Secret Santa 2021

Speedman29

Another tip is to get your other half to write the card/tags so your Santee thinks its from a woman because the hand writing is nice!

Lo1sJess

Following @Speedman29 we women should switch hands to achieve opposite 🙃

560Heliport

Your handwriting might still be too good to be believable as male! 😀

msanders

This is torture! My Brickset secret Santa present arrived (Thank you SS!). Now I have to sit here whilst a box of goodies is sitting there staring at me, calling me to open it or sneak a peak! Still over a month to go.....seems so far away! :-D

Thanks for organizing! 

I cannot confirm or deny whether I may or may not have sent, purchased, wrapped or received the goodies to send for my Secret Santa victim!!!

stlux

Count me as another person who received their Secret Santa present early. Unikitty helped Santa deliver this to my door:



Thank you! Looking forward to unwrapping everything in 5 weeks! ☺️

Lo1sJess

I also got a package last night mixed in with other Amazon boxes which I opened this morning.  I glimpsed just enough of contents to know 1) it contains lego and 2) it wasn’t ordered by us and closed it right up.  Unless I hear from friends or family that they sent something, I’m assuming it is from my Secret Santa and will remain closed until Christmas.  

Thanks Secret Santa!  First present to go under tree - when tree gets up next week.

 I’m with @msanders Christmas seems a long time away - although it will be here in the blink of an eye when looking back.  Plan to get may package out in next few days.

Brainslugged

OK... some people are waaaaaay too organised for my liking.

Lo1sJess

And I though I was ahead and early in planning to mail before Thanksgiving!  

FowlerBricks

Dang some people move at lightspeed

FireFox31

I'm preparing to order a gift for my recipient.  Stalking complete.  Now, let's see how many bricks I can obtain in ... black...

SumoLego

FowlerBricks said:

Dang some people move at lightspeed

I will be continuing to move at a glacial pace.  A glacier stuck in molasses.

Modeltrainman

I think mine arrived today. Still have to send.

Brickfan50

Waiting for the last Bricklink order to complete the gifts for my Santee.

Dude4Lego

Got mine yesterday. Managed to send mine out the same day.  Coincidence, I think not ;)

FowlerBricks

SumoLego said:

FowlerBricks said:

Dang some people move at lightspeed

I will be continuing to move at a glacial pace.  A glacier stuck in molasses.

I feel that...I feel that way too much...I may have been a bit ambitious this year...

MaffyD

I may have arranged to get mine sorted at some point in the next 29 days... :-)

Brainslugged

I'm thinking of going with a Lego adjacent adjacent theme this year. So something like a jigsaw or colouring book. Of Mega Construx models

Addicted2Oxygen

@Brainslugged go more homeopathic. No lego just the imprint of Lego 

SprinkleOtter

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?

I have always loved to build a little something special to put with my santee's gift. In the past, I had someone who was very into LOTR, and had a massive Helm's Deep MOC- I included a little micro-scale display of Helm's Deep.

I also had someone who had the Dinosaur Bones set on their wishlist- while I couldn't find that set at enough discount to feel comfortable including it, I did make a small vignette of Johnny Thunder digging up some bones, to accompany the set when they did pick it up. I always love little gestures like that when I receive my gifts!

FowlerBricks

A very interesting box showed up today!! There's even a couple things to keep me from getting too impatient to open the rattly green package.

GrannyLEGO

I think I got my Secret Santa present today ... oh gosh I don't even have my tree up yet to put it under! I will be on pins and needles until Christmas but wanted right now to say thank you to everyone who participates and especially those who make this work. I am handicapped and mostly housebound especially with the Covid situation on top of everything else. For various reasons I have no other unknown surprises coming for Christmas so I am terribly excited and feel like a little kid wanting Christmas NOW!

Had hubby double check insides to make sure was unwrapped and not something I bought ... it wasn't so he resealed ... all this time I was a good girl and stayed in the other room.

GrannyLEGO

Maybe I am wrong as my little sister emailed me that she sent a surprise that she had received notice that it was just delivered to the front door. What confuses me is that she says USPS (post office) and this was Amazon. It would be exciting to have an unexpected surprise from her ... she is the only one in my family who has ever given me Lego so it could be.

GrannyLEGO

MYSTERY SOLVED ... it was my sister! She meant Amazon no USPS and said in her email to enjoy right now ... so I did. It's the 11013 Classic bricks set with the transparent bricks. Have already had fun just doing the basic little builds that the instruction book shows ... tomorrow, who knows?

BooTheMightyHamster

Research may (or may not) have been done, goodies may (or may not) have been sourced and parcels may (or may not) have been posted.

But at least I haven't left it until the last minute to start thinking about it this year.
Or maybe I'm all done already...

Just remember, Secret Santa - just because a UCS AT-AT won't fit through the letterbox, that's no reason not to send one!

Merry Christmas, one and all!

Switchfoot55

Well, through a series of conversations, I've managed to find myself in the midst of a Secret-Santa type situation with some family friends. Long story short, my friend's wife wanted to get him the UCS AT-AT as a gift for a new job he's getting. She had planned on getting it online on the launch day. Unfortunately, she forgot...

She was telling me last night and asking what the odds were of it coming back into stock soon. I just so happened to remember someone posting one on OfferUp this past week. I checked the listing and it's still there. They apparently had issues with the website and never got confirmation the order went through. So they bought one at the local store the next morning. Two days later, they got confirmation of shipping on the online order. They're only asking what they paid for it. 

So, tomorrow I get to go buy the set and deliver it in secret to surprise him for Christmas!

