Minimum - The higher minimum should be set at $20 not including shipping. I do not care if some other people received more high valued gifts than others, but that is what makes the SS awesome. On another forum, i sent out 100 dollars worth of stuff and received back a 20 dollar chipotle card and the zombie survival guide. Did i care. No because I go something in return and the guy sent the card after searching for what i like on the forums.
Shipping - I believe this year my shipping was more than the gifts but that is ok because that is what i knew would happen shipping later. TRACKING NUMBERS must be a must!!! There is no reason not to use FEDEX or UPS. You want screwy tracking, then use USPS.
Shipping should not be done no later than 1-2 weeks before December 24. I myself shipped out on that week but i paid for next day.
The tracking for international is obviously exempt but a receipt and eta from the shipping company should be requested.
I am not fond of splitting people into groups simply because that pretty narrows the pool of potential SS.
Here are the rules of hardforum
[H]ardForums 2009 Secret Santa Frequently Asked Questions
What is the [H] Secret Santa?
[H]ardForum’s Secret Santa is like any other Secret Santa event you might participate in, the only difference being the gifts are mailed to the recipients.
How do I enter into [H] Secret Santa?
PM your Real Name, Phone Number, Address, and YES/NO on willingness to ship internationally to our friends in foreign countries to NotSoSimple. If you would also like to provide your services as a “backup” Santa for someone receiving the shaft of the candy cane from some cheap bastard, please indicate so in your post. It is also helpful to include your hobbies or other interests to help the gift purchasing process.
How do I find what my person wants?
Try doing a search on your person’s user name. See where they post most often, and try to gain a feeling of what they enjoy doing. Most posts in Gaming? Get them something gaming related. Lots of posts in Entertainment Media? See what shows they post about and try to find something related. Do a little research and make the gifts a little more personal. Note, if you feel your Secret Santa won’t be able to get a good feel of what you enjoy, be a little descriptive in your entry post about your interests, t-shirt size, hobbies, job, ETC.
How much should my gift be? Can we re gift?
We try to keep the gifts at least $15, but that is just a guideline. You are more than welcome to provide a gift that costs more than that as you see fit, and many of us do. We usually try to stay away from re gifting but some members have re gifted by sending unused and unopened products.
Where are some good places to buy gifts?
www.thinkgeek.com, www.jinx.com, and www.newegg.com are good places for t-shirts and geeky gifts that most people around here would enjoy. These are only suggestions, and you’re free to find whatever gifts you want from wherever. Also local gifts that are unique to your location tend to be a hit; Chocolates from Austria, Maple Syrup from Canada, etc. Also feel free to take a look at last years picture thread for ideas.
How should I ship my gift?
It’s recommended that you ship your gift with some sort of tracking and delivery confirmation, to avoid any sort of confusion about the gifts. In previous years, several people didn’t ship, and others were kind enough to jump in and provide gifts when those who were supposed to didn’t follow through with their commitment. We’d like to avoid that and have everyone receive a gift.
When should I submit my name for entry?
Sign Upsare now open. In previous years we started on a designated date, but this year I am trying something different. To sign up send a PM to NotSoSimple with the appropriate information.
When should I ship my package by?
Gifts should be shipped appropriately to compensate for holiday shipping rushes, depending on which service is used. Packages should be shipped by December 10th, with all possible attempts to avoid shipping later, to have the person receive their gift available to open on or before the Christmas holiday.
When can I sign up?
Sign ups will begin immediately. I will close the sign ups November 23rd to give me time to match everyone and make sure everyone gets a gift.
What do you mean by Shipping International and Backup?
Since this is a global forum, we have members from all around the world. If you are willing to ship international, please let me know in your PM. As for being a backup, this is a just an in case option. If for some reason one member is not able to deliver his/her gift I will ask one of the volunteers if they would be able to provide a gift for them.
What do I do when I receive my gift?
Usually everyone takes picture(s) of your gift(s) and posts them in this thread: The OFFICIAL [H] Secret Santa 2009 Picture Thread
I hear there is a blacklist…
Last year we had several problems with people who committed to shipping gifts and never did. This is unfair as they received a gift but did not give back. If you come into extenuating circumstances, please do not hesitate to let me know ASAP. That way I can either help you out or find another member to help. Please only use this option if you have to. If you do not ship a gift, you will be placed on the blacklist and unable to participate in future years.
What happens if I cannot participate after all?
Due to the increasing amount of people backing out, there is a new rule. If you sign up and then cannot, you are able to back out BEFORE the sign up date. If you back out AFTER the sign up date you will be automatically blacklisted. The reason behind the harsh policy is due to the work involved. After the sign up date is closed I make matches for everyone. So when you back out I have a person without a gift coming, and more than likely a gift coming to you already. So then I have to go through and make sure your gift is canceled, and everyone gets settled and re-matched.
Do I reveal myself when I send my gift?
This is completely up to you. Most retailers (if drop shipping) allow you to send your item with a personal greeting. This can be a great time to place a personalized message and reveal yourself. Otherwise you can remain completely anonymous. However please be advised I do reveal the matching after everyone has received their gift.
