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 Hey guess what! It's time to have fun with our annual tradition of mailing games to each other! This year's theme is monsters. gently caress it I don't know, I ran out of ideas five years ago. Last year was recycling. Just... just go with it.  It's Lightning Bonus Round 1 Time! Don't worry, you haven't missed out on TG Secret Santa yet. Go ahead and sign up now for a lightning bonus round! See below.  Rules Quick-Reference See below for the full explanation of the rules; this is just a quick rundown:
 OK on to all the  What's Trad Games Secret Santa? It's an anonymized gift exchange with a Trad Games theme. Goons sign up to trade presents with other goons. I handle the anonymization of assignments, sending your personal information to a total stranger, who will then mail you a gift. Similarly, I'll send someone else's info to you, and you have to send them a gift. Fun! How do I do it? Read all the STEP BY STEP RULES in this post (scroll down) and follow them carefully. If you have problems with reading comprehension maybe read it twice or have an adult read it to you. There's ten whole rules and you have to obey them and follow instructions. Each of the rules has a reason behind it so don't skip them. So I am going to buy something for someone? Yes. You have to get a gift for a Trad Games goon. Ideally your gift should be picked out specifically for the goon you're assigned. Since this is the Trad Games forum, we're generally focused on games-related stuff, but you kind of have free reign so it doesn't necessarily have to be a game gift... but it probably should, unless you're reasonably sure your non-game gift will delight your target Santee. Signing up for this is a financial obligation. It is not okay to sign up and then disappear, because someone will send you a present, and then whoever your assignment is, gets grinched. Please take a moment to think seriously about this before you just mash the Reply button.  How much does it cost? US$35 (or its approximate equivalent in Foreign Money), plus shipping. The shipping isn't part of the gift value because it's not your Santee's fault they live in Timbuktu and they shouldn't have to have a worse gift just because you're 8000 miles away. What if my Santee lives in an Exotic Foreign Land like French Guyana, the Lesser Antilles, or Scotland? I try to match you to someone in the same country unless you volunteer for international gifting. If you are willing to cover the extra cost, then you can say so and I will randomly choose from among the volunteers where needed to gift someone overseas. If you do get matched up with a Foreign Goon, remember that you can often order directly from an online retailer in their country to avoid international shipping. If you don't want to get matched with a foreign goon, say so in your sign-up email. If you do actually mail something internationally you will need to ship it weeks earlier so keep that in mind!  This Year's Deadlines Some time on Monday, November 22nd, (which is the beginning of Thanksgiving week in the US) I will make assignments and email them out. You will then have until THE MONDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS which is Monday, December 22nd to get your gift delivered to your Secret Santee. To meet that deadline, I am asking that all gifts be mailed by December 17th. Keep in mind if you wait that long you'll have to pay a bunch for next-day air. If you choose to wait until the last minute then you have chosen to send your gift sent on time by using an expensive shipping option. What if I forget? Don't forget. Bookmark this thread. Maybe also set up an alarm clock in your calendar app or something? If you are the kind of person who gets excited signing up for things and then blows them off and forgets about them the next day, then this gig is not for you. Don't sign up. You can of course make things easier on yourself by just buying something and shipping it immediately after you get your assignment.  What if I don't get a present because my Secret Santa is an rear end in a top hat? This is called “being Grinched.” If you get Grinched, like an old-west Sheriff I will round up a posse of de-Grinchers and together we will cover for the rear end in a top hat out of the goodness of our hearts. You will get a present no matter what. And Grinches get Stitches. There are consequences.We haven't actually had a grinch since 2016 so I think let's not dwell on it too much. A handful of goons are banned from TG secret santa but I haven't seen any of them in a long time so don't worry about it. It's already after the deadline! Does that mean I can't participate? You are in luck! After the first deadline, we run LIGHTNING BONUS ROUNDS!. Beginning November 22nd, and continuing until roughly December 12th, we will have one or more extra bonus rounds. It works like this: you use exactly the same process to sign up. I collect names until either I have at least 8, or, a whole week has passed AND I have at least 3, whichever comes first. So each LIGHTNING BONUS ROUND will have from three to eight goons. Then I do a mini-gift-round assignment. You immediately fire off a Trad Games Present at your Santee, and they do the same! And the instant one LIGHTNING BONUS ROUND ends, the next one begins. Since the pool of participants will be very small, the odds that multiple goons will have to ship internationally go up, though, so keep that in mind. These last few years there's only been 1 bonus