Secret Santa 2008 is cancelled

[Uncle Yuan]

Fall is waning and the days grow short.  That can really only mean one thing - Christmas is coming!  Yes, the season of phat 100t is upon us!

History shows that every year, despite my best intentions, I don't even begin to think about Christmas shopping (much less get any done) until about the two weeks before Christmas.  But I know that there are folks out there who are super organized, or like to make things, and so actually get ahead of the ball.  Not to mention that things got left a bit late last year.

But I'm all for an early start, so let's get things rolling!

Everyone who'd like to participate in this year's Freedom Reborn Secret Santa Gift Exchange raise your hand.  OK, give me a sec to write down everyone's name . . .



Actually, you need to post on this thread the following bits of information

1. Your public e-mail address (feel free to use the [name at domain dot com] format to avoid spammination)
2. If you'd like something avatar related (and who wouldn't), provide a pic or three (link is better than embedded image) and a description of what he/she/it does.
3. What you're into, whether it be fiction, skins, art, favorite characters, films, books, or what have you.  Folks tend to follow their own lead on giving, but more info is always helpful.
4. What people have given you in the past.
5. Who you were matched up with last year.  Spud is providing me with a special electronic hat and slips of virtual paper to pull out of it for the purpose of matching folks up.  As a random (at least to the casual outside observer) process we could match you with the same person.  This bit of info allows us to avoid that.
6. A notice if you are located outside of the USA or Canada.  Some Santas like to make actual things, and since shipping stuff from Akron to Seoul takes longer and cost more than shipping stuff to Walla Walla your Santa may appreciate the heads up.

I'm trying to get on this early, because I know from my own experience as a hand-crafter of gifts, a couple of weeks can make a big difference.  As of right now, here's the approximate schedule for the FRSSGE:

Nov 14: Sign-up ends
Nov 16 or so: Santa assignments distributed.
Dec 20 will be FR Christmas Day

This will give folks about a month to complete their presents (although some maintain they still will not start until a week before FR Christmas) and several shipping days so that your giftee stands a bit of a chance of actually getting their hands on real stuff by Christmas.


Before you sign up, please think about your commitments for the upcoming holiday season.  We want everybody to participate and have fun, but this time of years is busy and can be stressful for anyone.  Winding up with a Santa who gets snowed in and doesn't give you a gift is NOT fun.  Every year there are a few (I believe) well intentioned souls who sign up and then welsh out.  Welshers from last year who sign up will get a frank PM from me and will need to show some sincere contrition before getting their name put into the electronic hat.  I'm not going to be a total Grinch about this, call you bad names or shake my finger; I just want to make sure that everyone has fun.

And if, despite your best intentions, you feel like your holiday season is drawing you inexorably towards Wales (where welshers come from), PLEASE TELL ME.  I will sincerely thank you, and make alternate Santa arrangements for your giftee.  The more notice you can provide of your welshitude the better for your giftee and the Secret Santa Substitute.


Which raises the issue of Back-up Santas.  Ideally if someone drops out I can hook up their Santa and giftee to each other.  But if we're too close to the gifting deadline, or after it, it might be preferable to have a Back-up Santa.  I would like to get a few kind, industrious souls who can act as back-up Santas in the event one of the regular Santas is forced to drop out or pulls a complete fade.  I will give Back-up Santas as much lead time as I can.

Interested? [spoiler]If you'd like to volunteer to be a Backup Santa, please send me a PM. If I don't know who you are, I may ask for some examples of what you do. Don't be offended... it's nothing against you, I just like to make sure that these poor neglected giftees get the best makeup present I can arrange.

If you're going to volunteer to be a Backup Santa, I need to get an estimate from you on how many high-quality gifts, of whatever type is your "thing", you can make in the span of about a week.

There will be two periods where I'll need Backup Santas:
-During the gifting period. If someone PMs me and lets me know they can't deliver their gift, I'll immediately farm the assignment out to one of the backups.
-The biggie is the second week of January, after I'm done chasing down the late-submitters and have a pretty clear list of no-shows.

If you can make a commitment to be available for emergency gifting during one or both of those periods, please let me know. [/spoiler]


Enough talking!  Let's get on with the singing up!!

[Mr. Hamrick]

1. the public address is gary at garyhamrick dot com

2.  Hmm, not really wanting anything avatar related this year.  Mostly because I hardly ever do anything with my formal avatar around here anymore.  But here is Edgar
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/whiskey_saint/avatars/EdgarHammond.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/whiskey_saint/avatars/mrhsprite1.gif
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/whiskey_saint/avatars/mrhamrick.jpg

While not really needing anything for him, one could always conjure up some avatars for a few female "personal assistants" for him. 

