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| Author | Message |
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John
  
 
| #1 posted November 4, 2009 at 4:04pm (EST)
edited January 29, 2010 at 4:31pm (EST) |
Let It Begin!
Signups are CLOSED!
Secret Santa 2009 completed!! Thanks to all those who participated!!
Well folks, it is time for the GameTZ Secret Santa! CygnusTM used to organize this event years ago, but starting last year I volunteered to run it and people seemed to be cool with that, so that's the way it is. Thanks to Cygnus, I have been able to take his old code and modify it a bit for us to continue to use on my own server -- so we can keep signups very similar to what people are used to. (For those of you doing this for the first time, just follow the instructions below).
Once again, we will be using a subtime "bond" (10-20 weeks of subtime) to encourage people to follow through on sending. If someone gets stiffed on a gift, at least they will get something. Any subscriber without a BTR is eligible to sign up. If you don't have at least a Silver Star ( ), you will have to put up double the bond.
This year, we are allowing people anywhere in the world to participate! If you are in from outside the USA, you mark the "Outside USA" checkbox when you sign up. Anyone from outside the USA must be willing to ship anywhere in the world. Users in the USA that are willing to ship anywhere in the world should mark the "Ship Anywhere" checkbox in your account settings and you may be partnered with someone outside the USA.
Everyone must put up 10 weeks subtime as a bond (20 weeks if less than a Silver Star ()). If you don't have that much, then you can buy subtime from the site or make your own arrangements with another user. Bonds will ONLY be returned directly to you. If someone else puts up your bond for your account, it does not matter to me and I won't get involved -- the bond will still be returned to you (or kept if you do not provide your gift). Participants will get their bond back in full when your partner marks their gift as received. Bonds should be sent to me (John) and I will hold them until your partner receives their gift. You can use this link to transfer Subtime to me.
Signups are open now and will continue until Friday, November 13th at 1pm Eastern. Partners will then be assigned and mailed out. Items must be received by Friday, December 18. At that time, anyone who hasn't received will receive one-fifth of his/her Santa's subtime bond. If a gift still isn't received after one week (December 25), then another one-fifth will be awarded. If yet another week passes (January 1), then the remaining subtime bond will be sent. Sending and receiving will be tracked through the signup site. It is very important that you update the site as soon as you send and receive so the subtime bond can be handled appropriately.
The target gift value is $10-20 US. Gifts MUST be worth at least $10 US not including shipping. Every effort should be made to send a complete item. If you are sending something used, it should be complete and in at least "very good" condition. This is not a way to unload your unwanted crap.
Tips:
 Look at your partner's wants and check his/her lists and posts. Put the same effort into selecting a gift for your partner that you would want someone else to put into yours.
If your partner has inadequate "wants", don't just give up and stiff him/her. Just get a gift card to Walmart or something like that.
Make sure you provide adequate "wants" for your Santa. There should be at least 4-5 things on your list that fit in the target range.
When you get assigned a partner, go out right away, get something and send it. Immediately.
If, before signing up, you already have something picked out to send to your partner, don't bother signing up. You just don't get it.
You can't re-use your account from last year -- you need to create a new one.
WARNING
People suck. Despite our best efforts, people might still get stiffed. If you don't intend to follow through on your commitment here, please do not sign up.
Please keep discussions in this thread about the SS only, so things get don't out of hand like in the past. Off-topic posts may be removed!
Signup at http://gtzss.thegypsy.com and send your subtime bond to me. Just posting here will not get you in. If you just post here and say "I'm in!", that really doesn't mean a thing! You must go to the Secret Santa site and sign up! Please use your GameTZ username when you signup. (You can use whatever password you want, of course, it doesn't have to be the same as here.) This makes it easier for your Santa to find your list.
When you get your gift, post here and log in to http://gtzss.thegypsy.com and indicate that you have received.
This graphic will track who has signed up [Note: now a static image since this SS is over.]:
- John...
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millenium_dare
  
| #41 posted November 4, 2009 at 6:54pm (EST)
edited November 4, 2009 at 6:57pm (EST) |
Bond was sent earlier, just signed up and made my profile 
edit: btw, and I'm not sure if this has been discussed in the past, but are we able to count this secret santa exchange as a trade?
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Windmill
 
 
| | #42 posted November 4, 2009 at 7:00pm (EST) |
Aww, thats a shame, US and Canada only 
My Games-I-am-buying-list |
darkslime
 
| | #43 posted November 4, 2009 at 7:03pm (EST) |
Signed up and sent bond
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Check out the Sell it now/Buy it now forum! http://gametz.com/forum/USER%3A111575 |
Chadical
 