round. I'm rich and/or greedy. Can I send two gifts? gently caress yes you can! Just let me know in your email (step 2) how many gifts you want to send and receive, and I'll make it happen. Each gift still has to meet all the standard requirements. Also you'll need to actually open gifts as soon as they arrive, so we can identify which of your Santas you've been Santeed by. I only want specific kinds of stuff That's fine. Just put your requests in your post when you sign up. There's no 100% guarantee, but really that's just like Christmas at home, isn't it? The worst case scenario is you get some $35 Thing that wasn't exactly what you wanted. That's not such a big deal.  you didn't say you didn't want, uh, whatever this is... I might get something I already have! That's true. There's only one way to avoid this for sure, and that's by posting what you've already got. You can use boardgamegeek for that, or just make a list, or be more specific about what you do want. There's still a chance you get a duplicate of something you have, though. I can't think of a way to avoid it completely, so you need to be ready for this to possibly happen. I'm sorry.  if this is your game room, you have nobody to blame but yourself for the duplicates What if I've never posted in Trad Games? You're welcome too. If you have an SA account in good standing that existed before I posted this post, you're eligible to participate. Welcome to the club! Probably you'll get something TG related, though. Or a dong. If you have a brand new SA account registered after this post was posted, then I'm worried about you. Let's have a chat and figure out if you're trustworthy. TGSS Mailing List Would you like to receive a reminder of TG Secret Santa next year? Send an email to tgsecretsanta@gmail.com and ask to be added to the official TGSS Mailing List. I will use this list to send out a heads-up each year when I post the new TGSS thread. I won't sell or share the list with anyone, and I will use BCC: so you won't be sharing your email address with the other goons on the list, either. Of course you can also remove yourself from the list at any time, just send me a request and I'll take you off. FULL STEP BY STEP RULESThese are step-by-step instructions in full. Just do all of them, in order. 1. Announce your intention to participate in this here thread. Put the following information in BOLD so it's easy to see:
2. Send an e-mail to me at tgsecretsanta@gmail.com containing the following information:
3. Check for a confirmation email from tgsecretsanta@gmail.com Everyone who signs up will get a confirmation email within a short amount of time (usually within a day or two). If you don't get one, check your spam filters and then let me know and I'll troubleshoot the issue. Your confirmation email is sent at the same time that I put you on the Spreadsheet of Cheer, so it's important. 4. Wait until Monday, November 22nd and then check your inbox. That is the day I will close registration for the main round, and assign names using a secret method. It's also the beginning of a holiday week for most goons in the US so maybe you can get an online discount. I will post in the thread as I get these assignments out. You must keep your Santee's personal information secret and private. Don't post or forward or copy their real name, other fake name(s), address, or email address in the thread or anywhere else. Don't try to go visit your Santee, that's creepy. This is important. Respect your Santee's privacy. 5. Check the thread, find your Santee's first post, and read up on their greedy demands. And then buy them a present and mail it. The Officially Recommended Spending Amount is US$35. It is OK to spend a bit more than that if you feel generous. It is OK to spend slightly less than that if you have the perfect thing which costs $33.95, or whatever. But it is not OK to Grinch your Santee by sending them a used paperback book and $8 of baseball cards. The only truly universal gifts are love and money. For everything else, it's best to consider whether your amazing gift idea would actually be delightful to your Santee. Many people like to leave their options wide open and you can feel free to send whatever you like to them. Others have a more focused domain of Trad Gaming they enjoy, and it's best to try and fit your present into that domain if you can. If you get stuck on gift ideas, send an email to tgsecretsanta@gmail.com and I will help you out. I can ask your Santee questions while preserving the veneer of anonymity, and I also am full of great ideas for the difficult-to-shop-for. Also, you must check with me (so I can check with your Santee) before sending food or alcoholic beverages to your Santee. Sometimes you have a thing that you already own that you want to send, that's OK too, just try and figure out what that thing would be worth, roughly (in its present used condition of course), and make sure your giftee is delighted by your largesse instead of saddened by your cheapness.  Regarding handmade gifts: A lot of us really enjoy the personal touch of a handmade gift, so this might be a great idea. But there are hazards. If you haven't already made your gift, be sure you'll have plenty of time. The estimate of value of the thing you made isn't “what I'd probably sell it for if I sold this,” it's “what my giftee would probably pay for it if they bought it from anyone else.” For example, it takes a huge amount of time to knit a pair of socks; but socks are still only worth a couple dollars to most people, even if you sell your handmade socks for $25. If your giftee asked for a Dice Pouch, it's likely they're thinking of a typical dice pouch which usually costs like ten or twelve bucks. So if you make one yourself, maybe you better fill it with some cool dice as well? Use your best judgment and run your plans past me if you have any doubt.  