+chicgamer Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 11 hours ago, bomberpunk said: Shit... y'all started waaaay early this year. This will be the first time I've missed out since probably the beginning. Bah humbug. As carlsson pointed out, we did start early this year because of shipping concerns due to COVID. We tried to call attention to this thread a lot in status updates, but I guess that wasn't enough. Sorry that you're missing out on Secret Santa this year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imstarryeyed Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 Hey Chicgamer, seeing as this is a very bizarre year, perhaps there is a way for those folks who want to join? Would it be possible to match them up with people who wanted to get in but by a cutoff date like Dec 1st or something? I am glad I got in but yeah I had to search the statuses to find it back in Oct. Covid has made all of our schedules chaotic this year so I thought I would at least ask for those folks who wanted to join in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+chicgamer Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 We actually got everyone in who expressed interest so far (other than bomberpunk) except for one person, and I have my reservations about that person (newer member that seemed more interested in receiving expensive items than gift giving). If anyone else wants to jump in, CaptainBreakout and/or I can help facilitate the exchange, though it won't be very secret at this point. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassicGMR Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaiah Austin Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 I'm going to ship out the Secret Santa package for my recipient tomorrow! I'm so excited! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeatari1 Posted November 28, 2020 Share Posted November 28, 2020 4 minutes ago, Isaiah Austin said: I'm so excited! And I just can't hide it! 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassicGMR Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 Should be added to the first post... just in case... ? 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 Sent mine out yesterday. Delivery before the end of next week expected. ? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainBreakout Posted November 29, 2020 Author Share Posted November 29, 2020 1 hour ago, ClassicGMR said: Should be added to the first post... just in case... ? Yes, but only the first rule applies here. ... And it's only a suggestion. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassicGMR Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 So.... I can send undead kitties?!?! Sweet! 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainBreakout Posted November 29, 2020 Author Share Posted November 29, 2020 Oddly enough, I considered giving my recipient a cat that was neither alive nor dead. Chicgamer knows what I'm talking about. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassicGMR Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 Schrodinger would be pleased. ? 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDW Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 If it's too late to enter, then I'd still be interested in providing a gift if someone doesn't receive theirs. Back up Santa I guess? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 Rule #4 also is odd, because it means you can't give someone an Atari 2600 game without including a matching console. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluejay Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 4 hours ago, carlsson said: Rule #4 also is odd, because it means you can't give someone an Atari 2600 game without including a matching console. ...that didn't cost less than $20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 (edited) Yeah. Pretty much every video game these days is ruled out in the Secret Santa exchange if the value of the game + console/computer may not exceed $20. Actually stating a maximum value for a gift is kind of dumb, then you get some people giving away pure garbage in hope to receive something meaningful in return. This is what happened in another Secret Santa exchange over at Facebook, some people would send entirely worthless stuff which broke the entire spirit of giving. I like it much better here where a minimum value is suggested. Edited November 29, 2020 by carlsson 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainBreakout Posted November 29, 2020 Author Share Posted November 29, 2020 Those are good points. The suggested max value has two effects however that chicgamer and I feel are important. Here come the explaining... For one thing, this is 2020, and chicgamer and I didn't want anyone to feel this was a big buy-in event in a year when money is particularly hard for many. Secondly, it serves to keep expectations realistic. Nobody enrolling should do so expecting a big cache of ebayables, much less a PS5. By the same token, I don't think anyone here wants to see this turn into a competition to see who can spend the most. And lastly, I'm sure we all would like to keep this a heartfelt event for people who love to give, especially to others who appreciate the gifts and thought that went into them. Bonus that it's in a community where we all share similar interests. In the opening post, we made sure to list some ideas that would be amazing gifts that wouldn't necessarily cost a bundle, as well as a suggestion to try and be creative in that direction. And realistically, I'm betting pretty much everyone, myself included, went over the suggested budget (shipping alone could easily be more!). At least we all hopefully felt it was money we elected to spend rather then felt obliged to spend. Chicgamer and I went back and forth about how to word the money issue... And the best we could come up with was "if you are in a position to spend more, go ahead, but the suggested value has always been around $40 (or so, I think that was the figure)" And it seemed appropriate to also tack on Grig's words from last year... "Don't go broke." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassicGMR Posted November 29, 2020 Share Posted November 29, 2020 Wow. I posted it because it was funny. Wasn’t looking to start a debate. ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainBreakout Posted November 30, 2020 Author Share Posted November 30, 2020 It was funny, especially the undead cat part. ☠️/ ? I just felt the max value thing was worth explaining. There was some thought that went into it. I tend to remain optimistic about people, and think it might help people from being TOO generous (and keep disappointment from those who couldn't afford to be so). I wasn't sure how to work that in into the explaining, but that was on my mind too. The whole gift of the magi thing. Anyways, back to setting up my tree... ? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainBreakout Posted November 30, 2020 Author Share Posted November 30, 2020 Yet another use for a cable spool... I wonder what my wife will think when she gets home with the kids. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoshiChiri Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 I've often thought the price thing around here is a very loose suggestion, for one big reason- there's no guarantee money was really a factor! I opted not to send it this year, but I currently have set aside a brand new Pac-man mug that may make its way into a future SS gift (since I use the Intellivision one I received as an SS gift!) It cost me... something like 500 tickets at the local arcade. Where we learned how to hit the jackpot on the Magic Wheel every time & made a tidy stockpile before they changed the settings. So, I genuinely don't know how much actual money it was. I feel like many others are in a similar situation- we trade, we craft, we dig things out of the 'list on Ebay someday' pile. It makes it hard to meet an arbitrary financial marker. Folks around here seem to have a pretty good grasp of what's a good, but not bank-breaking gift (and newcomers can check photos from years previous & get a feel for the standard pretty quick!) I prefer it this way- I think a hard maximum would be stifling for the gifting! 1 hour ago, ClassicGMR said: Wow. I posted it because it was funny. Wasn’t looking to start a debate. ? Oh, it was funny- although it does raise some questions. Like, if I give a lucky rabbit's foot & some jerky, does that violate rule #3? Does a sourdough starter violate rule #2? Would a copy of the necromonicon be frowned upon since the end user could then create an undead, thus violating rule #5- or does it not count if they do it? So confusing!? 2 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+chicgamer Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 I think the Necronomicon would also violate rule 3, since it's bound in human flesh ... What a strange Secret Santa topic this has turned into. 2 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 As a side note, in one of the stores I visited they had a sale on horseshoes. For a very brief moment I considered buying one and include as a stocking stuffer, but determined it had exceptionally little to do with AtariAge so I didn't. Now a horseshoe isn't made out of dead horses (thankfully!) so unlike HoshiChiri's rabbit foot it wouldn't categorize as something that once was alive, but now dead. (How do we do with jelly candy containing gelatin from pigs?) 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainBreakout Posted November 30, 2020 Author Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) Here's another one for the rulebooks... With a little hacking and sci-fi, you can make your own velociraptor! Merry Christmas! Edited November 30, 2020 by CaptainBreakout Please note that your postal carrier may consider a potential velociraptor as hazardous and too dangerous to ship. 4 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeatari1 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Hey @chicgamernice hat! 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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