Secret Santa 2021

jmeninno

Went through my Santee's list and put some things I had in my stash aside.  And placed a small [email protected] order just now to add to my Santee's gift...

...or did I?  ;)

Brainslugged

Just a reminder... if people don't have an updated wanted list, my personal default position is to assume they will be happy with 200 brick separators.

bandit778

I'm quite pleased, just last week I put in a fresh bulk order for sellotape and questionable quality dog kibble, so I'm all set for this years secret set removal.

In all seriousness though, It's quite good Kibble, not the really bad stuff.

560Heliport

Brainslugged said:

Just a reminder... if people don't have an updated wanted list, my personal default position is to assume they will be happy with 200 brick separators.

Well, as long as it's a nice mix of orange and teal, no problem! :)

Lo1sJess

For us newbies, how about some sharing?  

For starters:
- Do you do set-ups like winter village or city?  

- Preference for sealed polys and sets or open to pieced sets?
- How do you feel about additions for and or vignettes to add to your themed layout?

For me I plan to do a winter village, probably small as I am going through treatments that impact my ability to focus - breast cancer, 3rd time around.  I don’t keep sealed sets (although looking at the secondary market I can see the appeal) except for small extras collected or a GWP either duplicate or in a theme I am not as interested in.  I like to play and build so a pieced together set or vignette would be at least as good or better to me than a sealed set.

lois

Lo1sJess

Ok how does one really stalk?  I’ve looked at the wanted and have sections.  I also searched for discussions/comments but can’t be doing it right as I only get 4 in results and mine has been around long enough that can’t be all.  Help please, Lois 
@Brainslugged, @KungFuKenny, @SumoLego, @560Heliport

Brainslugged

Lo1sJess said:

Ok how does one really stalk?  I’ve looked at the wanted and have sections.  I also searched for discussions/comments but can’t be doing it right as I only get 4 in results and mine has been around long enough that can’t be all.  Help please, Lois 
@Brainslugged, @KungFuKenny, @SumoLego, @560Heliport

Hopefully your Santee provided a link to their wanted list on the Brickset main site. Even if they didn't, you could search for their name on the main site. If they have the same username (although they may not) you can see what sets they already own etc.

However, if they haven't provided any hints of what they like, then it's pretty much "dealer's choice" and you'll just have to just take pot luck sending them something. It's a lot less rewarding in that instance though as it's always nicer giving presents when you know the recipient really wants them.

As for stalking, if you click on their username, you can see how many threads they have started and how many comments they have made. Apologies if this is already obvious to you. So if I click on your username, (from the screen grab below) I can see that you have started one thread and made 12 comments. Clicking on the comments allows you to see every single one. You can then mine that data at leisure. Or if you have me, marvel at the amount of lego-related shite I can generate on a daily basis.

Switchfoot55

@Lo1sJess, stalking can be difficult depending on how active an individual is in the community conversations. Based on what you described, it sounds like you're on the right track. Review the Wanted/Have section. This can either give you specific ideas of an exact set/minifig, or show you themes they may be interested in. 

Using the Forum's search function and reviewing prior comments can also start to shed some light. It really just depending on who you're stalking. I've had people I've given to in the past with a lot of comments and others with hardly any at all. 

You can also click on that individual's username from a post. On the right side of the screen that loads should have a place where it shows Comments or Discussions. Clicking on either one of those will give you the full list of all their comments or threads they've started. 

As I'm not directly participating this year, I'd be happy to help with the stalking if needed? You can send me a DM and I can peak around a bit. (If the powers that be are okay with that)

560Heliport

@Lo1sJess I've never participated in Secret Santa, but if I did, I would be pleased with anything I received: LEGO as a gift, what could be better? Anything you built for me, even though (or maybe because) we don't know each other, would be delightful!

KungFuKenny

Switchfoot55 said:

@Lo1sJess, stalking can be difficult
As I'm not directly participating this year, I'd be happy to help with the stalking if needed? You can send me a DM and I can peek around a bit. (If the powers that be are okay with that)

You have created a new role- accomplice stalker! (If @Lo1sJess would like help, feel free to help out…)

Lo1sJess said:

For us newbies, how about some sharing?  

For starters:
- Do you do set-ups like winter village or city?  

- Preference for sealed polys and sets or open to pieced sets?
- How do you feel about additions for and or vignettes to add to your themed layout?

You might check out this thread for some good inspiration…

https://forum.brickset.com/discussion/25994/my-winter-village-project#latest

Redbullgivesuwind

I find stalking is a lot easier once you have moved into their wardrobe. I can now see my secret santa going about their daily lives to get some bright ideas.

Brainslugged

Redbullgivesuwind said:

I find stalking is a lot easier once you have moved into their wardrobe. I can now see my secret santa going about their daily lives to get some bright ideas.