Regarding ebooks and Print-On-Demand services. PDFs and eBook versions of gaming products and POD services are not universally loved. I'd like you to please be certain that your giftee loves them before you send one. Check their post and if they don't mention it, contact me and I can confirm with them whether an ebook or printed-on-demand book is a wonderful or horrible thing. We need to confirm your e-delivery was e-delivered promptly because your Santee probably isn't expecting it. DTRPG has hosed up someone's order more than once, for example, so seriously: DTRPG and other e-delivered gifts require special attention and handling. 6. Send a gift to your Santee in a timely manner Every shipping company is heavily impacted by the holiday shopping season. The sooner you get something shipped, the less likely it is to be delayed. Retailers may also run out of stock. In today's heavily-impacted logistics hellworld, shipping is especailly turbofucked. If you procrastinate and delay, you are still on the hook for on-time delivery, and that will mean having to select a more expensive shipping option. It's OK to take a few days or even a couple weeks if you need it to get your awesome present together, but keep your eye on the calendar and don't screw yourself over by waiting too long! If you can't afford like $100 for next-day shipping the last week before Christmas, then don't procrastinate! If you purchase a gift online, please confirm with the retailer that the item is actually in stock. Check and make sure it's shipped, not just “ordered.” Get a tracking number and check it every day. You can send me your tracking number if you want, but it's up to you to monitor it and see that your gift got delivered. I can't monitor 100 tracking numbers. Let me know right away if there's a problem or delay. If a gift receipt is an option, please get one. I know it's not always available, but it's best to make sure that if your Santee already has one of what you got him or her, he can return the new thing and/or exchange it for something else that is great. This isn't a rule, just a preference. POST INDICATING YOUR PRESENT HAS BEEN MAILED BY NO LATER THAN Friday, DECEMBER 17th, 2021. Your gift has to be delivered by Monday, December 20th. To help meet that deadline, I am asking that all gifts be mailed by December 17th. Keep in mind that three days for delivery is quite unlikely unless you paid a lot for next-day delivery. If you have some genuine excuse like “I am trapped in a blizzard” or “my house burned down and I can't afford a stamp” or “the vendor promised to mail it but I have discovered they were filthy liars,” that's OK, come post about it in the thread or send me an e-mail or ask your Red Cross coordinator at the disaster relief shelter to send me an e-mail. In this modern world there are very few legit excuses for being unable to communicate for several weeks. And you can avoid this altogether by just shipping a gift within a few days of getting your Santee assignment. Military goons: if you might possibly be deployed, you should let me know in advance, and also maybe ask a friend or family member in advance to arrange to ship something if you haven't done so in time, and to at least email me when your gift arrives. Being deployed is not an acceptable excuse for failing to get a gift to your Santee or going AWOL on communications from me. If you can't deal with this amount of contingency planning, you should not participate. Overseas shippers: if you are shipping something overseas, realistically you should give it at least three weeks for shipping! Strongly consider ordering something from a vendor in your target country to avoid long shipping times and the uncertainty of customs.  7. Post in the thread when you receive a gift You can open it right away or you can wait till your preferred present-opening moment and open it then. Regardless, you need to post in the thread as soon as your gift has arrived. If you get a box and you're not sure if it's your Secret Santa gift, then you need to open it and find out. If you are a double or triple-gifter, you need to open the gift immediately when it arrives so we know which Santa's gift you got. This way your anxious Santa knows you got your present, and I can register that they have fulfilled their duty by putting a symbol into a box on a spreadsheet, which I loving love doing, you don't even know. Please don't blow this off. Every year a few people dutifully send their gifts, and then disappear from the thread, and we are left with no easy way to confirm that they also received what they were supposed to. That's not being a Grinch, but it is a source of anxiety for your Santa and for me and that's not very nice.  8. Post what you got! Whenever you get around to opening your gift, please let us know what you got. Take a picture! You should also say thank you and describe your joy. Half the fun of giving a gift is experiencing your Santee's pleasure. THIS IS AN ACTUAL RULE, NOT JUST A SUGGESTION. Saying “thank you” is the socially expected response to a gift, OK?. Some participants never bother and that's rude. 9. If you got a lovely gift, or didn't get a