# So do gift subscriptions work now?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-gift-subscriptions-work-now/826451>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [December 20, 2018, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-gift-subscriptions-work-now/826451 "2018-12-20T22:44:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-gift-subscriptions-work-now/826451/1 "2018-12-20T22:44:42Z")

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Just re-upped my subscription today and noticed there was an option to gift. Does that work now?

Because I’d like to start a Secret Santa type thread and maybe draw some names out of a hat that would like a subscription.

If I remember correctly, **Quasi** did this once and it went quite nicely. What wound up happening is a bunch of people signed up to gift to other posters instead of just **quasi** gifting to other people.

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**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-gift-subscriptions-work-now/826451/2 "2018-12-21T00:07:54Z")

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The last I heard it was still broken. I’ll see what I can find out.

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**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-gift-subscriptions-work-now/826451/3 "2018-12-21T00:20:09Z")

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It’s not a total automated fix but with a little assist it works.

What happens is that when you use the gift subscription portal I receive a notice. I contact you, you tell me your giftee and whether you want them to know it’s from you or not. I manually assign the gift.

Not as elegant as I would like but the old auto mechanism broke a while back and no one’s been able to figure out what Jerry did to start with. So I have this kluge in place.

Giving gifts like this is very nice of you.

Jenny  
your humble TubaDiva  
Administrator

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-gift-subscriptions-work-now/826451/4 "2018-12-21T00:51:14Z")

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> [@TubaDiva](#):
>
> It’s not a total automated fix but with a little assist it works.
> 
> What happens is that when you use the gift subscription portal I receive a notice. I contact you, you tell me your giftee and whether you want them to know it’s from you or not. I manually assign the gift.
> 
> Not as elegant as I would like but the old auto mechanism broke a while back and no one’s been able to figure out what Jerry did to start with. So I have this kluge in place.
> 
> Giving gifts like this is very nice of you.
> 
> Jenny  
> your humble TubaDiva  
> Administrator

Okay, thanks **Tuba**.

If that’s the case, I’m hesitant to start a thread like I described because I’m concerned if we get a bunch of people who want to join in and gift, that’s going to be a big headache for you contacting all these people.

I’ll just contact you with a couple of people I want to gift to. Unless someone has a better idea. It is kind of late in the game for it to be a Christmas thing.

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**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-do-gift-subscriptions-work-now/826451/5 "2018-12-21T01:54:01Z")

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It’s not a problem for me to gift anyone and I’m happy to do it for you. If you make the effort, for sure I don’t mind.

I’m not around 24/7, of course, but I can be looking out for notices so I can catch whatever anyone might like to do over the next few days.

Jenny