General

I should find out in at least 48 hours how my interview went and if they'll offer me a job or not and then I'll go from there whether or not I can participate.

HybridCRoW wrote:

I hope you are able to make it! Good luck with the job

I'm In.

In!

Count Me in Frank been waiting to bless my santa this year.

HEHEHATE wrote:

Since this will be your first, I strongly urge you to read up on the rules (both mine and Johns).

Happy to see that Gold star of yours, congrats!

Frank wrote:

Did @John posts the normal one yet?

HEHEHATE wrote:

Nope not yet

im down for this again

I’d like to be part of this one this time ☺️

Sign me up.

Im in

Keep them coming guys the more the merrier

I'm just going to go ahead and tag the active members who participated during the summer or last winter to see who else would like in. If you can think of someone else who would be interested feel free to let them know

@Boss @Dsbaum454 @frozyre @gameremporium @Gypsy @John @Kommie @nonamesleft @ryanflucas @Steelpen2

I'm in.

Hi, everyone! I am in!

Everyone who followed the sign-up procedure, check your icons.

@Frank appreciate the tag. I've been spending like crazy lately, but still might be able to do this. I'll be running right up against the window to sign-up to see if I can make it work.

Sent you a PM, it was a lot of fun last time I joined.

Everyone should be signed up!

Damn, I can't believe this is the 12th Secret Santa I've hosted. These years have really flown by.

I'm in

@Frank appreciate the tag. I would like to participate but you made this Gold Star level again. Last year it was only Bronze Star.

Steelpen2 wrote:

Ah that's true. Last year for the Holiday I lowered it to Bronze, and then this summer automatically changed it back to Gold out of habbit. I'm sorry about that Geoff.

I'd offer to change the rules, but with only 6 days left of signups, I don't feel that's very fair. Unless others feel like it's okay!

@Frank im cool with lowering to silver

@frank I’m cool with it as well!

Silver is fine.

Good to me. Silver is fine.

@Steelpen2 I'm changing it to Sliver. Make sure to send me your list and address to sign up!

I think we should delay the deadline for more people (including silver members) to join.

So far I haven't gotten any job offers. I had gotten to the final interview for one job but 3 days later the recruiting team gave me a cookie cutter "no" email.

I guess I will not be attending this one this time unless I by chance find out if I can get my old job back before then.

Dsbaum454 wrote:

I don't think a delay is necessary. I know when John hosts the regular exchange, sign-ups are typically much shorter. There's still 5 whole days for any other silver stars to sign up.

Almost forgot about this. I'm in if you'll have me.

KamenRIderVulcan wrote:

Just make sure to sign up

Frank wrote:
Just sent you the PM

Was John not doing the other SS?

sinnie wrote:

I thought he was.

I'm in

So far I'm still awaiting want lists from @Dsbaum454 @gameremporium @Heavyd814life @Kevster @ryanflucas @Shadowrunner @Tad

Please make sure to get those in soon, and not wait until the last second. Next year having your want list with your address will be required to sign up, just to prevent delays.

I'll get mine updated in a couple hours

I’ll have mine to you by the end of the day @Frank

I'm pretty happy with my wanted list now, added some more stuff and I'll probably add a couple more but I'm pretty much good to go.

Bostonitalian88 wrote:


I feel like the group should decide or frank alone since it's his event he's running. Wasn't really here for the stuff regarding Mike as it was before my time, but he's been a wonderful trader with me and issues if at all were resolved quickly. As long as the qualifications are meet I see no reason not to other than just harboring a grudge. My vote is yes, but i ultimately believe it's franks or the groups call here over anonymous up or down votes through members that may or may not be participating.

Sent a list sorry Ive been in and out of the hospital for the last month kidney issues

Bostonitalian88 wrote:

Never had an issue, its the holiday season lets us link hands and sing songs of joy

I feel like the guy that got the used candle and $1 dvds should have extra voting power.

HEHEHATE wrote:

I decided to let the community vote. I voted my opinion in his post.

In a situation like this, I felt it needed to be a community decision. I do it for you guys, so I want you to have a say.