gift, send me an email immediately. Email me at tgsecretsanta@gmail.com if you get something lousy. That doesn't just mean you got a nice approximately $35 thing that you didn't especially want: unless you specifically said “I don't want RPGs” you can't really complain that you got an RPG. But, you do need to let me know if your Santa has not lived up to the spirit and intent of the rules, OR – and this has actually happened – if your Santa was victimized by a shady retailer who has ripped both you and your Santa off.    10. Please stick around in the thread until a week or two into January, or until I close the thread, whichever comes first There are usually last-minute hiccups and if someone gets Grinched, I'll be asking for volunteer de-grinchers. This is likely to happen in January, if it happens. Even if you don't want to be a de-Grincher, you can still participate in the tarring and feathering, and that's not something to miss out on. Plus people sometimes get stuff a little late, like when they go back home from their holiday travel or whatever, and it sucks when they have nobody to share their fun with when they open their gift.  Disclaimers This is the fine print. Nobody told me to put it here, but I'm anal about these kinds of things. Participation in this event is voluntary. I am not employed by Something Awful LLC, Jeffery of YOSPOS, or any of its affiliates, sponsors, advertisers, subsidiaries, associates, officers, enlisted men, serfs, or holdings (hereafter referred to collectively as SomethingAwful). My volunteer position as a moderator does not in any way imply or bind SomethingAwful or myself in a legal way to any kind of responsibility or accontability for what happens with secret santa gift exchanges conducted on the forums. This event is in no way endorsed or sponsored by SomethingAwful. If you get ripped off by another goon, neither SomethingAwful, nor I, can promise you relief. Nobody's insurance is covering this. Any supportive or punitive action taken by SomethingAwful or its moderators or administrators, including stickying threads and punishing bad goons, is purely voluntary and ad-hoc and is not a promise or representation that SomethingAwful is actually responsible or required to take such action, nor a promise or representation that it will act in a similar manner in the future, present, or past. There is no gold fringe on our flag and we decline to create joinder. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. I promise to take reasonable and prudent steps to keep your personal information confidential. It is secured by the use of a reasonably obscure password on the tgsecretsanta@gmail.com gmail account. I also copy some of your personal information, including your real name and email address, to my Spreadsheet of Cheer which is stored on a reasonably secure computer behind a firewall. Participation requires that I send your personal information to another person, and I cannot ensure that that person will do the right thing and keep your info private. I also cannot guarantee that my email account or computer is impervious to being hacked or compromised. Obviously anyone who shares or abuses your private information is an rear end in a top hat and if I find out he or she did that and can confirm it then they goes right on the poo poo list immediately and forever, and I will also ban the poo poo out of them and recommend the admins permaban them. But you must agree not to hold me or SomethingAwful financially, legally, ethically, or spiritually responsible if that happens. Any further relief you seek will be between you and the rear end in a top hat and your respective lawyers, basically. Participating means you agree to these rules. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 07:30 on Nov 23, 2021 |
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Nov 9, 2021 02:50
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I'm all caught up with response emails for those of you who have signed up!
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Nov 10, 2021 06:52
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hey check this out data!
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Nov 10, 2021 18:34
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It's great to see several long-time TGSSers showing back up after an absence. Welcome home! We're rapidly approaching the deadline of the 22nd for the main round, and we're at about 28 or so goons signed up. A smaller crowd than past years to be sure, but still more than enough to ensure we have a good pool for secret santa!
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Nov 19, 2021 00:13
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No post yet from: Cone of Tragedy No email yet from: Aggro, Aramoro Everyone else is signed up 
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Nov 20, 2021 01:53
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Sorry to hear it, Rhjamiz. We've never not had a bonus round since I've been running it, so I'd say the odds are pretty good, although participation overall is down a bit this year. Everyone, my crown fell out tonight and I need to schedule an emergency dentist appointment tomorrow: plus I'm conducting an interview at work, and I'm getting my Covid booster shot in the afternoon. I think I should still have time to process the matchups tomorrow night (the 22nd, as promised), but there's a chance I could be delayed a day. Just wanted to give you all a heads up so nobody panics.
