2013 Brickset Secret Santa

CapnRex101

With Christmas fast approaching, I thought that now might be a good time to present an event being hosted here on the forum, the first ever Brickset Secret Santa!

Just in case anybody is not sure exactly what a Secret Santa is, here is a quick definition:

A system whereby each participant is randomly assigned another participant for whom to buy a Christmas present at an agreed cost, so that each member buys one present and receives one present.

The rules of the Brickset Secret Santa are as follows:

- The guide price for the cost of a gift is £15 or $20 (USD and CAD).
- Wish lists are welcome, so please send that with your initial message if you would like to include one, or simply make your Brickset 'wanted list' public.
- Please ensure that your gift is sent in time for Christmas, final posting dates for each country are available online.

To be a part of it is very simple:

- Sign up to be included by sending a PM with your username and mailing address to the organiser in your country.
- Your Brickset ID will then be entered into a draw.
- On the 26th of November names will be drawn.
- Within a day or two of the draw, everyone who entered will be PMed with the name and address of the person they have been assigned to buy a gift for.
- Purchase a gift, adhering to the cost guidelines.
- Send the gift, keeping in mind that it should arrive in time for Christmas.
- If all goes according to plan, everybody will receive their gift before Christmas!

The closing date for signing up to the Brickset Secret Santa 2013 is the 25th of November at 23:59 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).

For the sake of simplicity, it is probably best to keep each Secret Santa within the same country. So far, the event is taking place in the US (where @rocao is the contact), Canada (where @rancorbait is the contact) and the UK (where I am the contact). If anybody else wishes to sign up in another country, feel free to message either @rocao, @rancorbait or I, and hopefully we can get you in contact with some other people from close to you, or include you in the event of another country.

So, if you would like to be a part of the 2013 Brickset Secret Santa contact:

US - @rocao
Canada - @rancorbait
UK - @CapnRex101

If anybody has any problems, please contact us.

Thanks for reading!

SirKevbags

@CapnRex101 I can't start pm conversations but I'm in. Drop me a message and I'll reply.

@rancorbait can you please pm me on an un related topic please :-)

CCC

Are gifts only allowed to be new sealed sets, or can they be MOCs tailored to suit the receiver?

CapnRex101

@CCC - They can be just about anything, as long as they roughly correspond with the guide price, so MOCs are great!

TheOneVeyronian

Nice idea! Pm'ed you @CapnRex101 ;-)

Whoever has to buy for me is gonna have a hard job though ;-)

Bumblepants

Is the price guideline based on RRP or left up to discretion? I know we are just about all bargain hunters here and quite good at it so $20 could end up being a really wide range

CapnRex101

@Bumblepants - The guideline is left up to discretion really, if you can grab a $100 set for $20, that seems fine to me, everybody has roughly an equal chance of getting such a deal after all.

FrictionPin

This is a great idea, I'm in....PM sent to @rocao

augen

With so many bargains around lately, it'll be cool to see who gets the best set.

rancorbait

^ Even better would be to see who gives the best set ;-)

CCC

That kind of defeats the object of Secret Santa though.

MorkMan

2 questions for the group:
a) Do we reveal who "Santa" was at the end? Or does it/can it remain a Secret?
b) Do we open our gifts on Christmas or earlier?

rancorbait

^ I don't think it would matter as after everyone receives their gift they know who they got it from, obviously, and that its the only 'secret' part really. So I would say whichever you want, unless @CapnRex101 says otherwise...

Again, whichever you want, if you want open it as soon as you receive it, go ahead, and if you feel like waiting till Christmas, you can wait.

augen

rancorbait said:

^ I don't think it would matter as after everyone receives their gift they know who they got it from, obviously, and that its the only 'secret' part really. So I would say whichever you want, unless @CapnRex101 says otherwise...

In the UK, we can send gifts anonymously so there is no need to reveal your identity.

rancorbait

^ Alright, I'll leave it up to @CapnRex101 then :-)

oceanangel

oh this is cool. Im in. where do I post my want list?

CapnRex101

@MorkMan - I think it is up to the sender whether or not they would like to reveal who they sent to, and if a recipient really wants to know who sent their gift then I am happy to tell them. As for opening the present, when you do that is up to you.

@oceanangel - You can create a want list on the main Brickset site which can be accessed via your profile, alternatively, send a short list to your contact and it will be forwarded to whoever is sending your gift.

oceanangel

@capnrex101 thank you but it might be easier to do a don't want set lol

rocao

If you like, you can to pass along some criteria, inclusive or exclusive, in your registration message to me and I'll forward it to whomever your Santa ends up being. For instance "collect polybags, monthly mini-builds" "not interested in Star Wars", "make me something" etc.

