FORUM EVENT: "I-MOCKERY'S 2011 SECRET SANTA EVENT!"
 

YO HO HO HO! WELCOME TO...

OFFICIAL SIGN UP THREAD

Christmas is approaching once again and that means one thing: a fat man invading your home in search of cookies, milk, and your body! Along with that, it's also time for I-Mockery's annual Christmas Secret Santa event! Every year, registered users from the forum community come together to share in the holiday commercialism by buying and sending each other gifts that range from hilarious to just plain awesome. It's tradition, so whether you're a new member or an old one, you should absolutely join in the fun, so be sure to reply to this thread. 10,000 Volt Ghost is running the event this year, so be sure to read the important rules he's posted below:

How it works:

You sign up in this thread by stating that you want to join. The last day to sign up is November 24th. Send 10,000 Volt Ghost a private message with your full mailing address, real name and your forum name/alias. On November 25th, you will receive a PM with the name and address of the person you will be sending your gift to. At this point, you send out your gift before December 7th and get ready to receive a gift of your own! Upon receiving your gift, you must post pictures in this thread to show everyone what you got! It’s not mandatory, but many participants in the past have made a little story out of enjoying their gift(s), so do that if you wanna have extra fun! But at the very least, you need to post photos of what you received. Everyone needs to get pictures of the gifts they received posted by December 22nd.

Everyone has plenty of time to do all of that, so do it!

Special note for those of you who live outside of North America:

You’re more than welcome to participate, but pay special attention to the “how people will be split up” section below.

Rules and Guidelines:
This whole thing is for fun, but there has to be some assurance that everyone will keep up their end of the bargain, so failure to follow the rules and instructions will result in a permanent ban from the forums. Plus, we know Santa pretty well, and he’s assured us that messing up in any way will result in a nice big chunk of coal being rammed up your rectum! :D

Here are some general rules and guidelines everybody should follow:

• Spend somewhere between 15-25 bucks (USD) on your gift. This amount does NOT include shipping costs. No one likes a cheapskate, so if this is too much money for you, get a job and join next year instead! Don’t go overboard and get something expensive, but don’t cheap out either. If you want to spend more than 25 bucks, you can, but please understand that you most likely won't receive something of equal monetary value. Then again, that's not what this is all about, so that shouldn't matter to you anyway, Scrooge!
• Obey all deadlines. Screwing someone over, especially at Christmas, is a guaranteed ticket to hell! Let’s see if an eternity of torture will help you be punctual!
• Before signing up, make sure you have a working camera. If you can’t upload pictures to your computer directly, there are other options such as getting your film developed and put on a CD. Uploading pictures of your gifts is just as important to our Secret Santa event as sending some gifts out is. Remember, if you don't have a camera of your own, your cellphone probably has a working camera and/or you can also buy disposable digital cameras too.
• MAKE SURE YOUR ADDRESS IS UP TO DATE AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY TROUBLE RECEIVING PACKAGES! It’s not hard to find your current address, so don’t fuck it up!
• Don’t be cheap and make something. If you have to do that, keep the minimum spending amount in mind and please consider sending other purchased stuff along with your creation as well. It's fine to make something in addition to purchasing gifts for your recipient, just try not to only make stuff as it's hard to put a monetary value on that sort of thing
• Your mailing address CANNOT be a P.O. Box. No gifts will be sent to P.O. boxes nor will anyone with a P.O box as a mailing address be allowed to participate in the Secret Santa event.
• Again If you fail to uphold your end of the deal, you will be permanently banned from the forums. So please, don't be a dick. We want this event to be fun for everybody.
• YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PURCHASE GIFTS FROM DOLLAR STORES. We've had too many people get screwed over by cheap gifts at 99cent / dollar general stores, so please do not purchase gifts from them.

IF YOU’RE A NEW MEMBER(Registered AND active less than a year)

In an effort to cut down on people who might sign-up just to get free shit, new users need to take the following steps to be eligible to join in the fun:

1. Provide a picture of themselves holding up a hand-written sign that says both "I-MOCKERY SECRET SANTA 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" along with their message forum name/name in plain view.

