Christmas 2008
 

I'm totally freaking out now. Almost October and I haven't gotten one gift. I'm usually at least started by now. Ack!

Maybe I'll just give everybody $ this year. God knows kiddos could use it. But that's so boring. And then there are the little'uns.

Yep. freaking out.

Put some foreign currency aside for them and watch your gift grow as the value of the US dollar decreases against it.

Give the little'uns dollars to play with.

Bah, humbug! [/Scrooge effects]

I want to send Amazon gift certificates this year. Amazon is the new Sears (has everything - from a commercial older than most, I'd bet).

I usually do what I call Kamikazee shopping on Christmas Eve.

This year I've found a couple of things online and have already ordered them, and will probably grab some Webkinz for my friend's daughters once the newer ones are out and they've expressed a preference.

This prepare ahead thing isn't totally working for me, as I have a copy of Grimm's Grimmest that I don't remember who is supposed to receive it ...

Me. I'm supposed to receive it.


:D

:lol: Good call! Beings how the value of the dollar could change tomorrow....

Hate to bring this up, but is there going to be an "exchange" on the cellar this year?

I haven't even thought about Xmas one bit till reading this thread.

Why?

just why?

why is it such a big deal? why does so much money need to be spent? why is it OK to give money? especially if the present alternative is so special it needs to be thought about three months in advance?

Is a holiday that causes such stress three months in advance (i.e. takes up 1/4 of your life) really worth it?

Please believe me. Cloud, this isn't a personal attack, you just brought up a pet irritation of mine and you bat for the other side on this one.... :lol:


That said, I already have some stuff. Sort of. I saw two puzzles in the $Store my niece would love' so i bought them. they're too bulky to mail, so I'll send them back with my MIL who's coming at Christmas, so she'll get them Jan or Feb. :lol:

I'd certainly be up for it again!


But, uh... no newbs this year. Srsly.

I will think about it Monster. I've always just really like to give Christmas presents, and like to give some thought to giving something really good to people. Sometimes that means giving something they can use and need, like money; sometimes it involves other paradigms, like giving something to open up a new area of interest, or something the recipient would never, ever guess, or something practical.

So yeah, that takes some thought and time to come up with the right thing. Most of the time it makes me really happy to do this. The rest is just bitching just because it is a little panic inducing.

But no matter how good/appropriate the gift, it doesn't count unless you do it because you want to, like you and I.
People that don't want to, or for some reason can't, shouldn't feel obligated.

Actually I'd prefer people didn't get me gifts because there is nothing I really need, and chances are, if I wanted it, I'd own it already.
For example, I have an Aunt that buys me expensive calendars every year, that are far from my taste, plus I get tons of free ones in the mail.
I'm talking serious gifts, and not inexpensive silly or gag gifts, of course. ;)

Eh?
Did we let newbs in last year? Did they disappoint?
Sorry, was in my own selfish world of giving and getting - both worked fine my end.

Will I be crucified for starting a Secret Santa 2008 thread in September?!!
Oh no, that's what happens at Easter :)

But I think we should start early this year to give the Aussies a cheaper shipping option [tips hat to Aliantha]

I utilize the "Wolf Method" as she outlined above.

Yeah bah humbug.

This year my mom said us adults should draw names and of course all buy for the kids. I'm all for that! It's the little ones that make my Christmas, anyway! Buying for three girls age 3-8 is sooooo fun, especially since I have taken it on myself to be their book giver, to encourage them to love reading.

I got a beauty of a Wizard of Oz pop-up book at the shop at the LA public library a couple years ago.

Just Mockingbird, who wan't exactly a newb, but....

I know what I want to give everyone this year but I'm not sure how I can do it?
Anyone know how to give someone Syphillis without getting it yourself? lol!!!

I totally wanna be in on it this year, now I've some engery, etc. but....how did ya'll do it? How'd you do the whole secret santa thing with picks and addy's and stuff?

monster volunteered to be the address randomizer and giver-outer. anyone who wanted to be involved sent her a mailing address (and name if they wanted) by a certain date, then she sent everyone a pm.

i forget how we picked the theme, but i'd like to suggest a celler-64 for that this year.

anyone want to be the randomizer this year? i'll do it if monster doesn't want to again, and you trust me with your info :)

Yea. It took so long for me to get photos loaded last year...No one is going to trust me this year.....

You go for it, Labbers! Thanks. It's not that I don't want to, I'm just seriously busy, so if you do, that's cool with me.

ask and ye shall receive:

http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/pox.html

The theme was "cock," and its origins should be self-explanatory. :) But it was optional, because there's only so many ways to give someone a rooster. I liked picking something very suited to the person I got, so I object to mandatory themes as too constraining.

It's the thought that counts Sheldon. :headshake

I'd be in again this year. :)

im in

This year, I can be in! :)

Ask NOT what you can be in; ask what can be IN you!


And I'd like to participate this year as well. The X-
as thing, not the Shawnee thing. hehe

me too.

Cellar field of 64 for optional Christmas theme :)

--My recipient didn't get a cock related item either, although I did.

Who you callin' an X-ass?

I'm fine with theme or no theme...but what is field of 64? :blush: I was born in 64, but in a hospital, not a field. As far as they've told me.

Me too. I'm in.
Seconded.

Still, what does field of 64 mean?

Nothing wrong with an optional theme, it seemed like last year some had fun with it and some went their own way with it.

I'm a noob, though, so whatever y'all think.

These:

http://cellar.org/search.php?searchid=1250801

Ohhh...those look like fun! Thanks!

Well if we're going through a whole field of 64, and still leaving time for cheap international shipping, I say we get the ball rolling. LabRat, are you officially moderating this year then?

If no one objects, I'll gladly do it. We could do a CFO16 to make it go quicker. . . or just post a poll of the first 10 or 12 suggested themes. We could have that done in under a week.

Yeah that might be a good idea... coming up with 64 candidates seems daunting.


Another question: Will CFOx voting be limited to thost participating in the exchange?

Maybe we could do a different thread in Meta "Secret Santa 2008"? For the practicalities of the gift exchange and the theme ideas could go here?

Wha Wha What the hell is all that jibberish? Look, I'm a guy tell me the limit and whoever I'm sending it too I don't have any idea what you are talking about.

LOL @ classic!

Me too! I'm not a guy, but I'm challenged in this area! Who do I got? Is there a theme? Where do I send the pron? That's all I need to know!