Maybe not quite the same due to no stalking involved, but still fun. I guess I could go sit in the bushes outside his window and watch through his window for him to open it?

FireFox31

So many little packages have arrived.  None of them are for me.  Time to get them back out to the post office to spread some holiday cheer.  A little extra holiday cheer this year!

As always, I spent way more than the recommended $20 gift amount in BrickLink shipping.  Someday I'll figure out how to optimize shipping from multiple vendors.  There are always those few obscure pieces where I can only get one per shop.

evantyler

My Secret Santa is on top of things! Can't wait to open the gifts--though I will, at least until the 25th--but I can't promise the candy will last that long...

Brainslugged

^That pic makes me really miss Ghirardellis from my time living in the US. I think the dark chocolate with salted caramel innards are my fave chocolates of all time.

Speedman29

I should probably get this pile of Megabloks and brick separators wrapped and posted out soon! 

Lo1sJess

@Speedman29 assembly line in process…..

Brainslugged

Lo1sJess said:

@Speedman29 assembly line in process…..

Look at you, Miss "money-is-no-object" Swankypants, giving away the fat black brick separators!

CCC

Aren't they just the old style ones?

KungFuKenny

Just a quick update:  The European Secret Santas have been busy - 30% of the gifts have already been received by their respective Santees!  

Remember that shipping times have been delayed in various countries, so be sure to ship soon to ensure that your victim Santee gets their gift in time for Christmas morning.  Let you regional coordinator know when you ship or when you receive a gift yourself, and be sure to post pics here (which just increases anticipation for the rest of us!)

shikadi

Santee's loot is wrapped, packed, and on the sleigh!

Redbullgivesuwind

Thank you so much to my secret Santa. The chocolates didn’t make it past the family. I cannot wait to open them and they are the first gifts sat under the tree. Every year I am amazed at the brilliance and generosity of people.

Speedman29

Getting quite excited as more and more rattily boxes of goodies are starting to arrive!

GothamConstructionCo

Thank you to my Secret Santa for the seven presents of joy.
I think I’d better eat the Chocolates before one of the cats do, though.

Brickfan50

^This looks like your cat can read 'KitKat'! To my knowledge cats - in contrary to dogs - don't like chocolate (and dogs can die of it) but if I were you I would nominate your cat to enter the contest of smartest cats of the world!

More likely however is that the boss can't resist the availability of chocolate bars.

Nevertheless you're breaking the Secret Santa rules: it's forbidden to open or eat packages before Dec. 25th!

I'm not going to repeat my message again so be sure to follow the rules! :-)

TheOriginalSimonB

We once had a cat who loved Malteasers - treat and toy in one spherical package.

MaffyD

Just had a visit from the postman, dropping off an overly large box...


The sparkly Christmas dinosaurs were immediately curious.
Opening the box gave a bigger clue as to what was inside.



The diplodocus and triceratops were even more fascinated now.
Although The Chief was mainly into the box...



After a bit of digging, it became clear I had a very generous Santa.



With handmade gift tags that the dinosaurs were very keen on!

They also brought my attention to a gift I could open straight away!

Terry and Dave (for those are their names) immediately claimed the coins, and demanded I open the polybag.

I think they were trying to help here - it's hard to be sure.



They certainly enjoyed being given a ride. No wonder Santa is puffed!



The rest were then safely escorted to the tree - first presents under there! Chief finally got interested - although I think he was more curious about the dinos.



And our first Christmas card (also handmade) is up!



Thank you Secret Brickset Santa! Can't wait for Christmas Day!

MaffyD

Also, I now notice that my Gamora is tilting badly, and Boba Fett is headless! One of the perils of having cats and a tree near shelving...

Also also, you have no idea how hard it was to get those dinosaurs atop Santa - they really fidgeted!

gratefulnat

@MaffyD what an awesome visual story you have posted. After everyone being put back into home office today at my workplace, which is a bummer for me as I miss the social contacts, your Secret Santa package unboxing put a large smile on my face!

Long live Secret Santa and long live curious playful troublesome cats!

Lo1sJess

And dinos of course…

adiemc

Thank you Santa!

FireFox31

I'm always amazed that you all can give so many gifts. I must learn your Lego deal finding skills!

My tangentially Lego related food based gift will be on the sleigh tomorrow.  I hope it hasn't expired by the time it arrives.

MaffyD said:

Also, I now notice that my Gamora is tilting badly, and Boba Fett is headless! One of the perils of having cats and a tree near shelving...

Thanks for the visual story.  The dinos add so much fun.  Also, nice movie collection!  I admit to having some of the UK versions of the Marvel movies here in the US because Amazon sold them, apparently quite legitimately, for great low prices.

Covi

Thank you Secret Santa for these lovely gifts!
Can't wait for setting up the tree later this week and putting these under till the 24th!
Many thanks again to you!

PS: This thread really fills me with joy after the year full of pandemic shizzle. It's this kind of warmth and kindness in the world I personally needed. People do care for eachother. 

Vgang

Still waiting for my BL orders to arrive… I’m getting worried now! 

panchox1

Sent out a few packages yesterday. Was one for secret Santee? I can't remember...

trax_3

The elves took delivery of a package today and have placed the contents under the tree. Thankyou Secret Santa. I love the treasure chest :)

Speedman29

Got home from to start a nice three day weekend (fourth week in a row as I dump a load of leftover holiday before the end of the year!) and along with a stack of Christmas cards, there was a box!.....

.....Santa grabbed my knife and helped cut the tape.....

.....revealing a lovely haul of secret Santa goodies, Little Miss Speedy was particularly interested in the top parcel!

Thank you Secret Santa, looking forward to ripping the paper off on Christmas Day.