2. Post this picture in this thread for all to see.

3. PM 10,000 Volt Ghost, informing him that you are a new member who wants to participate in the secret Santa event. He will then send you a letter with a mailing address.

4. Send a test letter to the mailing address that you were provided with by 10,000 Volt Ghost. The letter needs to include your full name, return mailing address and your name here on the I-Mockery forums.

5. To ensure that you’re eligible to participate, do all of that as quickly as possible!

These steps are necessary to verify that you have a working camera and the motivation to get your ass to a post office.

DEADLINES!!!!

-The last day to SIGN UP is November 24th, TWO WEEKS FROM TOMORROW (watch this thread because if we have an uneven number, we might accept more)

-The last day for SENDING your gifts out is December 7th (deadline was extended to this new date this year since we were a little late sending out Secret Santa assignments)

-The last day for POSTING PICTURES of the gifts you receive is December 22nd (deadline may be extended since sending out Secret Santa assignments has been delayed a bit this year)

MAILING YOUR PACKAGE:

-You MUST send out your gifts by priority or express shipping methods to ensure that everyone receives their gifts in a timely fashion. Someone will be doing this for you, so please do it for someone else.

-You MUST purchase a tracking number for your package so that you can keep track of it if there are any delays.

-Do NOT send a PM or email to the person who you are sending a gift to in an attempt to let them know that you're their Secret Santa. It's called "Secret" Santa for a reason, people. Half of the fun is people being surprised when they learn who their Secret Santa is!

RECEIVING YOUR PACKAGE:

-Post pictures of all the gifts you receive no later than December 22nd. If you want to be funny with it and make a video or pictorial story or something, that’s great, but just make sure you post it all by the 22nd.

-Take pictures of ALL of your gifts. Half of the fun of this event is seeing recipients enjoying their gifts.

-If you don’t have your package and it’s getting close to the deadline for postings pictures, send a PM to 10,000 Volt Ghost so he can see what the delay is.

HOW PEOPLE WILL BE SPLIT UP:

Everyone who participates will be paired randomly with someone to send their gift to, but if certain conditions are met, some switches might have to be made:

Because this event attracts people from all over the world, special attention will be paid to making sure people won’t have to spend too much on shipping. This doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed to get someone from the same country as you, but if there are only a couple participants from your part of the world, it’s a possibility. Either way, we will not tolerate complaints from people who refuse to mail packages outside of their country. If you have a problem with this, you shouldn't sign up because there's always a chance you will have to pay a little extra to ship your package out. This season is about giving, so you shouldn't be picky about little things like shipping fees.

CONFIRMED PARTICIPANTS:

Mockery
10,000 Volt Ghost
Harry Lime
Grisley Gus
Pentegarn
Dimnos
Ex Leper
Zhukov
Dextire
MarioRPG
GEETAR WOMAN
PROTOCLOWN
ChrisGlass
Replicant
BatmanJohnson
Punk Hippie(just need test letter)
Tacobot
LordSappington
Dr. Boogie
Nick
Thanos(pending letter)
MrSmiley381
Blood_Panther
Stonewar
Babs
JohnyQuest(Pending Letter)
Pharmasweaves(Pending Letter)












So....just PM your info to me, 10K and I'll get to work.

:xmas1:xmas2:xmas3:xmas1

It begins
 

I am totally down

The Secret Santa event worked out really well last year and I'm definitely looking forward to it again.

SHARE YOUR INTERESTS:

To help people shop for you, we once again have a "share your interests" thread where you can post about anything you like / don't like. Again, this is completely optional and your Secret Santa is NOT required to buy you something based on your interests.

You can post your interests in this thread:
http://www.i-mockery.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69707906

:xmas3

In like Flint baybee

Also send me your addresses even if you have participated before. Just in case if you have moved since then or I threw your address out.

Done and done

I'm in :xmas1

Me me me!

I'd like in.

Yeah, I'm in! :xmas2

I'm down for this shit.