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Nov 22, 2021 06:41
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My name is Leperflesh and I have been mostly good this year. Gift preferences: With lockdown extending through two years, I've had precious little ability to gather my crew for gaming, and my boardgame closet is frankly, overstuffed. I also have too many RPGs to try. Still, perhaps there's a thing or two that I could cram in? Here's some ideas: I'd love a custom set of dice from our own dice-making goon, Shima Honnou. They're crisp, cool looking, and very affordable. Here's my boardgame collection on Boardgamegeek. If you can find something that is small, that'd be nice. My wife plays co-op games with me sometimes, so a non-adversarial 2-player co-op game would be cool (last year a goon got me Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion, which is very cool, but was a bit too tactical wargame-y for her. She loves Mysterium, though, and also likes to play Escape the Dark Castle.) I also play two-player adversarial and co-op games with my sibling, and if we can ever get past covid, games for 3+ players are an option too. I love booze, food, stuff for my cats, fun little toys, movies and books and nerdy stuff. I also do woodworking, photography, hiking, and watch too much football. If any of that doesn't inspire you, or if you want to ask a sneaky question, trad games veteran goon Aldantefax knows me IRL and can maybe help you out. General Location Bay Area, California Solemn Vow  if I should ever grinch, my account is forfeit. Upon my honor, I shall not fail.
Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 05:42 on Nov 23, 2021 |
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Nov 23, 2021 05:16
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Nemesis Of Moles posted:Yo Ho ho ho gimmie some fuckin' presents I'm starting to process matchups and I don't have an email from you yet. Get it in quick, like in the next hour, and you can probably be included in the main round: if not, you'll have to go for the first lightning bonus round instead.
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Nov 23, 2021 05:18
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Assignments are all done! Everyone should have an email in their inbox, from tgsecretsanta@gmail.com, with your assignment. Please check carefully and let me know if I screwed something up, I often do! Screwups include: you got multiple assignments, you didn't get one, I sent you something but addressed someone else in the text, I sent you your own info as your santee, that kinda poo poo. I'll kick off the first lightning bonus round tomorrow!
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Nov 23, 2021 07:28
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Alright kids now it's time for LIGHTNING BONUS ROUNDS! Lightning bonus rounds are how you take part in the Trad Games Secret Santa thing after the deadline for the main round is passed. It's also how you can be greedy and exchange more than one present with your fellow goons! Beginning today (November 23rd), and continuing until no later than December 11th, we will have a series of one or more extra bonus rounds and YOU can participate. The LIGHTNING BONUS ROUNDS work a lot like the main round. All of the rules apply except for the deadline for application. Re-read the rules in the OP just in case you forgot them. OK so to sign up I post in the thread and send you an email? Correct. You must do this even if you participated in the main round. Post in the thread. If you already participated in the main round you can link to your original post or just quote it to show your gift preferences. You must send an email to tgsecretsanta@gmail.com as well; if you already sent one this year I don't need your address again, but I do need another email regardless. My response to that email is your only confirmation that you've successfully signed up. What then? I will end each LIGHTNING BONUS ROUND according to whichever of the following things happens first:
Once each round closes I'll randomize the participants in the round and you all exchange gifts. You immediately fire off a Trad Games Present at your Santee, and they do the same! And of course the instant one LIGHTNING BONUS ROUND ends, the next one begins. What about international shipping?  You can still tell me you prefer not to ship internationally – if it's impossible for you, let me know and I'll try to make sure that doesn't happen. But if you live outside the US it's probably required to ship internationally. Bear in mind that you can always buy something online from a store that operates in your target country and thereby avoid expensive shipping costs. (You might have to pay a currency exchange fee but that is typically much less money.) If I get a pool that contains nobody else in your country and you said no thanks to international, I will contact you to check if you'd rather take a pass, before I do the matchings. It's better though if LIGHTNING BONUS ROUND participants can all ship internationally. Remember, you can always just order something online from the destination country: you usually just need a credit card. So then what's the shipping deadline? Of course, as we close in on Christmas day, you will have less and less time in which to accomplish purchase, shipping, and delivery. You'll have to pick an appropriate delivery option and be certain whatever you're buying is either in your hands, or definitely in stock at the retailer of your choice. You are still supposed to ship your item absolutely no later than December 17th AND get your gift delivered to your Secret Santee by December 20th! This is part of the challenge! But it probably means that you won't have time to make a hand-made gift or wait for something that is out of stock to get restocked. Strongly consider ordering online from a major retailer with a strong reputation for shipping things immediately. Will I get matched with someone I've gifted or been gifted by before? Possibly. For the main round I do my absolute best to avoid this. But with limited goons, it's possible that the only way to be polite to the no-international-please people is to match you with someone you've gifted before. As always, you can give me a list of your mortal enemies and I won't match you with someone you despise. ROUND ONE BEGINS NOW GO!
