HO HO HO, Merry Cultie Christmas: Secret Santa 2010

Like Flynn.

I'm keen.

But I'm a bit wary of sending to people I don't know very well (GOOOOOOOCH!).

Thanks for organising this Matthew.

It's okay, Sarah. I won't be allowing non-regulars to to this. As dicky as it is, I'm going to enforce that because Gooch, who was here regularly at the time of the exchange, really bummed me out for taking off without sending his present. So, this will be strictly regulars.

I think Mirka was his May gift person, but I was his sendee. It was pretty costly to send stuff to him, and I managed to get some NZ fire service badges to send him too. So it bummed me out I never heard if he got the package or not.

But I'm super looking forward to sending some xmas goodies!

Also, I forgot to mention, if everyone could PM there full name as well, so I can give that to the giftee, that's be great.

I'm in!

But I think it'll be hard to keep it under $20...

I know it'll be hard. Think of it this way though: 20 covers the book and candy and the local item, and then you can go wild with anything else. You can make things, or send things from around your house, or whatever. There is no limit to homemade stuffs.

Everyone's getting Decision Points by W.! HawHaw!

I don't get it? Does that mean you're in, Parker?

nah. i'm too broke. but if I was everyone would be getting Decision Points by W.

Matt - Decision Points is George Bush's book that just came out.

I'm in! I'll send the name and stuff info later.

Vacillating.

Am I regular enough?

Once I have a job, I'm so in. For now I have too many things I'll have to spend money on, bwah. No for mee...

Of course, Lib.

Is that a yes, Tuffy?

Imke, I understand. Overseas shipping can be pretty harsh.

Nate, don't be gay. You can choose to not go international and it won't cost you hardly anything. Really, if you wanted, you could not even spend the 20. You could make a card, steal some candy and give a second hand book. Don't be lame.

I'm in!

I'm in.

Awesome, boys. Send me your details.

I'm in, although I'm agnostic and don't celebrate Christmas myself. (Didn't we used to have a Jesus on the cross smiley? So necessary.)

Tis the season to acquiesce.

(PS Lest you think I'm a total scrooge, we are giving goats and maybe a dairy cow to needy kids in Africa through a charity.)

Rant averted.

I want to do it but I have to think about it, two of my kids have birthdays in december.

This is a I'll get back to you.

I am a Buddhist. I love Christmas.

I'm in.

Don't forget to send me your full name and postal address if you want to be in on this, guys.

I need details from:

Tuffy

Sarah

Tony

Mckay

Lib

Amber

Fuck it, I'm in.

I hope more people want to do this though, if it is only the seven of us that would be sort of not that many of us.

It's better that you have few that are committed than a huge group and people not following through with their gifts. I would want to be in but I'm still trying to get Derek's package out to him, with no job I'm pretty broke.

Lame. GTFO!

Hmm, not sure I can really afford to, but will send some Christmas cards to my (Cult) love ones.

Matt, thanks for organizing this!

I'm in.

Is Mirka a regular?

I kid!

I took a break!

I'm in, but I'm curious, when did secret santa get so strict? I don't remember there being limits and restrictions before.

I don't see them as restrictions at all. More like a challenge to get creative and thoughtful.

I think having required items is the opposite of being creative.

And I think that is a very limiting point of view!

But lets not digress since it's spamming up the thread. Matt is taking the time to organize it and it's his baby.

I'm a package anarchist, but I would have sent something that qualifies for all of the above without trying.

Fun it is to list the people in as an edit on to the first post in the thread.

I don't know everyone here as well as they know each other, so I think the package thing is a pretty great place to start, along with a dollar limit on gifts, so I don't feel bad about getting more than I gave.

I'm not going to pay any attention to a dollar limit. I don't believe in limiting myself when it comes to giving. I give what I want to give, I don't want to have to do math too.

On another note, I just found a bunch of my favorite books to share on Half.com for $.75. Titles such as The Book of Lost Things, Kockroach, Beat the Reaper, books by Chris Moore and Neil Gaiman. The greatest past? this one seller, yankeeclipperbooks, has all of them posted, so I save on shipping.

Anyway, its a good place to go to find your book to give!

Wait... am I not regular enough? I sent a gift last time. But if I'm not wanted... *sniff*

You're in.

Is...? Is no one else going to say it?

Oh, all right then.

matthew.odonnell wrote:

"Santa had bitch-tits."

Of course you're in.

Ignore that list. Most of you have given me your details now.

Melody, if you must go over the limit, then who am I to stop you? The point of the limit is, yes, to be creative. A lot of you guys here have kids and families to consider this time of year, so I was trying to be considerate in return by making this accessible to everyone. 20 bucks isn't much, but if you give a secondhand book, makes some things, steal some candy off the neighbours kids, then yeah, 20 can go a long way.

But do what you've gotta do, love.

I love giving gifts, I love the spirit of the season. I love being out and just seeing something that says "you need to get me for this person" and grabbing it. I love sending people local stuff, which is always food oriented, of course. I'm a thrifty shopper, but I hate to feel like I have a limit. Its great to encourage people to be creative, but people should spend money if they feel like it, imo. Spending my money on other people is one of the best uses I can think of for it.

I'm in.

Matt, would it be accurate to say that the $20 "limit" is more of a guideline, as means to say, "this is what you can expect to receive, so you don't feel cheated if you got your Secret Santa-ee a $400 iPod,"? Or is it a strict rule?