Gypsy wrote:

I believe that was @Mattman2

Think you are right about that, it's been awhile. I realize that suggestion might read a little gruffly but I don't think it's unreasonable. If he is okay with it and BI promises to not do something like that again then sure but there were multiple instances of lets say odd behavior in community threads including the "give a steal get a steal" thread.

I always support Bostonitalian88. We literally have over 80 completed trades. I contacted and told him to use the wanted list. He should contact his partner if he is unsure about something.

Everyone deserves a second chance or even a third I suppose. It’s kind of a douche move tho, to short change your fellow GTZ’er when everyone else is being super considerate and generous towards their partner. With that said I’m ok with allowing Mike to participate.

Want list incoming later tonight.

While I may not be participating this time, I have been part of both HR and regular SS for a number of years and felt I should put my vote in.

I was there when the incident happened. I also vaguely remember there were issues with other events not related to HR SS or regular SS and that there were multiple chances given to do right and each time was blown.

I believe in giving second chances, but the saying goes "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." I'm going to vote no for this.

In the spirit of the holidays and the fact that people deserve a chance at redemption, I’m cool with BostonItalian88 taking part if the community wants him to. We’ve since buried the hatchet as it were and I feel like I doubt that as publicly documented as things were, it’d be stupid to fail to give a decent gift this time. With that being said I can totally see why people still wouldn’t want him to take part.

Long story short, I’m cool with it if y’all are.

EDIT: I mean… what I mean to say is, much like Han Solo,”I’ve got a bad feeling about this…”

FYI - I just suspended Bostonitalian88 for creating another account in order to the post he made above.

Sigh… zebra can’t change his stripes. Maybe we dodged a bullet.

yea anyone who bombed on a previous one need not apply.... glad bill caught that.

bill wrote:

This thread is truly the gift that keeps on giving. The fact that people were like "yeah sure why not" in the first place was a fudging riot, this is just the saltbae on top

bill wrote:

Thank you for letting us know Bill...

Yeah that's it, he gets no more chances. I tried to do what was right, and give the community a vote. Looks like he made that decision all by himself.

bill wrote:

I'm shocked

This has to be like the 10th shady thing this dude has done. Glad you don't have to deal with the headache @Frank

He messaged me privately asking for my support. Anyone else get one of those?

Everything that happened is unfortunate, but it is what it is. Hopefully, he's learned by now, when you are offered chances, don't try to manipulate the votes in your favor.

DMing people "asking for support" would have been enough on its own to throw the votes out the window. Don't take advantage of people's kindness!

I thought offering him the vote was the fairest thing to do. I hate that everyone isn't able to participate and follow the rules. This exchange was never meant to be exclusive in any capacity.

With all that said, thank you to everyone who has signed up and sent their lists. I've got all but one list in the spreadsheet, ready to go.

Hopefully, if anyone else signs up, they can provide their address and wants posthaste!

ryanflucas wrote:

Yeah same here, told me 4 times to make sure I plused his message. I probably should have known when he was super desperate for me to hit the plus.

I wonder how many people read that and hit the minus?

I unfiltered him just to neg the post.

Come on guys, you can neg if you like, no hard feelings, hit plus hit plus ffs hit plus. YES people hit plus, I'm in baby. But just in case, better make a dummy account to plus myself

What a fudging nincompoop. Course, after what he did and how many people were like "Ehhh let's see what happens", in a premium SS group, I'm not sure how much better some of y'all are either, to be fair. He woulda lit y'all asses up again, candle with NO wax, TWO Ghost CDs and a tootsie roll with a note that just said "GOTCHA, dog~"

A candle with no wax is just a stick.

Ugh I had no idea he messaged and I was like sure why not. My apologies

I miss Donlad. He would have asked for pulses.

Tad wrote:

If you don't pulse, that's a shoveling.

2 more days to sign up!

Gypsy wrote:

Cult of the flathead shuval!

Sorry, guys. I will have to withdraw from this year’s secret Santa due to money reasons.

I am in!

I'll likely be closing the sign-ups at midnight or tomorrow morning.

I would like to participate!

And with that, I'm going to close sign ups. I'll be getting partners assigned and sent out this afternoon.

Partners have all been sent out. Let the fun begin

gameremporium wrote:

That message was from the 9th...