3. Let's see . . . I am into movies.  Big surprise, huh.  I mean . . . given what I do and all.  I love mystery films and film noir, but I have a wide variety of tastes.  IF you really want to give me something DVD related then drop a line to Yuan and he can get a list from me.  My favorite comics . . . BATMAN and DETECTIVE COMICS.  I read DC and Vertigo titles.  I am really into art that has a "film noir" mood to it.  Check out the paintings "Nighthawks" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", for example.  I also like photography, though, of urban landscapes but usually only if they are in black and white photographs.  I am somewhat of a pro-wrestling fan, mostly because I have several friends in the business.   Oh and last but not least, I probably should mention this, in case people don't know: I am a pretty big college football fan, paricularly the Univeristy of Georgia Bulldogs.  This means that should my victim . . . er, giftee be from an SEC rival area (like BWPS last year) then I will be liable to poke fun at this.  Though, with UGA's record this year, I am liable to be the victim of a lot of shots myself.  LOL!

4.  Let's see . . . last year, Protomorph did a marvel like biography page for my avatar.  The year before that, Hitman contacted me before the contest was over and arranged to provide me with some needed art.  I've also gotten some other various art related stuff over the years.

And if anyone is curious, last year I filled a box with an assortment of goodies from me and some of my crew that included:
An autographed CD from my friend, Kerry Wentworth, who is a folk-singer.   Two hats, one from Resident Evil: Apocalypse that was gotten from the Atlanta Film Festival, the other a James Bond film hat from The World is Not Enough I think.  The James Bond movie "Tomorrow Never Dies".  I seem to recall something from The Crow and a copy of The Prayer of Jabez in there too and a few other items I think.  Some of my production associates helped with the packaging.

I've also done attempts at writing fan fiction for people's characters.  I'm a bit busy with script writing and directing lately so no fan fics this year.  I think I gave someone a rough cut of some portfolio work of mine two years ago. 

So, this year, there's no telling what will happen.

5. Protomorph drew me last year.  I drew BWPS.

6.  While you have December 20th listed as "FR Christmas Day", it cannot be reiterated enough that there may be a buffer of time there if items are being shipped.  I still remember the difficulty I had with FedEx and getting gifts to BWPS last year.

[Uncle Yuan]

1. spbtc1168 at y-a-h-o-o
2. I always appreciate good UY stuff.  I would absolutely LOVE to get an UY mesh/skin.  If done "properly" (as opposed to all the really cool reboot art I've gotten over the years) he would be small, elderly, wearing a worn plain brown suit, carrying a staff and with a large bag/satchel over his shoulder.  The back story is that a loong time ago he was a dragon, until a rather incompetent wizard tried to summon him, flubbed the spell and trapped him in a human body.  Through which he can only access a tiny fraction of his total power.  He is essentially a sorcerer, but even that he down plays and most everyone just thinks he's an herbalist.
3. I'm pretty much your standard comic/sci-fi/RPG geek.  I've generally preferred Marvel to DC, but I don't really follow anything specific these days.
4.  I've gotten some great av art.  Last year Zippo got me a very cool one.
5. I had kkhohoho as my giftee and Zippo was my Santa

[Epimethee]

Every year I tell myself I ought to but I might not have the time. Well, enough missing on the fun – I'm going to find the time.

1. I can be reached via my nickname at gmail dot com.
2. Never really had a proper avatar, but Epimetheus (my nick uses the French translation) is a character from Greek mythology.
3. Chief interests include graphic design, typography, painting, comics, novels, history, mythology and long walks on the beach listening to the salty rhythm of the eternal tide with you darl... oops, sorry wrong website.
4. & 5. First time around.

[Figure Fan]

Thanks for starting this early, Yuan. :)

1. rgbzach [at] y a h o o dot com

2. I'd actually prefer something wasn't avatar related this year, but in case my Santa has a really cool idea..here are a few pics: Image 1, Image 2

3. I'm obsessed with Watchmen. I'm a fan of Batman, X-Men, and City of Heroes too. I also love art and design related things. Oh and frogs!

4. I've been given avatar skins, fan fiction, Freedom Force maps, and avatar artwork. Mahu actually sent me some miniature figurines one year, too.

5. I had The Pwime last year, and Glitch Girl was my Santa. :cool:

6. I live in Michigan, which is in the U.S. ;) I'm a sucker for sent gifts..:P

[Zippo]

Yay! I was just wondering when this was going to come about. This is my favorite time of year on the boards :3

1. whapow at gmail dot com

2. Avatar and More Avatar. Lately, however, I've had a lot of interest in this new character I've developed. Tentatively called "The boss", he's the director for the secret department for unethical research. A governmental division that's not officially sanctioned by the government in any way, that is dedicated to improving the lives of the people of the world by any means necessary. The Boss himself is a really nice guy who, over the course of some hypothetical story I'm planning, learns to give up most of his ethics in order to make the world a better place.
Some examples of projects the Department undertakes are: subliminally training an entire town in advanced military tactics through television and radio broadcasts, raising the dead (there are 38 known methods so far, though only 3 have not caused zombie outbreaks), as well as various forms of genetic engineering.