This has almost become as much of a tradition for me as Christmas itself (but it's less depressing than that makes it sound).

Count me in on the Secret Santa fun.

I'm in Guys!

I joined the forums JUST so I could participate this year (how sad is that? *LOL*)

I think that's how we can get more people to sign up on the forums - the promise of gifts from complete strangers.

well it works :D

Sounds fun! Count me in.

I think i got all the exclamation points in there!

I'm in once again.

I'm in.

Can I do it this year?

Weren't you banned?

Yep, he sure was.

Is he also seththomas' brother?

Oh sure, spoil it for everyone! :lol

Anyhow, since there's some new people in the SS event this year, I think we should clarify that it's ok to buy things from the dollar store as filler in addition to your 15-25 dollar main gift(s). :xmas3

Any update on Punk Hippe or Tacobot's test letter?

Just got mine today and sent it back out already. and the first two numbers of my ZIP code were transposed, but it got here so whatever.

I live in Canada, so I'm expecting it sometime between tomorrow & Christmas ;D

Evidence shows that ZBF was banned in 2007 for pulling shenanigans in 2006, but whether the ban was permanent or not is unclear!

I'd give him the benefit of the doubt after 5 years since he's now a more mature 16-year-old, but it's not my decision to make. Carry on!

Fuck though didn't we forever ban people underage from participating after microshock.

Zbf, how old are you?

I probably could have met you at the peace bridge too

I don't think there ever was more than just talk about banning underage kids from participating in the Secret Santa events.
And even if there was a ban, I'm sure zbf is old enough now (or really close).

Since the event is once again in your capable hands, the problem is whether you trust the guy enough to not mess up yet again.
It's a rather unique situation since most of the others who've messed up in the past were simply banned from the forums.

Personally, I think he's still too much of risk. But you're in charge 10k, and it's the season for forgiveness or something like that. :xmas1

If my opinion mattered I'd say no to ZBF, his screw up still puts a bad taste in my mouth.

Sounds awesome. sing RelliKinGrunge in. and a Merry Chrustmas to people, Happy hanukkah to my Jew peeps, and Happy kwanzaa.

SECRET SANTA
 

SOUNDS FUN, IM in:xmas3

merry xmas to the i-mockery peeps, or hanukah

I'm in this year. Message incoming.

I don't know about ZBF.... makes me nervous to participate...

After looking back through the 2006 secret santa thread and cross checking credible sources zbf messed up.

Tacobot letter confirmed.

Suhweeeeet

I got my letter today, & I'll have a return letter in the mail tomorrow hopefully :)

i'm in.
 

I had a bunch of fun last year so sure I'll join up again!

So I am not allowed to play this year. I hope next year you guys have a change of heart, I was planning on making it really good. 'Tis okay, my gifts will find a home elsewhere. Have fun guys :)

I almost wasn't going to do it this year but then it showed up on my facebook and lured me back in
I'm in and maybe this year I will be able to post the pictures without assistance. That is always so frickin embarrassing.

Same here. BIG MONEy, BIG PRIZES.

Sounds like fun. Put me in, coach!

ahh the race is on to increase my post count so i can try to get in on this hahaha

It isn't about post count, it is more about time posting if anything, but 10k has a system to let newbies in too, he should be in touch about it

Am I too late?
 

you have to make at least 5 posts to send pms or post images

I realize i'm probably too late to get in this thing since i'm new but i can try right?
it is my birthday after all ;)
i cant figure out how to resize my pic so... spoiler tag?

I forgot they did that, that is a recent change by the way

I'm not on the confirmed participants list; did I not sign up right, or am I just not trusted

WHOOPS!

Let's get down to business and trade some gifts, shall we?! :xmas3

Sign my ass up for this!

I'm having the same problem as Pharmasweaves - I'm such a lurker that the system won't let me send a PM to 10kv Ghost...
Trying to up that, but my comments don't seem to be adding up!

This years SS looks pretty promising. OHHHHH CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!

I'm getting nervous... stupid mail system. I hope my letter makes it there in time!