It's also important to own a robust belt for when you need to attach yourself to the underside of their car. I've also been doing 1000 push ups a day leading up to Secret Santa in preparation.

Redbullgivesuwind

Brainslugged said:

It's also important to own a robust belt for when you need to attach yourself to the underside of their car. I've also been doing 1000 push ups a day leading up to Secret Santa in preparation.

This is true, it also helps to be able to move if they decide to drive through a cactus patch.

Lo1sJess

Great dedication - all in!  Not sure I’m ready yet for your level of stalking😁 

GothamConstructionCo

Bricklink orders placed.

Also added UCS AT-AT to wish list. hint!

snowhitie

Loving your commitment @Switchfoot55! Hope things will improve for you soon as well.

Fodder

I can't find my Santee. Does anyone have any tips on how to search for them on the forum?

KungFuKenny

Fodder said:

I can't find my Santee. Does anyone have any tips on how to search for them on the forum?

Send a message to @stlux or myself and we can help you out…

Speedman29

I may have spent several hours trawling the forum for inspiration and then just poured a pile of megablocs into a carrier bag instead and shipped that, everyone loves a rattly parcel at Christmas

BooTheMightyHamster

Can someone remind me of the url to check someone else's current collection (assuming they've made it public), please?

Brainslugged

BooTheMightyHamster said:

Can someone remind me of the url to check someone else's current collection (assuming they've made it public), please?

Here's mine ss an example:

https://brickset.com/sets/wantedby-Brainslugged

Although I just clicked on it and it said it wasn't public. So that must have been helpful to my prior years' Secret Santa's!

Brainslugged

So... having now made my wanted list public, here's how you do it.

Click on your own username at the top of the Brickset home page.

Scroll down and click on "Edit your profile".

Make sure the third of the three boxes is ticked.

Scroll down and hit Save.

Lo1sJess

Could someone please check mine?  I don’t have a third box to check under my profile.
thanks much!

Brainslugged

Lo1sJess said:

Could someone please check mine?  I don’t have a third box to check under my profile.
thanks much!

It's telling me that your one isn't public.

https://brickset.com/sets/wantedby-lo1sjess

stlux

@Lo1sJess This is how it is supposed to look like, including the boxes to tick:

Lo1sJess

Hopefully got it now, thanks!  It makes a difference where you are homepage or forum, as to what you see when you edit your profile.

MeganL

My Secret Santa was fast!  I received a parcel today that rattles, and I don’t even have any decorations up yet!  Thank you, Secret Santa!

Unikitty

BooTheMightyHamster said:

Can someone remind me of the url to check someone else's current collection (assuming they've made it public), please?

Sets owned:

https://brickset.com/sets/ownedby-Minidolls_are_great_

Minifigs owned:

https://brickset.com/minifigs/ownedby-Minidolls_are_great_

Just make sure to edit in your Santee's username instead of mine.

MaffyD

Lo1sJess said:

Hopefully got it now, thanks!  It makes a difference where you are homepage or forum, as to what you see when you edit your profile.

Still says not public, just FYI.

Lo1sJess

Thanks I’ll try again!

Lo1sJess

Did it again and saved, hope it’s viewable now

PJ76uk

What is your Brickset username Lo1sJess, as there's no member with that name. Guessing you have a different name than the forum one? Or not registered on Brickset?

Brainslugged

PJ76uk said:

What is your Brickset username Lo1sJess, as there's no member with that name. Guessing you have a different name than the forum one? Or not registered on Brickset?

Good spot!

shikadi

I just realized I had the old 2020 thread bookmarked and not this one!

I'm participating again! I guess this gives me permission to pull my winter village out right? The tree doesn't come up until day after Thanksgiving, but Lego is passable any time of year (or that's what I'm telling myself :D)

Lo1sJess

No, Lo1sJess is my registered username.  Only registered for brickset in mid October even though been around on and off main page for ages.  Brainslugged snipped my info in post above that shows I’m registered with this username.

I may have missed a step some how.  Not sure who I ask for help - do you know who?
thanks, Lois

PJ76uk

Lo1sJess said:

No, Lo1sJess is my registered username.  Only registered for brickset in mid October even though been around on and off main page for ages.  Brainslugged snipped my info in post above that shows I’m registered with this username.

I may have missed a step some how.  Not sure who I ask for help - do you know who?
thanks, Lois

The info Brainslugged posted above is from the forum - it's separate from the main Brickset site. Go to https://www.brickset.com and check your registered there and that the username matches.

Brainslugged

Brainslugged said:

It's telling me that your one isn't public.

https://brickset.com/sets/wantedby-lo1sjess

I apologise - I think I'm responsible for confusing everyone - myself included. I must have edited the link above to show what @Lo1sJess 's wanted list URL would be assuming she had the same username on Brickset. However, because that username doesn't exist, evidently it defaults to a message saying the wanted list isn't public.