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Nov 23, 2021 18:52
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GIFT IDEAS Hey folks, I just wanted to remind everyone of some resources right here on SA. Please consider these options while shopping for your secret santa: SA-Mart: Handmade RPG Dice, made by goon hands The Magic: the Gathering Buying/Selling/Trading Megathread Coupons and Deals: Boardgame Deals - YOU CLEARLY AREN'T DOING ENOUGH BONDAGE, BUDDY! Books/Ebooks/Comics Megathread Trad Games threads! Step outside of your usual bookmarked threads. Trying to pick a boardgame for your santee? Check out the boardgame thread. Wanna learn a bit about warhammer 40k so you can get your Santee the right little plastic people? Ask in the 40k thread. Nobody knows who your Santee is so you can ask generic questions pretty safely without spoiling the fun.
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Nov 23, 2021 19:25
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Wrr posted:I'm trying to order a custom made gift and I am concerned it might not show up on time; should I abandon the idea and find something faster? What does the experienced Santa-ers think? You can do it. But, I suggest you have a backup in mind, and monitor progress of your custom order closely. Most vendors know that people ordering stuff in late November expect it to be delivered by christmas, but also many vendors get backed up. Be conscientious about it, basically: you are supposed to get a gift delivered in time, and if it starts to look like that's not going to happen, be prepared to shell out some cash to get a backup sent. gschmidl posted:Leperflesh, would you be willing to share links to previous TG Secret Santa threads? I found 2020 but nothing earlier, probably because Im dum. Not in archives: 2020: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3947418 2019: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3903744 2018: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3874029 2017: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3840013 2014 https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3679966 2015: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3750564 2016: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3796690 In archives: 2013: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3584444 2012: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3516427 2011: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3447887 From 2010 and earlier, the threads are found in The Game Room rather than what is currently the TG forum, because back then I guess the functions of the two forumids were different. 2010: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3362781 Winson_Paine used to run TGSS before I took it over: 2009: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3224709 2008: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3009170 2007: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2670831 and before that, Oobey: 2006: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2138779 and Sputnik: 2005: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=1698688 and Vidmaster: 2004: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=1358693 ..and that's the earliest one I can find.
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Nov 24, 2021 22:28
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God drat, 2008 - the first year I participated - really ended badly. The last two pages of that thread, dear god. I'm so so glad we haven't had any kind of really lovely drama like that for several years!Rid posted:If there's still space, I'd like to sign up for the lightning round! There is! We are now at 7 people who have asked to join the lightning bonus round, plus I got an email from a potential eighth. I only have actual signup emails from 4 so far, so this is just a reminder: I would like to receive an email from you if you're signing up for a bonus round, even if you already sent an email about the main round. Thank you!
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Nov 24, 2021 23:08
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Infinitum posted:what's the worst case of drama/grinching that's happened for the TG Secret Santa? Was it 2008. Looking forward to reading The Drama later Under my watch? Nothing too horrific. There's been a handful of grinches over the years, but my process has been refined to weed them out and we don't really have serious grinch problems any more. The worst years were the first two or three I ran, while I was still kinda learning how to structure things to help goons help themselves, if you know what I mean? One year early under my tenure, a goon clearly just threw stuff from his desk into a box and mailed it, which was pathetic. We've had a handful of gifts received since that the recipient felt were sub-par, but generally nothing that is just flagrantly phoning it in. Honestly, overall running TGSS for over a decade has been pretty great, it's always a positive experience for me, and the occasional issue hasn't been too horrible to deal with.
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Nov 24, 2021 23:59
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Nope that's fine, you're #8! I need an email from one person who signed up (Rid) and I'll fire off Round 1. AS OF THIS POST, WE ARE IN LIGHTNING BONUS ROUND 2!!! I know there were a couple of goons hoping to be in the main round but had to defer till they had more resources, so I anticipate round 2 being likely to actually happen.
