Ho! Ho! Ho!! Let's get this party started!! It's our 2021 Secret Santa for Reef2Reef!!
Those of you who've joined us before know how much fun this will be, and for those of you joining us for the first time, you're in for a treat! This is going to be a great time to spread Christmas joy!!
I mean lots of us have family and friends who just don't get this crazy hobby of ours, and let's face it, they're probably more likely to get you another pair of socks than that thing you really want for your reef hobby...
But this gift exchange will be different because it's FOR REEFERS BY REEFERS! This will be lots of fun for everyone!!Here is how it will work:
- Requirements to participate:
- At least 18 years of age (only exceptions to this will be participants who have been part of our Secret Santa before)
- At least 14 days as a member of R2R
- At least 10 posts on R2R
- Gift requirement: AT LEAST $25 value and a splash of Christmas joy! (more on this below)
- As you sign up, you'll get a link to the gift exchange on Elfster (it's the Secret Santa exchange website/app that we use to organize the gift exchange) where you'll need to register and create your own wishlist for your Secret Santa.*
- Secret Santas will be assigned in batches of 75 (so we'll be monitoring this number as you guys sign up). The final matchup will take place on November 21st for those who aren't matched before then.
- Sign up will be open until November 21, 2021
- Buy or make gifts and ship them by December 4, 2021.
- Delivery tracking is mandatory and will need to be sent to @Santa Claus and/or updated in Elfster.
- International Participation: This year's Secret Santa will have 3 groups for those outside the US: 1) Canadian participants, 2) European participants, and 3) other international participants. While we wish that we had enough international participation to allow all participants to only send to members within their own country, that simply isn't feasible, so please be aware of the possibility that you may need to ship internationally to participate outside the US or Canada.
- Please, PLEASE, be sure your R2R username is entered on your Elfster profile as your nickname. This really does help your Secret Santa to find you on Reef2Reef and get better gift giving ideas.
- This is an event that is meant to spread Christmas joy, so we're asking all participants to try to make this special for whoever you receive. While we realize that this may look different for everyone, we're asking participants to avoid sending $25 e-gift cards as your only gift.
- All participants MUST make a post or send a message acknowledging their gift and thanking whoever their Secret Santa is. Most of you do this anyway, so I don't think it's a problem to ask. However, due to some situations we've run into before, we're making this a requirement this year. We'll start a Thank You thread specifically for this and link it here.
- About Elfster wishlists: We ask that you be conscious of the fact that the minimum gift amount of $25 should be the "expected" amount for your gift. Therefore, put at least 5 or 6 items that fall into that amount. No Secret Santa should feel obligated to give more than the $25 amount (though you are certainly welcome to give more). More about wishlists is included below.
- Your gift MUST be sent by December 4th. Now, we realize things can happen, and we're always willing to work with participants. However, if your gift has not been shipped and confirmation/tracking info sent to Santa by December 11, 2021, you may be banned from participating in future Secret Santa exchanges on Reef2Reef.
- Failure to abide by these guidelines may result in not being allowed future participation in Secret Santa gift exchanges. (We're really not expecting to remove anyone, but we do reserve the right to do so if a participant does not engage in the spirit of this gift exchange.)
To sign up, you will need to do these 2 things (PLEASE DO BOTH):
- PM @Santa Claus with your contact information (name, email, and country you're located in so that we can PM you the link to sign up on Elfster and join the gift exchange).
- Post in this thread with your answers to the questionnaire (see below) IN THIS THREAD (this is our official registration thread).
- What country are you located in?
- What is one thing you always need more of?
- What do you like to do on the weekends?
- What are your other hobbies/interests?
- How do you relax after a long day at work?
- Do you collect anything?
- What is your favorite color?
- What is one TV show or movie you can watch over and over again?
- What type of music do you listen to?
- Do you follow any sports teams?
- What's your favorite thing to watch in your tank?
- What gets you excited in the reef hobby?
- Would you be interested in receiving livestock? If yes, what would you be interested in?
- Are you willing to ship livestock (could be either by sending it yourself or by purchasing from a vendor and having it sent)? *disclaimer due to the busy holiday season we recommend not shipping livestock*
*A note on creating your Elfster wish list. Our minimum gift amount is $25, and you shouldn't expect more than that to be spent on a gift. HOWEVER, please feel free to throw anything you'd like on that list. I find it's fun for folks to list out even those crazy expensive things they'd like, so put that new 300-gallon custom tank on there! LOL No harm in dreaming! Go wild! Also, as you look at the wish list created by your recipient, don't be alarmed if there are items on there you won't be able to buy them. Please don't feel obligated to spend more than you planned. Remember, it's a "wish list," and there's no harm in their wishing.
While it's great to be generous, your recipient isn't expecting you to give more than the minimum. From experience, I know that your gift (whatever it may be) will bring joy because of the thought and kindness that goes into it.Also, notice that we have a special Secret Santa forum going on! Feel free to start other threads in here to talk about everything Secret Santa related, holiday related, or just anything you want to talk with all of us other SS peeps!
#R2RSecretSanta
