PapaCharlie Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Maybe he tried finding your stuff and couldn't and didn't have like a credit card to get your AA discount. Show some gratitude. No, I was not your SS. He didn't try finding my stuff - he sent me a (barely legible) note basically saying that he just didn't get around to looking until it was too late. Part of the problem is that he was (more than likely) a kid, said that he couldn't get his mother to drive him anywhere to get anything. That probably also explains the no credit card for online shopping. And I know you're not my SS, my person revealed himself in his note to me. After I fight tooth and nail on eBay for things on my person's list, I felt burned, that's all I'm saying. I usually do 2-3 Secret Santa exchanges every year, all of them "collectables" online (an 8-track Secret Santa swap, for example), but never had an experience like this. I understand sometimes stuff just comes up and people can't get around to it in the rush, but you'll never convince me I didn't get the short end of things here. And you don't know me, so don't ever tell me to show gratitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaCharlie Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 A little more time would be appreciated, if any further events like this take place. I did manage to get something from the list I was sent but I was very tight for time. Something like this is good for the community and I enjoyed taking part. Many thanks to my secret santa, I am getting through the books that you sent me, and also thanks to santa for organising it in the first place. With all the SS exchanges I do every year online like this, we always started early - we got the announcement about the event on the day after Thanksgiving, sent our information in and got our assignments the first week of December, and most of us had the stuff mailed out by Dec. 10. Of course, even sending the stuff out that early, most of us were receiving our goodies a day or two before Christmas (or a day or two after), regardless. You can only put so much trust in the post office, I guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shep Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 And you don't know me, so don't ever tell me to show gratitude. The way you reacted tells anyone enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari-dj Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 With all the SS exchanges I do every year online like this, we always started early - we got the announcement about the event on the day after Thanksgiving, sent our information in and got our assignments the first week of December, and most of us had the stuff mailed out by Dec. 10. I am probably in the minority here anyway as I am in the UK, but getting a list the first week on Dec is leaving me with a very tight dealine. Sometimes I have to get things shipped over from the US before I can sortout and then mail on to the final destination, which could be the UK or even Europe is some cases, that with the increase in Xmas mail doesn't give me much time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Secret Santa Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 With all the SS exchanges I do every year online like this, we always started early - we got the announcement about the event on the day after Thanksgiving, sent our information in and got our assignments the first week of December, and most of us had the stuff mailed out by Dec. 10. I am probably in the minority here anyway as I am in the UK, but getting a list the first week on Dec is leaving me with a very tight dealine. Sometimes I have to get things shipped over from the US before I can sortout and then mail on to the final destination, which could be the UK or even Europe is some cases, that with the increase in Xmas mail doesn't give me much time... Since the idea was presented late in the season - (mid to late NOV.) there wasn't much time to plan the event either. I understand it was difficult for people with long distances to ship. Next year if there's another event, I am sure more time would definitely be given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keilbaca Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Well... someone is still thinking of me... which is scary... I just recieved Hunt & Score yesterday... and Santa told me it was my SS... Thank you so much for everything. Its really, really appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquid_sky Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 And you don't know me, so don't ever tell me to show gratitude. The way you reacted tells anyone enough. I know what you mean. ANYHOW: My items were all moderatly easy to find and I included links to find the items online if my SS couldnt find the item I was wanting in any stores to save them some time. Perhaps this could be a requirement for the next goround to save some people a bit of headaches? Oh and about wanting a 20 dollar gift cert rather than a 10 dollar one.. not everyone is made of money and it might have seemed like an empty gesture to you but to some people 10 dollars is a lot of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaCharlie Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Oh and about wanting a 20 dollar gift cert rather than a 10 dollar one.. not everyone is made of money and it might have seemed like an empty gesture to you but to some people 10 dollars is a lot of money. Do you people even read the whole thread, or do you just pick-and-choose what you feel like responding to? Why don't you try keeping up with the entire thread before you jump into a conversation that has nothing to do with you, or better yet, not act high-and-mighty and attack other users. 1. I never once said I was ungreatful for what I received. I couldn't use it, however, and ended up giving it to a friend. If you perceive me saying here what I have as me being ungreatful, then that's your problem. I can't control your perceptions any better than you can control your mouth. 