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Nov 25, 2021 02:21
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Tiny Chalupa posted:Are you in the running as well? are you getting Secret stuff? It not.....someone needs to send me Leperflesh info so I can send something his way. Or "someone" can I include myself in the main round, some poor sap gets assigned to me and I know who it is, but trying to anonymize it gets too complicated. It's OK. I try to make sure it's not a TG secret santa newbie, so as not to kinda spoil their first go. I do use a randomizer, to avoid injecting some kind of bias about my favorite posters or whatever. But thank you very much for the thoughtful idea! That's nice of you.
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Nov 25, 2021 18:48
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yup tis the season for shipping delays! LIGHTNING BONUS ROUND 1 assignments are all emailed out. If you're expecting an email and didn't get one, let me know asap!
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Nov 26, 2021 08:29
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My gift(s) to my santee is/are shipped!
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Nov 27, 2021 23:27
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HootTheOwl posted:Somehow I sleep on this every year. It's not too late, no! Round 2 will stay open until either December 2nd, or we hit 8 participants. Right now there are three, including ibntumart! ibntumart posted:Can I still get in on lightning round 2? (If not, please consider my Santa hat thrown into the ring for round 3!) Yes you can! In fact I just replied to your email, so all you gotta do is post your standard stuff: gift preferences, location, and solemn vow, as usual. GreenBuckanneer posted:edit: as an aside, I'll skip bonus round 2, but I *may* be interested in doing bonus round 3, but it's up in the air for now. I cannot guarantee that there will be a round 3: the last time we had one was 2018. But maybe!
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Nov 29, 2021 05:47
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DigitalRaven posted:This is your lightning round #1 gift, and I'm very glad I got the right thing for you. Need DigitalRaven's Santee who sent this to fess up, here or in private, so I can tell if this is from DR's main round or lightning round Santa. Thanks!
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Nov 29, 2021 22:08
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Charles Get-Out posted:As requested: It is mostly out of focus, but based on what I can see, that could be an igneous rock - a very finely-crystalline groundmass with small phenocrysts. I'd need a clear view to be more sure. e. could also be sedimentary, and could also be a piece of concrete or similar (that is, a manmade not-rock).
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Nov 30, 2021 07:17
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OK that makes... ten, but I'm gonna include both of you in Round 2, rather than kick a new round off just for maybe two of you. So you're both in, but TK you gotta send me the email today please! I'll get Round 2 assignments out today, and as of this post, LIGHTNING BONUS ROUND 3 GO GO GO if it happens but if 2 or fewer people sign up for it then it probably won't so just be aware thanks.
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Dec 1, 2021 18:41
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There will be a delay in getting bonus round 2 assignments out, because I had an important question for one participant regarding their needs. I'll get matchups emailed out tomorrow at the latest. Thanks for your patience!
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Dec 2, 2021 04:12
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I got presents!  that's really generous, rydiafan. Thank you very much! My wife and I are both looking forward to trying these out. I've been meaning to pick up some version of Codenames for years, just never got around to it, so that's definitely going to work, and solving mysteries sounds like a fun time too.
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Dec 2, 2021 23:55
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Bucnasti posted:Is there going to be a lightning round 3? I think so! Rhjamiz posted:Are we still doing lightning rounds? Yes! rydiafan posted:You've got a third gift coming, but I'm getting conflicting ETAs.
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Dec 3, 2021 19:05
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It's best to email or PM me that sort of thing, so that my immediate email to your Santa doesn't sorta give away the game; but I will email your Santa to check in and make sure they got it.
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Dec 3, 2021 23:30
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Helpin y'all out with inline image embeds! (you're linking to imgur's album URL - gotta click the image to get the image URL.)Tiny Chalupa posted:My Secret Santa came through with an amazing game I do not have that will go over great with my group!! FishFood posted:Santa has visited my humble abode! What could be inside?
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Dec 4, 2021 07:25
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Not including either of you, we have four people signed up for LR3. It will kick off either when we get at least 8, or on December 8th (one week after LR2 kicked off), whichever comes first. e. The Bloop is all signed up, so we're at 5 now. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 02:14 on Dec 5, 2021 |
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Dec 5, 2021 02:08
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Bucnasti posted:I don't know if I'm included in those numbers so just in case I want in the next round. I'll send another email as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1cSs8uZQYo
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Dec 5, 2021 02:32
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Aramoro posted:Santa has been once more! Since this could be from bonus round 1 or 2, would Aramoro's santa let me know or post, thanks!