| | #44 posted November 4, 2009 at 7:11pm (EST) |
I'm gonna have to get the bond right on the 13th since my new job doesn't pay till then. I'm really looking forward to this though.
 |
Jebus
| | #45 posted November 4, 2009 at 7:19pm (EST) |
Signed up, Bond sent |
CenturionElite
 
| | #46 posted November 4, 2009 at 7:21pm (EST) |
Signed up and send bond
 Now Playing: Ratchet and Clank: Crack in Time, Ballad of Gay TonyOderint Dum Metuant: "Let Them Hate So Long As They Fear" |
zenon_k
| | #47 posted November 4, 2009 at 8:09pm (EST) |
Windmill wrote:
> Aww, thats a shame, US and Canada only
>
>
I wouldn't mind shipping outside of NA. You should add an option for NA users who wouldn't mind shipping outside NA, so that they could match up with non NA users who would still like to do this.
Either way, I'll sign up later and send over bond (once I can get the sub time that is :P)
^Art Forum^
76-37 Predicting MMA
| *Stoned = This messege was writeen when I was blazed, so if it makes 0 sense, sorry :] |
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BJB
 
| | #48 posted November 4, 2009 at 8:14pm (EST) |
signed up. Sending bond right now
Promo Marketplace
http://gametz.com/forum/USER%3A114794
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sinnie
 
| | #49 posted November 4, 2009 at 8:42pm (EST) |
My password doesn't seem to be working, can you send it to me or reset my account or something?
Steam: looneypumpkin |
ryanflucas
 