CapnRex101

^ That sounds like a great idea, same case for me and (I presume) for @rancorbait.

rancorbait

^ Absolutely.

collect_that

@CapnRex101

Can you add me to the list please, I'm having the same PM problem as @SirKevbags. If you drop me PM I'll get back with my details unless you still have them from previous trades. :-)

SirKevbags

@collect_that keep trying mate. I appear to be cured.

khmellymel

This sounds like so much fun! And would likely be my only LEGO related gift, LOL. I'm in!

piratemania7

Thanks! Pm sent @rocao

Legogeek

Hi, I'm Mike & I'm anal..... 8-/

I want to join this fine endeavor, but my concern is that my recipient will want something HTF. Then what do I do? My resources for LEGO are the same as most other people. Given the short time frame to work with, it doesn't really leave much time to hunt things down if need be. I don't want to disappoint my recipient and send them something they could have got themselves at the corner store (unless that's what they asked for), and I don't want to come up empty handed and not be able to find something for someone.

Am I being too anal about this? Should I just go with it and not be so concerned. I know it's up to me, but curious to hear what others feel or think about this.

SirKevbags

@Legogeek don't over think it mate. Join up and enjoy the fun. It's always great getting a surprise in the mail regardless of what it is.

rancorbait

^ It is indeed!

@Legogeek - It is just intended to be fun, go on, jump in! :-)

Legogeek

@SirKevbags & @rancorbait - you guys are right of course. Like I said, I'm a bit anal and I guess I just needed someone to tell me to lighten-up a little! LOL

That said, I'm in and will send @rocao a pm later today.

slovakiasteph

Ooh fun! I participate in the Boardgamegeek SS each year (this is my 7th year), but I didn't know brickset had one. Will sign up!

BGG has a "Santa" user through which we login to "taunt" our "targets." :)

samiam391

Great idea @CapnRex101, signed up earlier. Whoever gets me as their secret santa better like minifigures! :o)

BrickDancer

^I do I do! So pick me! I like gold chrome ones best!

samiam391

BrickDancer said:

^I do I do! So pick me! I like gold chrome ones best!

Haven't you already gotten your full fill of chrome gold?

I have a few CMF Parachute and Mechanic minifigures. I could chrome them for you out back... would that suffice?

littletoki

This sounds awesome! I'm in! :)

SilentMode

I'll join in!

sandtherapy

I love LEGO, Brickset and Secret Santa. Combining them sounds like great fun.
I'm in!

EKSam

Awesome idea! Count me in.

rocao

23 participants thus far in the US!

rancorbait

I don't think I dare say how many we have for Canada...

CapnRex101

Thirteen so far in the UK!

MinifigsMe

Ah why not. I'm in. I don't have time for building sets now, so I'd appreciate lego associated gifts (I think brickset call them tat!) or duplo/primo/quattro for the little lady.
Again, my recipient best like minifigs!

TheBrickLadd

Im in, PM coming @CapnRex101

legoprods

Is there any Europe zone? Possibly create it if anyone from the EU wants to join in?

Jenni

@legoprods I'll join. I'm in France. I just realized that @Wil348 is also in France so that makes three of us with @streeker but an EU wide pool would probably be better :).

margot

Should we start a thread in which everyone can post which themes/types of sets/items they like or dislike? Then when you get assigned your giftee you can do a quick check to help out with shopping for him/her?

samiam391

Not a bad idea if you don't want a copy of an item that you already have. Although if that is done, best to keep it simple. Otherwise it could quickly turn into a headache!

Personally, I prefer the element of surprise in what I might get as opposed to listing out exactly what I want.

Whether it a set, figure, or poly, it's all LEGO and all good fun! :o)

Legogeek

CapnRex101 mentioned that a wish list is welcome when applying to be added to the list. I assume it will be forwarded to the appropriate Secret Santa.

CapnRex101 said:

- Wish lists are welcome, so please send that with your initial message if you would like to include one, or simply make your Brickset 'wanted list' public.

And rocao also brought it up...

rocao said:

If you like, you can to pass along some criteria, inclusive or exclusive, in your registration message to me and I'll forward it to whomever your Santa ends up being. For instance "collect polybags, monthly mini-builds" "not interested in Star Wars", "make me something" etc.

I provided a list when I signed up and made my Bricklist 'wanted list' public.

samiam391

@legogeek- Oh I have no problem with it, I just personally prefer a surprise.

On a side note, absolutely love the avatar. While Peanuts will always be my favorite, Calvin and Hobbes is one of the greats.

CapnRex101

@Legogeek - Absolutely right, wish lists are welcome and will be forwarded to the appropriate Secret Santa as you mentioned.

margot

OK, thanks guys! I obviously had reading comprehension issues with this thread as rocao had to prompt me for my mailing address, I see it is all clearly laid out in the first post. I will update with my wish list!

BombTec

I'd go with a surprise as well. To me any Lego is good Lego :oP