Hrm… apparently there were express-mail hijinks, according to the tracking info on the package I sent. They claim there was a notice left, and so on. Bah. Have sent a PM to my giftee.
Ok, I need to come into this thread to brag about my cool Secret Santa and to fess up to being an idiot.
tarragon918 not only sent me a great package, she also sent it December 16th. Directly to my PO box. Where.it.sat. for the last two weeks, waiting patiently for me to remember that I gave out my PO box address instead of my home address. I apologize profusely for any possible upset it made to the sendee; I know it’s no fun wondering where the hell did my package go?
Ok, on to the good part.
The package was festively wrapped, and inside there was a huge stocking which held all the packages which were wrapped with care as well. A nice heart necklace has been confiscated by one of my daughters, the chocolate Santas were gone within minutes, the bell necklace was gone immediately, but I kept the coolest thing for myself.
A T-shirt with Nixon shaking Elvis’ hand. How cool is that?
http://www.kickball.com/marqui/files/Images/worldchamps/elvis-nixon-cup-19701221.jpg
(I tried to take a picture, but gave up. The link shows the same as the T-shirt.)
Thanks, **tarragon918 **
I got mine! I got a charming Christmas mug stuffed with assorted chocolate treats (and in a very pretty gift box that I am I going to reuse for something next year …) I must have just missed it, I went out of town on the 24th and it was waiting for me when I got back.
Thanks you Autolycus! I am looking forward to my cup of hot cocoa.
Fisha - I am so glad that you liked the Elvis-Nixon t-shirt! I was worried that it would be a little too out there so am relieved that you are pleased with it. And it was definitely something local to the DC area. 
And yes, I am relieved to know that the package did get there safe and sound. LOL So yay to the Fisha family - sounds like everyone got a little something? Happy New Year to you all.
I’m glad you got it, Gail. The pecans are awesome and they benefit a great organization.
Sorry I forgot to sign with my username. I realized it when I got home from the UPS Store.
By my records, the following people have not yet posted that they have received a gift:
Baker, Dottygumdrop are both involved in international exchanges, and I’m not yet worried about them, given how long it can take a package to go halfway around the world. If either of you is concerned, let me know, and I’ll follow up with your Santa.
twickster, Eyebrows of Doom, Tamryne sent out their gifts as expected and should get gifts in return. Tamryne’s Santa has been making efforts to confirm that the gift sent has been received, so we’re mostly waiting for her to come back and post. There is no indication that the people who were supposed to send to me or EoD actually did so.
Midnight Radio, Hugh Jass have not confirmed receipt. However, given the fact that they have not been participating in the thread, I don’t necessarily take that to mean that they haven’t gotten their presents – just that they haven’t confirmed that they have. Since they also haven’t confirmed *sending *presents (and I think careful readers will be able to infer who their intended recipients are), I am ready to say fuck 'em, and just move them directly from the Secret Santa List to Twicks’s Shit List.
I just got home and have been busily engaged in ripping open my packages. Yay! My cats are playing with the paper!
Dottygumdrop, the stuff is fantastic! I wish you wouldn’t have had to spend so much on postage, but rest assured I love your gifts!
First there’s a greeting card explaining who the giver is, with a cool picture of Sydney Harbour(got to remember to put the u in!) Bridge. My sister walked on that bridge, the tour that goes to the top.
Then there’s a coffee cup to add to my collection. It’s from Bahrain and has these cute pictures of camels all around it.
A heavy metal picture frame that says “Genting” at the top, with cable cars, a Chinese pagoda, and several other buildings worked into the frame. Is Genting an Australian city?
Then, oh my God, two bags of individually wrapped Australian candy, two of my FAVORITES!!! One bag of little Cherry Ripe bars, and one of Violet Crumble. I’m sure to go into a sugar coma this weekend.
Thank you so very much Dottygumdrop, everything is absolutely perfect!
Another thing, I’m willing to send another gift, since twickster, who’s been doing all the grunt work, didn’t get a gift, and neither did Eyebrows of Doom. I’d say I’ll take twickster, since we’re “twins”(we were born on the same day!) but if someone else wants her I’ll send a gift to EoD.
Anyone else want to step up to the plate, or go in together? PM or email me about it, we don’t want those two to go giftless.
I’m working with my secret santa to locate my gift. The PO claims to have attempted to deliver and left a notice, but nothing was received and we are trying to figure out where the package has ended up. Hopefully it was not sent back!
Thanks for the update, Tamryne – I hope they find it!
Baker – glad to cross another recipient off the list. Thanks for the offer to adopt me or another orphan – I’m going to see if public shame does anything before finally giving up on the two problem participants.
I am one of the problem participants. I have received a present from Sugar and Spice and I sent my gift to Twickster today. I was out of town from the 20th until the 30th and so did not know I had received my gift, and as you recall, Twickster, I told you that there was a possibility that I would not be able to send the gift until I returned home. Regardless, the gift is in the mail now.
Sugar and Spice, thanks for great stuff. I am a huge soda fiend, so that was a perfect gift! Love the chips as well!
Thank you, sir. (Yes, I remember you said you weren’t going to be able to send it before Xmas – but I believe you also said that it would get here before the end of the year.)
I apologize for calling you a deadbeat and you are OFF my shitlist.
Well, we all ought to send a big SAAAAAA-LUUUUUUUTE to twickster, for running this thing. A card at least, if you catch my drift.
And I know at least one poster who has volunteered to send a second gift, to the one remaining poster who doesn’t seem to have a gift on the way. Thanks to them!
Nope, nothing on my end yet.
Thanks Baker (and whomever the new mystery sender will be!) And I’m glad twickster isn’t going to end up giftless after all the effort she put forth in coordinating this whole thing.
I’m glad you liked it! FYI, Genting is in the mountains in Malaysia.
I’ve had a couple of people volunteer for orphan duty, so don’t worry about getting left out in the cold. I’m giving your Santa a wee bit more time – he or she hasn’t been on the Dope since Weds. morning – but will pick someone and get your info out.
Sucks, don’t it?
My gift came this morning, yay. Thanks MidnightRadio. Are you one of the performers on the CD?
Cool – so that’s everyone but me (:()and Dottygumdrop?
I think that from here on out, I’m going to participate in this on an ex-officio type level. I like the Secret Santa thing we do here a lot, but for a couple of times now I have not had much luck with my recipients (one of whom did nothing but complain about what he received (2006, I think), and this just isn’t working for me.
So to save myself the aggravation, I’m just gonna choose a few folks, e-mail them for their address and just do it that way.
This way is much too tense, and I don’t need that right now.
Sorry
Quasi
No prob, Quasi – unfortunately, you seem to have drawn the one person who refuses to come back to the thread to post (or to respond to any of my emails or PMs).
Sorry this turned out to be an unhappy experience for you.