FlyerTalk Forums - JOIN IN - OFFICIAL 2012 Secret Santa Extravaganza!

Official 2012 Secret Santa Thread!

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HO HO HO,

Greetings from your Flyertalk Secret Santa coordinator William (wharvey).

I know some of you have been waiting for this thread…. Santa has been preoccupied with an upcoming move to the Athens, GA area since his partner just accepted an outstanding job there. Santa is hoping for a nice new full time job for himself for Christmas! :) So, if any of you know of anyone needing a senior HR professional, do let me know!

I am happy to step forward for YEAR 10 and coordinate this for the Flyertalk community. It is my small way to return something to this tremendous community! It is hard to believe it has been a decade since I first took on this experience!

This is the official thread for the 2012 Secret Santa Extravaganza. Any questions or comments should be limited to this thread or private messaged to me and no other threads should be started. Any private messages sent to me should have a subject of : <your FT handle> Secret Santa 2012. (and yes, you should replace “your FT handle” with your ACTUAL handle; that was an issue for some the last few years!) :)

I hope many of you choose to participate in this years’ event. I would love to have lots of new faces joining in the festivities. Take the challenge to "recruit" one new FTer to join in the festivities this year!

While you are thinking about what to get for your FT "friend", consider also purchasing a gift for a child or making a donation to your favorite charity. If you do not have a particular charity in mind, please consider a Flyertalk sanctioned charity, such as Kiva. Please do not use your Secret Santa gift as your donation.

Below are the rules for the 2012 Secret Santa event:

1. Any questions on the Secret Santa process should be directed to me via this thread or via private message (please do not use email). Subject should always be: <your FT handle> Secret Santa 2012. (and yes, you should replace “your FT handle” with your ACTUAL handle) :p I plan to respond through the PM system so make sure you have enabled that feature if you want to participate.

2. The expected limit on your gift purchase is $50 USD and does NOT include shipping, tracking and packaging costs. Of course, I am sure no one will mind gifts of higher value or certain paper from airlines and hotels that are "priceless". Understand that this is an estimate. I do ask that people view this as an "expected" level so that some people do not get disappointed. This has happened in the past. Again, this lower limit is exclusive of shipping and packaging costs. Also, plan to send something personal to people; NOT donations on their behalf to a charity organization.

CONTINUED FROM LAST SEVEN SEASONS: If you are interested, you may volunteer to be a Secret Santa for up to three different Flyertalkers. If you sign up for one, two or three... it means you will also have one, two or three FTers with your name... UNDERSTAND, there is no guarantee for you to be assigned more than one person. Santa reserves final decision rights on this plan!!

This is my tenth year of running Secret Santa. While my memory and files are good, know that it is possible you may get someone again that you had before… I try to cross check… but too many people are involved to be 100% perfect. Feel free to tell me that info if you remember... :)

CONTINUED BY POPULAR DEMAND: Ever wished you got a specific person as your Secret person to gift? Now is your chance. Again this year, you can "request" particular individuals you would like to get assigned to you for your gift buying. No guarantee... but I will do my best.

3. Secret Santas have the option of remaining anonymous. I will not disclose names nor addresses of anyone who participates to anyone other than their Secret Santa. I expect that any information you receive from me will not be shared with anyone else.

4. The coordinator assumes no responsibility for delivery or non-delivery of gifts. I want this to be fun and hope that everyone who participates will have fun and get into the holiday spirit. Understand, however, that failure to deliver will result in your being denied participation in future years. I highly recommend that you "track" your gifts so we do not have issues of people saying they do not receive gifts you say you shipped. HSXAgent, DEVIS, MarySunshine, Tfmpa, Jim_USAIR, Icorproadie, Adam100, Tokyotraveler, Mrstaralliance, Phoenixdude and Woodyth are on Santa’s bad boy list for failing to deliver gifts in the past even though they received gifts… so they will not be allowed to participate this year. In addition, delivering gifts more than 6 months after the holiday does not count as delivering. This has happened in the past, even to me. Everyone has a right to expect a gift during the holiday season. If you cannot commit to this, do not participate. I also highly recommend that you include a delivery verification mechanism when you ship, that takes care of a lot of problems we have had in the past.

5. You must be registered on Flyertalk.com at the time you send your private message. IF you are a lurker, you must register on Flyertalk.com before becoming a Secret Santa participant. You may also want to click and post in the ""Who We Are" thread and introduce yourself to the Flyertalk Community and give your Santa some clues.

6. Deadline to participate is December 1st, 2012 at 5 pm Athens, Georgia USA time. If you wish to participate, you MUST send a PRIVATE MESSAGE to me through the FT system. Subject Line: <your FT handle> Secret Santa 2012. For example, it should say "wharvey Secret Santa 2012". In this private message, you must provide the following information and PLEASE answer the questions in the order provided below as that will help me input the data into my tracking documents. In fact, please just copy the questions below into the private message window and answer the questions. I make no promises of anyone getting into the process if they miss this date and do not follow the process as detailed.

a. Your full name (first and last name):

b. Your FULL mailing address for your gift. This address should be one where you can receive a package in December.

c. Your email address (must be verifiable):

d. Your Flyertalk handle:

e. Your Gender:

f. Maximum number of times you wish to participate: (1, 2, 3):

g: Specific FTer (if any) you would like assigned to you:

h: Specific FTer(s) you have been assigned in the past:

i. Some facts about yourself that might help your Secret Santa shop for your gift. Please make sure they are helpful hints... (DO not be shy... is there something particular you would like to get? From a particular airline, hotel, specific travel product?) Please provide real hints/clues to people about yourself.

j: Your favorite airline, hotel, rental car programs:

k. A "Yes" or "No" as to whether or not you are willing to send a gift outside your country. If at all possible, please be willing to ship out of your own country... especially for USA residents.

AGAIN, please help Santa out by using the SUBJECT LINE as requested.

If I receive enough participants early on, I may go ahead and match up members so you can get a head start on your gift buying. I would then provide a second match-up after the December 1st deadline. Santa has to get his rest in before the mad rush of the holiday season!

Please be sure to read Santa updates throughout this thread!!! I also encourage you to have fun and post in this thread often... tell us what you have gotten in the past, the fun you are having buying, anything related to this holiday event!

To read threads from previous years:

2011 Official Secret Santa Thread

2010 Official Secret Santa Thread

2009 Official Secret Santa Thread

2008 Official Secret Santa Thread

2007 Official Secret Santa Thread

2006 Official Secret Santa Thread

2005 Official Secret Santa Thread

2004 Official Secret Santa Thread

2003 Official Secret Santa Thread

I am glad to step forward again this year and be your Secret Santa coordinator and hope you find it to be another wonderful experience of this great Flyertalk community.

NOTE: Do make sure you check in on this thread often... Santa announcements often get made here... and I do not want you to miss any of the updates!

William