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Dec 6, 2021 02:14
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Round 3 is (more than) full, so I guess LIGHTNING BONUS ROUND 4??? We last had an actual round 4 in 2015, so that's pretty cool if there's still so much interest
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Dec 6, 2021 02:25
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Chekans 3 16 posted:I haven't done a lightning round in a long time, if ever, so what the hell. Sign me up. Do I send another email or am I good with this post? Yes, please send another email with your address and preferences, again. I know it feels redundant, but I use the round signup as the anchor for a fresh thread, which helps to keep separate various threaded conversations about each santa/santee combo, and having the address there also shortens my multi-step process slightly, which multiplies across 80+ signups to be significant. Thanks!
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Dec 6, 2021 07:19
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TK_Nyarlathotep posted:Firstly, first Secret Santa FINALLY shipped - should arrive Friday the 10th by the end of day from UPS and Miniature Market. Keep your eyes peeled, person who is still waiting. Hey, you're welcome! Just to be clear, that's the full WHFRP 4th ed. starter set, at least it looks like it and that's what I ordered Bonus Round 4 just hit 8 participants but I'll hold it up for a bit if you wanna join, that way you don't have to hope for a 5th round?
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Dec 8, 2021 18:15
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Kwyndig posted:A package has arrived from IPR? But I didn't order anything this month... You've got email!
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Dec 8, 2021 21:55
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Aramoro posted:My tracking has moved to delivered. Godspeed package that's been hucked at front door somewhere. main round, or LR1?
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Dec 9, 2021 17:41
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That's in under the wire, should be fine unless there's another delay. Thanks for keeping an eye on it. Same to all the rest of you who are watching the tracking etc. TK_Nyarlathotep, and anyone else: last call for lightning round 4. Unlikely there will be a round 5. No pressure, you don't need to jump in, but I'm kicking off this round later today.
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Dec 9, 2021 19:11
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LIGHTNING BONUS ROUND 4 ASSIGNMENTS ARE OUT that means it's... round... f... five??? OK sure why not. Time is getting very short, so if you're in for round five, keep these things in mind:
Round 5 is for sure the final round, if it happens at all, and I'm going to start this round by December 12th regardless, because I don't want to start rounds with less than 2 weeks before christmas. But it could still happen!
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Dec 10, 2021 06:58
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thegodofchuck posted:I got... unexpected packages, but I'm not sure if they're Secret Santa gifts? This is very confusing. I do not have a single goon named "sam" in this year's Spreadsheet of Cheer, although I do have a very short list of goons for whom I was not given a first name. I can think of a few possibilities: -One of your Santas mixed up and got your name wrong -Someone accidentally sent you things intended for someone else, maybe not even part of this secret santa Please can thegodofchuck's santa send me an email, or post here, or PM me, ASAP? thanks! Tiny Chalupa posted:I'll also do the final lightning round if it happens! I'll shoot off an email an update potentional wants tomorrow, if It is happening You would be #3, so yeah apparently. Both of the first two signups are UK goons, so keep that in mind. Loxbourne posted:My LR2 cheer has arrived! Photos to follow when possible. Thanks, Anonymous SantaGoon! What did you get??? 
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Dec 10, 2021 19:40
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GreenBuckanneer posted:No response from other Santa for LR4, sent out gifts anyways! I’m excited about one of them, wasn’t free shipping and I paid a little more to make sure it can (try) to get there before the 21st. Yeah not everyone is awake or answering emails between like 10pm and 10am pacific, or wherever, so... probably this is the best way to go. Thanks for going the extra mile, these late rounds do entail some risk though!
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Dec 10, 2021 19:55
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The Bloop posted:I've still got two in transit with [????] for tracking. One says arrives on the 21st (whelp) but I can't actually track it. I've got 1/2 delivered for lightning round 1, "gathering items" for main round, and blank for round 3. Can you specify which things are in transit? Thanks! thegodofchuck posted:For clarification, package #1 (book) had no note at all, package #2 (battle sisters) said "Merry Christmas Sam!!!!" (Yes, four exclamation marks). So, I expect package #2 is most likely a GW mistake, but y'never know. Although there appear to be a lot of Sams out there now. Package #1 might be a Santa gift? I see!
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Dec 10, 2021 20:27
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