It's that time of year again. The holidays are approaching.
I thought I would take the time to remind you of the Secret Santa present exchange and the Blog Ornament Exchange. If I had the money, I'd do both of them or just one if I could. At the moment, I just can't. 
It's wait and see and maybe next year for me.
Some people have had bad encounters with these things and some people have had good encounters. All I can say is try if you can afford it. I did Secert Santa twice. One year was great and the other one wasn't so good.
My story for last year's Secreat Santa, the one I was burned one: the girl I got was given plenty of time to get her Amazon wishlist in order. The day I get my person, I want to get the gift ASAP so they can get it ASAP. She had only ONE item under the price limit. So, I got her that inexpensive book PLUS another inexpensive book. Or as she said, "It only bugs me because I had put the item on my list because for the ring you need something that costs less than 10." She was about to become a teacher and I thought these books would be perfect for her. Teachers like having books to read to their students to entertain them, or the did least when I was in school. And let me tell you, paperbacks aren't cheap at all. I spent as much as I could on the girl.
Little ungrateful 
complained on her site that she got a crappy gift. I was hurt and I wanted to ring her neck via the computer if I could. After the gift exchange, I checked her site to see if she took back her remark. She said nothing. I gave it a week before I said this and may I NEVER have to encounter her again. I still remember her URL so if I ever did run into her on the 'Net again, I'm turning away from her. I still remember her URL. It was at a free online diary site and the member name is one word, so it wasn't that hard to remember.
You know, I guess I could have e-mailed her about hurting my feelings but I didn't. I wasn't in the mood at the time to be confrontational about it. 
Posted by Shawn at November 6, 2003 6:53 PM in Entertainment.
That's one reason why I avoid things like "Secret Santa" like the plague. People will never be satisfied even if you get them what they supposedly want. Besides, I'd rather give gifts to people I actually care about. (Not that giving to strangers is a bad thing, but in this day in age, I'm skeptical about everyone.) Well, here's hoping that you do get a better person if you do decide to try the gift exchange again.
Posted by: sya at November 6, 2003 9:40 PMMy team does a Secret Santa thing. It's probably the only SS thing I will take part in. As long as budget parameters are set and you sort of know each person in the group, it isn't so bad. Then again, I say this because our team is small so I know a little bit about each athlete--enough to get something tasteful within the budget that they will actually like.
That kind of thing only works when you have a really small group like my team. Otherwise, I agree...I'd avoid SS at almost any cost.
Posted by: misbah kyrene at November 6, 2003 10:27 PMI woulda cyber bitch slapped her. She should be glad she got anything at all and it was HER fault she didn't have anything else on her list. So screw her!!
Posted by: Dragon at November 6, 2003 11:59 PMI did the ornament exchange last year and the secret santa the past two years... the first year, I got a nice thank you and last year the person didn't even acknowledge the gift.
As for the ornament exchange last year, it rocked!!! I actually exchanged with three different people and it was awesome!
The ornaments themselves, one was made and two were store bought but for less than 10 dollars each.
As much as you want to do it, being a student you can't really afford it, right? But you have a big heart and a good nature, Shawn, and in my book, that counts for something.
Misbah reminded me last night about Christmas cards... I hadn't even thought of them yet. LOL... guess I'd better start!
Posted by: Tammtamm at November 7, 2003 8:38 AMWarning - long comment about the Secret Santa phenomenon. Figured it was best to keep it all in one post! 
Actually, the budget parameters for the Secret Santa online was $15.00. Why she didn't have anything under that, I don't know. And yes Trish, I do blame her. You had a day or two between sign-ups closing and the organizers sending you the e-mail all about your person. I didn't even sign up the first time without placing a few items in the price range on the list. It's not that hard, is it?
The one thing she wanted was about $24.00. Excuse me, you don't enter a Secret Santa with the limit of $15.00 and assume you are going to get a Sugar Daddy like this girl did, I think. Most people that signed up for it are just 20-something kids that are still in school or are just making it in the real world. They can't afford to get you a $24.00 Paul Revere book, but they can get you that $13.49 Life for Rent by Dido.
I can say I wasn't burned by the people that did get me. They got me a few CDs I wanted by to hesitant to buy: Incubus Morning View & Matchbox Twenty More Than You Think You Are. And, I made sure I thanked them via e-mail, at least. That girl last year didn't even bother to thank me. The girl the year before did thank me.
I am not mad at the Secret Santa people. I think the idea between that and the Ornament Exchange are great. I think it's a great way to meet people, so long as they aren't ingrates like last year's girl. Or you get a no-show like Christine had last year.
At least I can say I had one great experience with secret Santa. I did it twice in fourth grade. In Girl Scouts, I got decorative Avon soap. That's nice when you are 20, not 10. Nicki also go it, since we got the other set of sisters in the troop and they got us. I still love the people that gave us the soap but I never forget that one. In the school section of secret Santa, I got some Love's Baby Soft perfume. While that wasn't cheap, I wanted a toy. I just couldn't get into wearing the perfume at that age.
I also did it in 12th grade in Peer Helping. The girl I got for that, I made sure I gave her some nice pig gifts. The girl had a pet pig and I thought the pig motive would fit her. I made sure they were cute pigs. 
Well, at first, the exchange when well with the $3.00 items. A nice little cassette carrying case the first day and a inexpensive dollar store Christmas mug the next. It's not the price so much but the thought that counts (Quality doesn't hurt, either). However, I was burned on the big $6.00 gift. I don't think I can fault the kid all the way. He forgot it the first day and when I went to get it the next day, it was in the counselor's office. All that was in it was a dollar store heart box and some cheap candy, that I can remember. The bag was too big for the gift. Part of me thinks someone walked into the office and help themselves to the gift before I got there at the end of the day for my scheduled office time. Whatever happened, I did feel cheated.
Is it that's hard to buy for me?!
Tammy, do you know your ingrate? I'll share mind if you remember yours. 
And Christmas cards, let me think about those around Turkey Day.
Posted by: Shawn at November 7, 2003 9:57 AMThere is an Internet Secret Santa?
Boy am I outta the loop.
Posted by: Michael at November 7, 2003 2:45 PM