| | #50 posted November 4, 2009 at 9:12pm (EST) |
sinnie wrote:
> My password doesn't seem to be working, can you send it
> to me or reset my account or something?
Me too.  |
John
| | #51 posted November 4, 2009 at 9:31pm (EST) |
millenium_dare wrote:
> edit: btw, and I'm not sure if this has been discussed in the past,
> but are we able to count this secret santa exchange as a trade?
Yes, we allowed this last year after everything was over and people knew who their SS was.
- John...
Secret Santa 2009 has begun! |
John
| | #52 posted November 4, 2009 at 9:31pm (EST) |
PengWIN wrote:
> There was nothing fake about it. I was going to use it.
Then read the instructions which say to make an account with the same name as your username here as to not confuse your SS partner. Yours certainly wasn't PengWIN.
- John...
Secret Santa 2009 has begun! |
John
| | #53 posted November 4, 2009 at 9:32pm (EST) |
ryanflucas wrote:
> sinnie wrote:
>> My password doesn't seem to be working, can you send it
>> to me or reset my account or something?
>
> Me too.
I don't show accounts for either of you. Did you create accounts? There was a problem earlier, but I'm hoping that I fixed it. Let me know if it said that you were successful in creating them and they still didn't show up. Thanks.
- John...
Secret Santa 2009 has begun! |
Grimlock
| | #54 posted November 4, 2009 at 9:32pm (EST) |
John wrote:
> PengWIN wrote:
>> There was nothing fake about it. I was going to use it.
>
> Then read the instructions which say to make an account with the same
> name as your username here as to not confuse your SS partner. Yours
> certainly wasn't PengWIN.
>
I was going to change my username here to abc12345. |
John
| | #55 posted November 4, 2009 at 9:43pm (EST) |
zenon_k wrote:
> Windmill wrote:
>> Aww, thats a shame, US and Canada only
>
> I wouldn't mind shipping outside of NA. You should add an option for
> NA users who wouldn't mind shipping outside NA, so that they could
> match up with non NA users who would still like to do this.
Sorry, but we've just decided to not do it. We've been doing this for years and have learned a lot from experience -- and it simply rarely worked out before with non-NA people.
We've even tried just US and "everyone else" (including Canada) -- and even that did not go well.
So, for now, I'm simply not going to do it.
- John...
Secret Santa 2009 has begun! |
John
| | #56 posted November 4, 2009 at 9:46pm (EST) |
PengWIN wrote:
> John wrote:
>> PengWIN wrote:
> |>> There was nothing fake about it. I was going to use it.
>>
>> Then read the instructions which say to make an account with the
> same
>> name as your username here as to not confuse your SS partner.
> Yours
>> certainly wasn't PengWIN.
>>
>
> I was going to change my username here to abc12345.
Oh -- no problem then. I've made that change for you. You're welcome.
- John...
Secret Santa 2009 has begun! |
Grimlock
| | #57 posted November 4, 2009 at 9:48pm (EST) |
Thanks, bro. |
willyum
| | #58 posted November 4, 2009 at 9:58pm (EST) |
Signed up and bond sent. Hopefully I don't get a deadbeat this year.
 |
Grimlock
| | #59 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:00pm (EST) |
Can I pick my person? |
John
| | #60 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:01pm (EST) |
No. Of course not. Hence, Secret Santa.
- John...
Secret Santa 2009 has begun! |
Grimlock
| | #61 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:02pm (EST) |
John.
I think I would do willyum justice by being an awesome partner. |
willyum
| | #62 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:09pm (EST) |
Anyone is fine, as long as they don't stiff their partner.
The first time I did this (2007) I went all out: I bought Starcraft Battle Chest, Shaun of the Dead, and a webcam for my partner. And then they stiffed the person they were supposed to send to. I felt so bad... >_<
But the second time (2008) worked well; I bought my partner some  games.
So here's hoping this will go good.
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SEspo
| #63 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:10pm (EST)
edited November 4, 2009 at 10:10pm (EST) |
I think you had me last year actually? |
Grimlock
| | #64 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:10pm (EST) |
That's well above 10-20. What's the average? |
Knight
| | #65 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:13pm (EST) |
20$
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BJB
| | #66 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:14pm (EST) |
there is no average. There have been incidents where people have recieved xbox 360s and incidents where people have recieved crappy candy. It depends on your partner and how awesome he/she is
Promo Marketplace
http://gametz.com/forum/USER%3A114794
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willyum
| | #67 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:15pm (EST) |
SEspo wrote:
> I think you had me last year actually?
Yep; though I don't remember what I got you. Hopefully it was to your liking.
The first year I did this I had Abstrakt23.
> That's well above 10-20. What's the average?
That's a good question. I like to spend more because I find it easier to spend money on gifts for other people than for myself. Although I -do- spoil myself too (Dragon Age CE).
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Outinthedark
| | #68 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:20pm (EST) |
Bond sent and edit worked perfectly this time around. Thanks John! :D
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Knight
| | #69 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:22pm (EST) |
Everything worked perfect the first time for me.
--
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zenon_k
| | #70 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:26pm (EST) |
10-20 is suggested. I'd say anything under 10 bucks what make you seem pretty fudgein douchey (and violating the rules posted above). Anything over is fair game if you'd like. I am saving up quarters right now and spending that on my partner (Should be well over 15 bucks at the very least).
^Art Forum^
76-37 Predicting MMA
| *Stoned = This messege was writeen when I was blazed, so if it makes 0 sense, sorry :] |
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sinnie
| | #71 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:47pm (EST) |
ah, I assumed it saved the info from last year. But I'll create the account. I got confused because my browser remembered the login/password 
Steam: looneypumpkin |
TerrHeel
| | #72 posted November 4, 2009 at 10:55pm (EST) |
Signed up and subtime sent. Looking forward to this! |
RivalShadeX
| | #73 posted November 4, 2009 at 11:19pm (EST) |
Signed Up and sent subtime. |
citizen_zane
| | #74 posted November 4, 2009 at 11:36pm (EST) |
Last year was my first time participating. I not only bought a game that my partner wanted, but I also checked his wanted list here on gametz and sent him a few things out of my collection. I hope I can hook someone else up nicely again this year.
ಠ_ಠ |
hamsterbater
| | #75 posted November 4, 2009 at 11:56pm (EST) |
signed up and bond sent 
 |
beardsleybob
| | #76 posted November 5, 2009 at 12:09am (EST) |
Secret Santa exists in other continents you know? |
Gonchi
| | #77 posted November 5, 2009 at 12:20am (EST) |
Really? I thought all us foreigners were heathens.
Maybe we could organize a Not-Very-Secret-Santa between the three or four of us non-North-Americans. |
emoryarts
| | #78 posted November 5, 2009 at 12:46am (EST) |
willyum wrote:
> Anyone is fine, as long as they don't stiff their partner.
>
> The first time I did this (2007) I went all out: I bought Starcraft
> Battle Chest, Shaun of the Dead, and a webcam for my partner. And
> then they stiffed the person they were supposed to send to. I felt
> so bad... >_<
>
> But the second time (2008) worked well; I bought my partner some
> games.
>
> So here's hoping this will go good.
>
Umm.. John, can I send extra subtime to ensure Will is my secret santa? |
emoryarts
| | #79 posted November 5, 2009 at 12:50am (EST) |
Also, got my account working now. And sent my bond several hours ago. |
zenon_k
| | #80 posted November 5, 2009 at 1:16am (EST) |
Gonchi wrote:
> Really? I thought all us foreigners were heathens.
>
> Maybe we could organize a Not-Very-Secret-Santa between the three
> or four of us non-North-Americans.
If enough people were to want to do one I'm sure one could be set up. I'd join in on it.
^Art Forum^
76-37 Predicting MMA
| *Stoned = This messege was writeen when I was blazed, so if it makes 0 sense, sorry :] |
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