wharvey

Official 2007 Secret Santa Thread!

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HO HO HO,

Greetings from your 2007 Flyertalk Secret Santa coordinator William (wharvey).

I am happy to step forward and coordinate this for the Flyertalk community. It is my small way to return something to this community!

As I did last year, I am starting the process early. I will be in New Zealand for our anniversary a few weeks in November compliments of United Airlines (The OFFICIAL Airline of Santa and his corporate staff - elves and reindeer). As such, I want to get ahead of the game.

This is the official thread for the 2007 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 2007.

I hope many of you choose to participate in this years’ event.

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. Please do not use your Secret Santa gift as your donation.

Below are the rules for the 2007 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 2007. 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 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. Please plan to spend at LEAST $35 on your gift 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 TWO 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!!

NEW FOR THIS YEAR: Ever wished you got a specific person as your Secret person to gift? Now is your chance. 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 Santa has 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. Jim_USAIR, Icorproadie, Adam100, Tokyotraveler, Mrstaralliance and Phoenixdude 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 4 months after the holiday does not count as delivering. Everyone has a right to expect a gift during the holiday season.

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 post in the "Who We Are" thread to introduce yourself to the community. That thread can be found at:

Who We Are Thread

6. Deadline to participate is December 1st, 2007 (Medway, MA date) at 5 pm Boston 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 2007. 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 forms. In fact, please just copy the questions below into the private message window and answer the questions.

a. Your full name (first and last name)

b. Your 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 you would like assigned to you:

h. No more than three facts about yourself that might help your Secret Santa shop for your gift. Please make sure they are helpful hints...

i. 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!!!

To read threads from previous years:

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.

William

wharvey

This post is where I will list all the members who are choosing to participate in Secret Santa.

If you are on this list, it means I received a Private Message from you that met the requirements.

This list reflects all Private Messages I have received that met the requirements as of the edit date at the bottom of this post. If you think you should be on this list, please re-Private Message me your information.

Thanks,

Santa

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Aerotec
Aidanc
Alysia
Amrivilin
Appletom
Belfastflyer
Billscann
Bk3day
Bpoleary
Braefoot
Canndlewic
Cathe
CentralPark
Cheapsk8
Chefcaw
Chgoeditor
Ckidder331
Climbguy
Clinto
Cordelli
Daringdoo
Dcstudent
Debua1k
Delacpa
Derek
Devis
Dhammer53
Dmfriedman
Elll
EricJay
Erikatcuse
Flyingzzzd's
Flygirl555
Geogirl
Gj83
Gomike
Holmedown
Hsxagent
Idealflyer
Izzik
Jason8612
Jeffie
JimJ321
Jmsoros
Joporto
Jordieboy
Jumpgate
Karenkay
Kevinsac
KimmyAA
Kipper
KSinNYC
Ladiflier
Lalala
Magiciansampras
Mary2e
Marysunshine
Michellemck99
Missydarlin
Mke-MR
Mrp Alert
Nwa747snn
ORDBoyInLAX
Owlchick
Paella747
Peteropny
Purpleeagl
Ralfkrippner
Redreeper
Rkt10
Rosebud9802
Sandyweb33
Scoow
Seeksreal
ShaneCulver
Shaunco
Shisochou
SkAAtinsteph
Skiadcock
Spiff
Ss255
Ssullivan
Sweet Willie
Tashabelle
Tfmpa
The_traveler
Thelark
Timp
UAX@SFO
UCbeau
UVA185
Violist
Wainwright
Wharvey
Yosithezet
Zazu0526

wharvey

HOLD for *future* Santa Announcements

Sweet Willie

I am NOT missing out on this year!!

FT can get clicky at times so I will not prefer to give to a certain FT'er, don't quite understand this one FWIW, as if you want to give a gift to a certain FT'er why not just do it.

Anyways expect a pm shortly with all the particulars you are asking for.

Thanks again for your undertaking of this^

--

gdeluca

Very exciting for a newbie and I thank you,

g

Derek

Yippee! This is so much fun. For those who have never done it, it really is great fun trying to find something special for someone you don't know and only have a few clues about.... and though I have been given wonderful, very thoughtful gifts, I still get more out of searching for a special gift that will make someone smile at christmas. Thank you William for taking this on every year!

the_traveler

I have not participated in previous years, but I plan to start this year!

William - In your listing #6, you said
By any chance - should that be

delacpa

You CANNOT be serious........ I haven't even put away my summer stuff yet

But obviously as in previous years, I will be participating

GoingAway

Thanks, William - it's a great service you do for FT and as others said, a lot of fun to participate.

holmedown

Count me in again, and I know I am not alone in thanking you for organizing this again. PM to follow

BelfastFlyer

excellent, count me in

wharvey

Santa is making a note that the_traveler indicates Santa was WRONG... and we know, he is NEVER wrong....

Thanks for catching that.

Of the seven PMs I have received, only one actually put 2006 in the title....

the_traveler

Oh NO - I would NEVER question Santa! He could not ever be wrong! (Besides, I don't want that lump of coal! )

I know it was because the walrus heard "2006" from an "informed source" and called the polar bear, who then wrote to the reindeer, who told the elf that was refueling him, and he ran it through the legal department before they FAXed it to Santa! Then (of course) the publisher messed it up!

But it was not Santa's fault!

Marysunshine

I wasted no time in sending a pm. This will be my fourth time and it's fun every single time.^

missydarlin

YAY! I'm in