@Lo1sJess - could you see what your username is on Brickset.com? It may be very similar, but I don't think it's Lo1sJess.

Lo1sJess

Lo1sJess

Sorry couldn’t figure out how to rotate picture.  This is what I see for my profile on main brickset page.

Lo1sJess

Is my username Hullboxer from my email versus Lo1sJess?  

Lo1sJess

okay so I think I got it this time - changed my username on home page to match Lo1sJess and boxes are checked to public.  Not sure how I ended up with 2 usernames.  Thanks for bearing with me!

gratefulnat

I could view your wanted and owned lists with username Lo1sJess - you got it working properly now!

Lo1sJess

Thanks!

KungFuKenny

Just a quick reminder that it’s never too early to ship your package, especially if you are having to ship across borders to another country.  Several packages in Europe have already left their Secret Santas and are winging their way to their recipients as I type!  Remember to let the coordinator for your area know when you have shipped your package (including any tracking numbers if available).  It won’t be long before all of us can tear into those ABS filled packages!

Lo1sJess

Everyone deep into building, buying and all the other daily and impending holidays activities.  Most of the recent thread has been getting me sorted - it does take a village!  

So how about some new questions to liven things up a bit:
Are you building something for your Santee, sending sets and/or polys or some combination?  

If building, are you wrapping as built or sending assembly instructions?

For those of you who have done this for years, what have been your favorites given and received?
Do you like the candies yourself or are they used mainly to distract others so you can get to the lego?
Anyone come up with a way to use all the brick separators sent - perhaps something that propels the quality dog kibble received?  Or do the separators mix with mb…..

Doing a combination of things and hoping it’s not a miss with Santee.  Think the vignette can be sent mostly built but with a little note on how to reassemble if necessary.  Candies will likely be a distraction.  Got plenty of separators and 2 big rescue mutts so lots of kibble on hand.

have a great day!

bandit778

Lo1sJess said:

Everyone deep into building, buying and all the other daily and impending holidays activities.  Most of the recent thread has been getting me sorted - it does take a village!  

So how about some new questions to liven things up a bit:
Are you building something for your Santee, sending sets and/or polys or some combination?  

If building, are you wrapping as built or sending assembly instructions?

For those of you who have done this for years, what have been your favorites given and received?
Do you like the candies yourself or are they used mainly to distract others so you can get to the lego?
Anyone come up with a way to use all the brick separators sent - perhaps something that propels the quality dog kibble received?  Or do the separators mix with mb…..

Doing a combination of things and hoping it’s not a miss with Santee.  Think the vignette can be sent mostly built but with a little note on how to reassemble if necessary.  Candies will likely be a distraction.  Got plenty of separators and 2 big rescue mutts so lots of kibble on hand.

have a great day!

In the past I've had combinations of builds, polys and a set so really it's dealers choice as anything is usually good.

Generally I find that santees would prefer bricks and instructions as opposed to a built object, it is Lego after all.

Candies on the whole last about five minutes after the package is opened, If it isn't Lego, it's fair game before the big day.

The Quality of Kibble depends on what you can buy in Bulk lots but mid range to good kibble is preffered as the cheap stuff makes the package smell.

Brick seperators are always welcome as it saves buying something for next years recipiant.

KungFuKenny

^^There are all kinds of options when it comes to SS - sets, polybags, loose minifigs, MOCs, swag/GWPs, etc.  Last year my Secret Santa gave me (along with a set) an awesome personalized cross-stitch that now hangs on my wall…

Some people (like @bandit778 ) are even happy with dog kibble… 🙂

Speedman29

In the past I've designed or modified existing sets to suit my Santee (made up instructions and shipped a bag of bricks, I've gathered some polybags from a wanted list and I've just picked one big set. Every year is a bit different.
Most years I've tried to put in something that can be opened as soon as the present arrives, like a decoration. And I always try and put chocolates in. In the UK Cadburys make the famous Selection Box, a small wrapped tray with an assortment of their chocolate bars in, I got one pretty much every year growing up, so I try and find one for my Santee.
Favourite gift is tricky, I've had some cool polybags that I'd struggled to find, sets to bulk out my Modular building street that were just perfect and a couple of larger sets, that I hadn't even thought I wanted, but loved. Last couple of years my Santa has kindly put a little gift for my daughter in as well, which was lovely.

Lo1sJess

I saw the cross stitch and Brainslugged custom cup (I think it was a cup) in the past threads as well as many other creative gifts.  Very gifted bunch you all are.

Brainslugged

Lo1sJess said:

I saw the cross stitch and Brainslugged custom cup (I think it was a cup) in the past threads as well as many other creative gifts.  Very gifted bunch you all are.

It was a yellow 1x1 lego storage brick. That one totally blew me away. An incredibly thoughtful and generous secret Santa.

It's fun to get carried away with being a Secret Santa. It's just a real shame if you don't have a lot to go on with your Santee.