When a later person can connect a couple of the segments, then do so. If someone wants to remain anonymous, then by all means remain so. How does that sound? Okay? I’ll kick it off; the format will be **A --\> B --\> C --\> D** , and so on, where A is the Secret Santa for B, and B is the Secret Santa for C, and C is the SS for D, and so on. Here’s the part to copy, paste and add to. Gift Chain, SDMB Christmas Exchange 2012 Silvorange --\> Filbert --\> echo7tango --\> Reepicheep ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/188 "2012-12-22T12:36:40Z")
Yay! My present arrived yesterday, but it got placed under my tree secretly and I found it this morning. For one second, I believed I’d had a visit from Santa 😃 And that thing is huge! Thank you, **Phouka**. I’ll wait for Christmas to open it, but since I open presents on the proper date, y’all will have one less day to find out what I got. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/189 "2012-12-22T14:53:54Z")
So far, from this thread I think we have the following. I hope I spelled everyone’s name correctly, including proper upper and lower cases. Please add your chain segments! Again, if you prefer anonymity that’s fine. **Gift Chain, SDMB Christmas Exchange 2012** ? --\> Silvorange --\> Filbert --\> echo7tango --\> Reepicheep --\> ? Phouka --\> Septima --\> ? ? --\> Anaglyph FloatyGimpy --\> ~Olive~ --\> rocking chair --\> ? purplehorseshoe --\> Anaamika --\> Edward The Head --\> twickster --\> Nefarious Chipmunk --\> aceplace57 --\> ? Hockey Monkey --\> aruvqan --\> ? ChickaPicosa --\> ? Lancia --\> Surly Chick --\> Rhiannon8404 --\> freckafree --\> ? hocow --\> ? ? --\> Sir T-Cups --\> Grrlbrarian --\> ? ? --\> Biggirl --\> ? ? --\> Biotop --\> ? ? --\> Zabali\_Clawane --\> ? jools --\> ? Atomic Mama --\> ? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/190 "2012-12-22T15:22:57Z")
Here’s my chain update purplehorseshoe --\> Anaamika --\> Edward The Head --\> twickster --\> Nefarious Chipmunk --\> aceplace57 --\> _BioTop_ ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/191 "2012-12-22T15:54:54Z")
Cool, thanks **aceplace57**. So that would be: **Gift Chain, SDMB Christmas Exchange 2012** ? --\> Silvorange --\> Filbert --\> echo7tango --\> Reepicheep --\> ? Phouka --\> Septima --\> ? ? --\> Anaglyph FloatyGimpy --\> ~Olive~ --\> rocking chair --\> ? purplehorseshoe --\> Anaamika --\> Edward The Head --\> twickster --\> Nefarious Chipmunk --\> aceplace57 --\> BioTop Hockey Monkey --\> aruvqan --\> ? ChickaPicosa --\> ? Lancia --\> Surly Chick --\> Rhiannon8404 --\> freckafree --\> ? hocow --\> ? ? --\> Sir T-Cups --\> Grrlbrarian --\> ? ? --\> Biggirl --\> ? ? --\> Zabali\_Clawane --\> ? jools --\> ? Atomic Mama --\> ? ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/192 "2012-12-22T18:39:59Z")
> [@Anaglyph](#): > > My present arrived yesterday from Philly just in time for Dec.21st “Doomsday”, as it contained a do-it yourself apocalypse kit: > > - A [pocket volcano](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOL0eAhh6_I) > - if I run that under water, I presumably can generate my very own pocket tsunami > > - A [pocket tornado](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62xENQ-2LpU) > - A virus: since all catastrophes came in a light version, it was a [rhinovirus (common cold)](http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/commoncold.html), not [ebola](http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/ebola.html) , [black death](http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/blackdeath.html), [typhoid](http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/typhoidfever.html) or [cholera](http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/cholera.html) > - A baseball cap in the same shade of blue as the virus with an atomic symbol (to shield me from radioactive fallout?). > > The sender did not indicate his SDMB identity. Thanky you very much, whoever you are! > > The origin of the package (Philadelphy) reminded me of the two years I lived and worked in King of Prussia, more than twenty years ago. i’m sure there was some sort of “glyph”. glad you are enjoying your box of geek. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/193 "2012-12-22T20:52:43Z")
Was just about to leave home when I heard a muffled “thunk” by the door. Thank you! (I suppose I can be patient a few more days…) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/194 "2012-12-22T22:07:39Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Was just about to leave home when I heard a muffled “thunk” by the door. Thank you! (I suppose I can be patient a few more days…) Do you know who it’s from? ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/195 "2012-12-23T11:45:07Z")
I sent my Well Seasoned Gift off to \*\*Phouka \*\*BEFORE the Dec. 14 recommended cutoff … \ Does this mean \*\*Phouka \*\*hasn’t received it ??? :eek: ☹ ---
**Author:** ![minionkat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@minionkat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minionkat)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/196 "2012-12-23T17:20:28Z")
I am a bad, bad Santa. I have the gift and not sent it. Will do so asap. But, it’s going to Europe, so it will take a bit. A thousand humble apologies. Please don’t hate me. ☹ I have yet to receive anything either, so I think the universe is holding out on me until I get my poop in a group. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/197 "2012-12-24T14:33:15Z")
OMG!OMG!OMG! It’s the softest, bestest yarn EVER and it’s PURPLE and a HUGE Coffee-mug and BLUE bubble-wrap and OMG! _swoon_ Thank you **Phouka** , and Merry Christmas. You’re right, there is no Starbucks here, so I’ll be the envy of all my coffee-buddies. And no-one here raises Alpacca, and that yarn is scrumptious. Can’t wait to knit it up. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/198 "2012-12-24T14:55:18Z")
So far I think we have (from publically-provided information): **Gift Chain, SDMB Christmas Exchange 2012** ? --\> Silvorange --\> Filbert --\> echo7tango --\> Reepicheep --\> ? ? --\> Atomic Mama --\> Phouka --\> Septima --\> ? ? --\> FloatyGimpy --\> ~Olive~ --\> rocking chair --\> ? ? --\> purplehorseshoe --\> Anaamika --\> Edward The Head --\> twickster --\> Nefarious Chipmunk --\> aceplace57 --\> BioTop --\> ? ? --\> Hockey Monkey --\> aruvqan --\> ? ? --\> Lancia --\> Surly Chick --\> Rhiannon8404 --\> freckafree --\> ? ? --\> Sir T-Cups --\> Grrlbrarian --\> ? ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/199 "2012-12-24T15:31:22Z")
Mr. Shoe informs me that Secret Santa gifts are exempt from the “wait till Christmas Day” rule, so … OOOH! It’s Pennsylvania-themed stuff! A bag of hot toddy mix, black licorice “coal” candy, plus - this is gonna be fun - a collection of beer-based recipes from a local brewery. Flipping through it, several jumped out at me as being potention _ **yum.** _ Thank you so much! (Posting at work, forgot the username at the moment, sorry.) ---
**Author:** ![hocow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hocow/32/4112_2.png) [@hocow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hocow)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984/200 "2012-12-24T18:41:40Z")
**purplehorseshoe** , glad you like it! I wish I could’ve sent you some homemade Boilo, but the mix will have to do! Hope you enjoy your coal region goodies! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-christmas-exchange-2012/640984.md?page=11)