3. Things I like include: Film (I'm a production major), Zombies, Comic books (mostly marvel, but I do enjoy blue beetle and green lantern from time to time, as well as things like Transmetropolitan, Y: the last man, Walking Dead, etc.), and geeky stuff like Magic cards and tabletop games. I also have a soft spot in my heart for Domo-kun.
I love getting creative things like art or a custom action figure or whatever. But really anything is cool.

4. In the past I've been given art, wallpapers, a cool powerpoint animation, and a pretty kickin' skin/skope of my avatar.

5. Last year I had Yuan, and my Santa was... Mystik is what his name is now, I believe.

6. I live in British Columbia, Canada, if sent gifts are your bag.

[captainspud]

1. captainspud at gmail dot com
2. I'll edit this in later.
3. I'm easy. Generally people do stuff based on my avatar. I'm also into tier 2 comics (not indie, but not X-Men. Stuff like Invincible and the Boys), video games, and the Warmachine minis game.
4. I've received an alternate costume skin, a CoH cutscene demo edit thing, a comic strip, some art, and another skin.
5. Last year I gave to Juancho, and received from Reepicheep.
6. I'm in Canada.

[Uncle Yuan]

Bump.

Am I on this too early?  By my own, easily-modifiable schedule there's just one week left to sign up!

[Uncle Yuan]

Well, looks like kinda slim pickin's so far.  It is a little early to be thinking about Christmas.  So let's revamp the schedule:


Nov 27 (Thanksgiving*): Sign-up ends
Nov 30 or so: Santa assignments distributed.
Dec 20 will be FR Christmas Day

This gives folks about another two weeks to sign up.  That time comes out of gift preparation time, but it will still be on the order of past years, so hopefully it'll still work out.

So git with the signin' up!



*Real Thanksgiving.  You know, when Americans celebrate it

[the_ultimate_evil]

i wasn't gonna enter this year, but what the hell

hmm didnt know it closed this early ok i'm in

1the.ultimate.evil at googlemail.com

2. av my av is basically a guy who was taken by a cult as part of a solider programme for a war against heaven. one thing that people get confused is that he is a hero and the name comes from the sword which is the flesheater, a weapon created in the fires of hell to be wielded against the army's of heaven but an angel placed an element in it that if wielded by a person with pure heart it could be used against the dark forces. the sword feel to earth and travelled through the hands of some of the most evil men in history. taking a form of a different blade to reflect there inner darkness( daggers, swords, switch blades) apart from that flesheater(the person) i wanted a hero that had to deal with both the supernatural and standard comic villains, eg a bunch of vampires on issue a super villain the next. imagine a cross between spider-man and buffy.

3. i'm grateful for what ever i get. i'm into comics(Teen titans, justice league, batman, spider-man, x-men), many types of films, cartoons. i'm a big fan of masters of the universe. i'm also extremely into drawing and illustration and try and make a living using my photography.

4. last year there was a problem with my gift, i wouldn't let my SS spend the money require to ship it to me. i felt it was to much

5 last years victim i can't remember

flesheater images

http://the-ultimate-evil.deviantart.com/art/Flesheater-28476970
http://the-ultimate-evil.deviantart.com/art/Where-angels-sing-14838627
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c185/the_ultimate_evil/flesheaterv6.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c185/the_ultimate_evil/flesh.gif

[Uncle Yuan]

Well, Virginia, it looks like there isn't a Secret Santa Claus.  Total sign up increased by only one with the extended deadline, and there is a grand total of only 6 in the pool.  Given the tepid response so far I don't think a second extension would yield much.  Unfortunately it looks like Secret Santa is not going to fly this year.

If I suddenly get a surge of emails or a flood of posts to the thread I may reconsider.

Sorry gang.  :(

[Epimethee]

We probably offensed the Santa spirits by forgetting sacrificing a goat or something.

Thanks for setting this up anyway, Uncle. Hopefully next year it'll fare better.

[Figure Fan]

T_T

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Well, honestly, it's been running down the last couple of years anyway.  Last year, I never did get my gift, and I couldn't find it in myself to make anything--I ended up just buying some stuff after being a month or so late.  The previous year, I never really was happy with the gift I gave.  This year, I wouldn't be able to make anything either, nor do I want to buy anything again, so there's just no point to entering again.

I have a feeling that I'm not the only one like this, plus there is a rather small number of us left who come here regularly.  Six actually seems like a rather good number to me.

[Mr. Hamrick]

Yeah it does seem like some of the regulars (or irregulars in some cases) have been M.I.A. in recent weeks.

[bearded]

i'll throw my name in, if it will help.  i can mesh something for someone.