Secret Gift Exchange 2016

[Duchess]

I've spent the day digging up the garden and baking apple pies. Not terribly piratical, but indicative of the changing seasons and the impending winter. This changing of the seasons also makes this the season of the Pyracy Pub Gift Exchange!

I'm looking for a crew, from far locations, willing to come together for a special mission. This crew will be elite, capable to carrying out the most difficult of tasks...putting things in the post. Sign up now! (Apologies to the Mercury crew I did not visit this summer (you might recall some life events for me this time, that continued through the intervening 12 months, some wonderful others on the opposite end of the spectrum. So, with the best intents, next year?)

Those of you who have been around know that participation in this event has waned substantially over the last few years. Last year did not see a change in the tides, but our small crew was successful and happy! I'd love to see a few more folks sign up this year. However, please, before you commit to participating in this event be absolutely sure that you will follow through on the terms as provided below. I'm sure you all can understand how frustrating it is to be the person who is still waiting for their surprise well after the New Year...So don't create that situation.

So here's how it’s going to work:

Who is eligible:

• Any current member of the Pub is eligible. If you’ve only been around a few months, I’ll pair you with someone else in equal standing. The understanding being that this would put those newer members on equal footing, as both parties would be taking a risk with unknowns.

• Regardless of membership status, by signing up you solemnly agree that you will provide some sort of pleasant contact with your designated recipient. If you don't I'll be distinctly displeased with you and highly unlikely to allow participation in the future.

What you'll do:

• Sign up. See below for information about how to accomplish this.

• After the sign-up cut-off I will PM you the name and address of your Designated Recipient.

• Sometime in the near future you will put something in the mail, timed so as to arrive before December 25, for your Designated Recipient.

What you will send:

• Often these sorts of arrangements come with a dollar amount limit. I’m not convinced that is appropriate for some place like the Pub, and things have been pretty successful for the last several years without one. Please don't let this lack of specification make you uncomfortable. Also know that you're not buying our friendship, respect or any other sort of attention, so don't bother showing off. We'll just mock you. Things that people have done in the past: Holiday Cards, CD's, dice, a deck of cards, belt pouches, glass pens, etc.... Basically anything goes as long as it is kind and reasonably well intentioned. If this section is really stressing you out PM me, and we'll come up with something or I'll give you quantitative limits to make you feel better.

• The most successful gifts are often hand crafted.

How to sign up:

• Send me a PM with your name (or something the post office will recognize as a name capable of receiving packages) and an address.

• Each interested party must contact me themselves, from their own account. I won't sign anyone up on someone else's say so. Simply expressing interest here is like wise insufficient. You must send me a PM with your name and address. This is a test.

• I MUST RECEIVE YOUR PM BY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18th. FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE!

• I will then mix up all the entries and pair up everyone, plan on this taking two weeks. I'll then send you a PM no later than December 1st containing the name and address of your Designated Recipient.

General Information:

• Once you have your recipient, you will then find, craft, beg, or barter something for them and post it off to the supplied address. Please let me know when your package has shipped.

• After the Gift exchange is complete everyone should purge their PM's of sensitive identifying information (like names and addresses) and I will do the same.

• You're free to open your Gift whenever you get it (or to wait for some special day) and post here in great detail about it. But let’s have the exchange complete before we start identifying ourselves as "giver of ...."

• You are free to post here, in this thread, general information about what you are interested in to help your Designated Giver. You're also free to remain entirely mum. Personally, I find the nature of the complete surprise present to be most appealing...

If you've any questions please post here or send me a PM.

Thanks,

Duchess.

[Coastie04]

I'm in.

[Duchess]

Excellent!

 

 

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Yes, as this appears to be the final year of the Pub, I will most definitely be in on this one! PM to follow.

 

Bo

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Is this gonna happen? Haven't gotten a response to the PM yet. Still in for this if we are doing it.

 

Bo

[Coastie04]

Well, as it looks like it might just be the 3 of us (unless Duchess is holding out on some other names), I wouldn't mind sharing all of the addresses and sending 2 gifts.  Also, she did say that she would have the PMs sent by December 1st, so she's still got some time to stay on schedule.

[Duchess]

Aw you guys, it is just the three of us and I was actually going to ask if you'd be willing to do as Coastie suggested. Bo, let me know if you're up for two packages rather than one. If not, please don't hesitate to say so!

I'll share address and information once I have a definitive on that question.

Duchess

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Heck yeah! That's an awesome plan, I'm in for sure! I'll be watching for those addresses and will send stuff!

 

Bo

[PoD]

Sorry I missed out on it this time.  This is the first time I think I have been on here this year.  Lifes been a bit hectic.