2. I faught on eBay for damn near two weeks to get my person what they wanted on their list. My person waited until the last days before Christmas before he even thought about doing it (said as much in the letter he included with the gift). 3. My list was actually TWO lists, with literally hundreds of things, all of them in the $1 to $5 range, then a few CDs thrown on top in the $10 range. I would have preferred a single thing on the $1 list than a $100 gift certificate. This isn't about money, it's about lack of thought. 4. You're right, not everybody is made of money, and I'm a college student living on ramen noodles, which is why I was frustrated that I put weeks of planning into my gift, faught through a half-dozen auctions on eBay and then ran like hell to get the thing to the post office in time - only to then be made to feel like a nuisance by the person who was assigned to me. It takes very little to please me, and consideration goes further than cash ever will. He didn't even take the time to make his note to me LEGIBLE, and wrote it on a scrap of paper he tore off something else (it was even stained). I wish I had saved it so I could scan and post it here. 5. I'm almost 100% sure the gift card itself was a re-gift, the package it was in was opened (for anybody who's never seen Best Buy gift cards, they're shrinkwrapped in fake CD jewel cases and have "windows" in which the barcode on them can be scanned). This would also explain why it came over a week after Christmas. I really don't care what you have to say about this, the person organizing the thing has already agreed with me that I was short changed in one way or another, and I wasn't the only one by a long shot. To be honest with you, I wouldn't have even given a damn if it didn't include a note that basically said he didn't get around to it when he had weeks to do it. Telling a person you didn't have a few spare minutes in the course of a few weeks to grab them something, when done in an effort to absolve yourself of any perceived responsibility, is the biggest slap in the face. I would have honestly preferred to just not get anything rather than a (likely) re-gift and a note saying that he didn't have time. I was looking for an icon to put in here to go with the "thumbs up" you gave the last person, but unfortunately, the finger I want to use isn't on the list. If you people here want to continue to harp on the fact that I'm a "bad person," please do it in PMs - this bickering here is not only immature but a waste of board space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris++ Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 They don't teach spelling in college anymore, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Posted February 23, 2005 Share Posted February 23, 2005 Are you referring to PapaCharlie's last post? He only got two separate words wrong, & they weren't even critical (ungreatful & faught). I've seen MUCH worse in various other posts, & he got his feelings/message across very well. What's more, I agree w/ him. He has a legitimate beef. If I knew how the Secret Santa was going to turn out, I wouldn't have signed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shep Posted February 23, 2005 Share Posted February 23, 2005 All this whining about it is going to make the admins who started the SS, to not want to do it again. Gosh, some "adults" really act like children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted February 23, 2005 Share Posted February 23, 2005 Just wanted to put my two cents in here. This is the first time we ran a Secret Santa event and yes, there were some problems but we didn't expect it to go perfectly smoothly. However, for the vast majority of people who participated, the event went very well. Our experience with running the event this year will be hopefully ensure that next year's runs with fewer hitches. Please keep in mind that when you are trying to coordinate communication between so many people, problems are bound to crop up. I very much appreciate the effort it took to manage the Secret Santa, as it was fairly time consuming. The Santas worked hard to try and resolve issues that came up. I look forward to another enjoyable Secret Santa later this year (and yes, we will start it a bit earlier this time around!) ..Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad2600 Posted February 23, 2005 Share Posted February 23, 2005 I think it's pretty sad that PapaCharlie refuses to let this go. It's been nearly 2 months since the contest ended. Hopefully, should there be another secret santa thing later this year, that it may go smoother than it did last time around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sku_u Posted February 24, 2005 Share Posted February 24, 2005 I think it's pretty sad that PapaCharlie refuses to let this go. It's been nearly 2 months since the contest ended. He did about a month ago. Check the date of his last post in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gospeedde Posted February 24, 2005 Share Posted February 24, 2005 now you say.... If I knew how the Secret Santa was going to turn out, I wouldn't have signed up. before you said..... Got it today- the Once Upon Atari DVD!!! I really wasnt expecting it & listed it as a longshot. It's one of the best gifts I got this year! Thanks very much whoever you are! So you got what you wanted, even though you didn't expect to get it and just listed it as a long shot, but you wouldn't have participated had you known that was going to happen? Props to RJ for being an ungrateful jerk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted February 24, 2005 Share Posted February 24, 2005 Can we let the issue die? It was the first time, and yes, there were bugs (as was to be expected...) It was a big learning experience, and next time around, it should be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted February 24, 2005 Share Posted February 24, 2005 I agree, I don't want to see this discussion degenerate into name calling and I think everyone's had their say at this point (the event ended over two months ago). To that end and to let this die, I am going to lock the thread. ..Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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