Secret Gift Exchange 2025

[Duchess]

My friends, frenemies and nemeses, it is time!

 

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 for adventures grand or small with the 2025 Pyracy Pub Secret Gift Exchange 2025!

 

In all seriousness, the Pub Gift Exchange has been a lovely tradition going back many years. Don't miss out on your opportunity to be a part of it 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. We've been doing great on follow through the last few years, so let's keep that streak going.

So here's how it’s going to work:

Who is eligible:

• Any current member of the Pub is eligible.

 

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. I've got no real authority except my opinions.

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 in the past 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. Consider your own situation and be reasonable with how a gift exchange will fit into it. Things that people have done in the past: Holiday Cards, CD's, dice, a deck of cards, belt pouches, glass pens, books, stories, 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, but they don't have to be.

 

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. Make sure you send me an address that will be current on December 25th. If you plan on traveling during this time, take that into account!

 

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 21st. FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE!

I will then mix up all the entries and pair up everyone, plan on this taking about a week. I'll  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.
• 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.You can also PM me details and I'll share them with your Designated Gifter.

 

If you've any questions please post here or send me a PM. I'm looking forward to a season of festive or at least interesting cheer!

Thanks,

Duchess.

[Stynky Tudor]

I'm in!

[Brent Gilbert]

I'd love to do it

[Mary Diamond]

Count me in!

[Mary Diamond]

On 11/12/2025 at 3:53 AM, Brent Gilbert said:

I'd love to do it

Be sure to read Duchess’ post thoroughly for instructions!

[Brent Gilbert]

Thanks I just sent a pm

[Duchess]

15 hours ago, Mary Diamond said:

Be sure to read Duchess’ post thoroughly for instructions!

Thanks Mary!

 

We're slowing adding folks this years. A small but mighty crew! 

I look forward to this each year, thank you for being a part of it!

[Duchess]

We're going to give this a bit longer than the original sign up date. Sign up by Friday November 28th for the 2025 Pyracy Pub Gift Exchange! Message me!

[madPete]

Normally, I look forward to this.  But with an event right before Christmas and a host of other demands I'm gonna have to pass this year

[Duchess]

On 11/25/2025 at 7:52 PM, madPete said:

Normally, I look forward to this.  But with an event right before Christmas and a host of other demands I'm gonna have to pass this year

It's a challenging year for a lot of reasons. I appreciate knowing your limits. :D 

[Brent Gilbert]

23 hours ago, Brent Gilbert said:

Hi Duchess I got my parcel today. Just wondering if Halfpint got her parcel. 

 

[Brent Gilbert]

I got my parcel it's a net bag kit. That I can make. Really lovely edition to my kit. I need a better way to carry my spy glass. As I'm always cruising the sea or going to the beach to capture ships well with my spyglass.. I'm really happy thankyou so much.  From Brent 

[Brent Gilbert]

[Duchess]

On 12/12/2025 at 4:27 PM, Brent Gilbert said:

 

What an excellent gift! Pyrate arts!

 

[Brent Gilbert]

Yes it is a excellent gift. I love a good pyrate project. Yeah Pyrate arts

[Halfpint]

Brent, I have not gotten it yet but will let you know asap! 🙂

[Brent Gilbert]

Thankyou 

Halfpint.  It should not be long now

[Mary Diamond]

I received my package yesterday, and opened it today to find a lovely length of grey sennit, and 2 fine books: Handbook of Knots & Splices by Charles E. Gibson, and A Dictionary of Color Combinations, by Seigensha, all gathered in a muslin bag.

A Lovely gift, altogether, and Thank You so much! I look forward to using everything.

 

 

[Duchess]

It was, the universe decided, a book based holiday season for me. Nearly every, blessed, present a book and I could not be more thrilled. This lovely thing, will only fuel my inner letterpress demon. If you want to know what a letterpress demon is, you can see it here in this image of a 1499 print shop. Mine is constantly running around saying things like "Have you tried this yet?" "Wonder what happens if you pull this lever!" "Do it!" "You need another printing press!" "This press is too small!" "Say the thing! Who cares if no one reads it." "Set that letter backward. Hehe!"

 

Thank  you for this!

 

 

 

[Stynky Tudor]

On 12/25/2025 at 3:27 PM, Mary Diamond said:

A Lovely gift, altogether, and Thank You so much! I look forward to using everything.

Excellent! I'm surprised and so glad that it got to you when it did -- the post office told me it wouldn't arrive until after New Years.

[Stynky Tudor]

It looks like @Halfpint and myself are still waiting on packages. Anyone else?
 

[Brent Gilbert]

I got mine early. Brent 

[Stynky Tudor]

On 12/12/2025 at 2:25 PM, Brent Gilbert said:

I got my parcel it's a net bag kit. That I can make. Really lovely edition to my kit. I need a better way to carry my spy glass. As I'm always cruising the sea or going to the beach to capture ships well with my spyglass.. I'm really happy thankyou so much.  From Brent 

 

On 12/12/2025 at 2:27 PM, Brent Gilbert said:

 

Very cool - What a great gift!

[Brent Gilbert]

Very  cool

[Mary Diamond]

On 12/26/2025 at 4:04 PM, Duchess said:

It was, the universe decided, a book based holiday season for me. Nearly every, blessed, present a book and I could not be more thrilled. This lovely thing, will only fuel my inner letterpress demon. If you want to know what a letterpress demon is, you can see it here in this image of a 1499 print shop. Mine is constantly running around saying things like "Have you tried this yet?" "Wonder what happens if you pull this lever!" "Do it!" "You need another printing press!" "This press is too small!" "Say the thing! Who cares if no one reads it." "Set that letter backward. Hehe!"

 

Thank  you for this!

 

 

 

Oooh, that looks like an excellent read! Very nice!