Otherwise, if you're reading this thread with interest and the deadline hasn't passed, you might want to continue reading. This post contains all the information you need to decide if you'd like to participate in this year's UD Forum Secret Santa.
The UltimateDisney.com Forum Secret Santa is a nifty way for active forum members to exchange gifts with one another. Each person who participates is assigned a forum member that they will get a present for, and each person is likewise assigned to a different forum member who will get a present for them. The assignments are random, and people are encouraged to spend about $20 on their gift(s). This is not a strict guideline, and with the possibility of having to ship something internationally, you may find yourself spending a little more than that. But it's a reasonable amount which should allow all who enjoy being an active part of this community to participate if interested.
Once we know who's participating for sure, I'll start a wish list thread. There, you'll be able to post a list of interests/favorites or specific things you'd like to get. Alternatively, you can post a link to lists of the DVDs or CDs you have for people to get an idea for something they think you might like.
Gift certificates are acceptable, but discouraged. It's much more fun if you put thought and pick out something for your assigned recipient. If you do decide to go the gift certificate route, or order online and have it shipped to your recipient's address, a personal touch (like sending a card, in addition) is a very good idea.
If you are interested in participating in this year's Secret Santa, send an e-mail to santa@ultimatedisney.com with
1) your full name and address
2) your forum name
3) what holiday you celebrate
<u>The deadline to sign up is Friday, November 10</u>. The random assignments should occur sometime shortly thereafter, and you should know who you'll be getting a gift for by Thursday, November 16 at the very latest. As has been the case the past three years, I'll be coordinating the assignments entirely by myself and no one else will know any of the random matchups. There is no trading of assignments permitted; if you are assigned someone you don't know much about, then this is the perfect way to get to know your fellow UD Forum poster better!
Regular forum members are encouraged to participate, no matter what part of the world they may live. Plenty of Europeans have participated in the past and without problems. If you're a minor (under 18 years of age), you're welcome to join in the fun, but you'll have to get your parents' permission to participate.
We'll set Tuesday, December 12th as the deadline to get gifts shipped out. While most who are participating are located in America, there will likely be some from Europe, maybe even Australia, Israel, or Zimbabwe. Obviously, shipping internationally will take longer and of course, it's always better to err on the side of "too early" than "too late." If you get assigned someone from afar, you should aim to mail out well ahead of the deadline if possible.
As usual, this Secret Santa is open to regular forum members. Are you one of those? If you're reading this, there's a good chance you are. It will be up to the discretion of myself and other moderators to determine if you can participate in this. As usual, the only reason anyone might be denied entry is to ensure that the Secret Santa program runs smoothly for all. There are a limited number of openings we can have to manage this efficiently. Anyone who has posted with regularity over the past year should be fine to join. If you've only registered in the past couple of months or have only posted a handful of times, then you'll want to get to know the forum and its members much better before doing something like this anyway. Maybe next year!
If you're planning on scoring a free present and not giving anything in return, you are strongly encouraged to find a better way of ringing in the holiday season. In the first two years of the program, one member thought it would be cool to do this. He has since been banned. As were four others who tried to cheat the system last year (only two with success). Not only that, but their attempts at creating new user names were foiled and every computer they've ever posted from has had its access to the forum removed. So, do know that if your idea of holiday fun is cheating someone out of a present and not giving something to the person you're assigned, you will no longer be a part of this forum. In the unlikely event that you get stiffed, let me know, and I'll make sure you don't come away empty-handed. No one who has done their part in Secret Santa has ever come away without receiving a gift.
That's about everything. Ask anyone who has participated in this in past years and most are bound to tell you it's a lot of fun. Once again, if you have any questions, posting them here is a good idea, as opposed to say PMing the site admin or sending e-mails to the sign-up address.
In 2003, we had 12 people. In 2004, we had 22. Last year, we had 33, though only 29 participated to completion. I think 30 might be a good cap to install on the number of people that can join, especially since more than that seems to invite deadbeats. I'm hopeful that the number can be easily achieved due to the usual crop of sign-ups and drop-outs. I'll do my best to let as many interested qualifying members participate, but still it's a good not to hesitate in signing up, as you could miss the deadline or the cut-off.
Once again, if you are definitely interested in participating:
E-mail santa@ultimatedisney.com with
1) your full name and address
2) your forum name
3) what holiday you celebrate
Merry Secret Santa!
Have fun everyone, and don't ruin it like last year.
Love It.
karma - it comes back around....