I wouldn't get too worried just yet. You signed-up/sent the return letter early enough that I'm sure it'll arrive in time. :xmas1

I wish this event would lure more people to stay and be active.

Hey, here I am!



Ready for some fun.

We could always do one in the middle of July...

I really want to join this, I can upload a picture in time, but can I send a letter late?

I think this makes my fifth post. Sorry for its exsistance

Hypothetically, could one buy $25 worth of gifts from the dollar store(that may of may not be 50 cans of 2 for a dollar cans of cat food)??????????

Haha, you really like to wait till the last possible second don't you? I hope you don't wait so long to ship your stuff out, if you're allowed in. :xmas2

Uh, did you read the rules? The big bold yellow parts at least? (The answer is no dollar store stuff! >:)

i thought the rules were you could have dollar store stuff as long as it comes w/ a (reasonable) quality gift

Ah, excellent point good sir! You can add dollar store stuff as filler. You just can't make it the majority of what you spend on your gift(s). :xmas1

Hello
 

Onward to holiday cheer

and such:)

Okay. now thats its the 25th I'm just waiting to get letters back from the people that signed up and put their pictures up in time.

Going to start figuring out the zoning and who will be getting who.


If you happen to get someone you already had before just let me know and I will switch it up.

I was hoping my gratuitous use of punctuation along with my implying that I was to attempt to mail one person a package of fifty tins of, for cat, liver flavored meat-like meat byproduct would easily convey my tone of jest in my silly questioning of a perceived loop hole (considering the whole package as the gift, one could still buy a gift at a dollar store that has a total monetary value of the agreed value range, which due to each item at said stores being approximately a dollar, would entail purchasing a higher number of such items, as I originally stated, thus not buying one a cheap 99cent gift).
Even though this may have not been clear, even through my quite obvious attempts at satire, your response did not require the use of such an angry face, quite vulgar my sir.
In case my tone is still not all that clear here is a photograph that I feel encompasses my theme:

[I was being silly]

Ah, you may have some difficulty understanding just how much of a relief it is to see that quite smartly dressed winged-friend. While I fully agree any reasonable individual would see your attempt at jest for what it is, I can assure you that my perceived paranoia is quite founded in fact. For if you look at some of the previous event years you will find several participants who did send an entire box of nothing but dollar store items (though not tins of feline nourishment precisely).

Furthermore, I feel compelled to explain that my apparent "angry face" was meant as more of a "serious face" (as in I'm serious abot not sending a box of dollar store items). You're far too new around here for me to have an opinion of you one way or the other. But I will say being a friend of finely dressed feathered friend is most certainly a step in the right direction. :xmas1

And with that resolved, welcome to the Secret Santa event and let's have some fun! :xmas2

I needed everyone to have the things done by 11:59 PM on the 24th though....

In that case, I highly encourage Inferno to stick around and enjoy the show, become an active forum member throughout the year, and then join in on the fun next year. :xmas3

Hope I got everything done OK - I've posted my picture and messaged the Ghost - waiting on a letter, I guess...

If I've done this too late, I'll have to watch the fun and participate next year!

Just waiting on the letters to be returned. I'll re update the list tomorrow morning at work. Pain doing it mobile

Whoops, I totally forgot to sign up for this by the 24th. I am guessing it's too late now. :\

EDIT: I would have donated my place if needed but I'm happy it worked out ok.

Someone dropped out so I swapped Protoclown in. I might push back the date from Dec 5th to maybe like the 7th or something. Been investing a lot of time into some personal things right now that I need to take care of.

I hate to pester again, but I haven't gotten this yet.

I havn't sent anyones yet. Hopefully sending then out tomorrow. Dealing with unexpected problems right now in my personal life.

So i got... something? in the mail, its more of a scrap of paper with part of a child's marker drawing on it. i'm gonna send the letter to the return address on the envelope i guess.

Yes, Pharmasweaves, I got one too - only mine's a plastic bread bag closer (HA! I got a prize!) I'm responding to the letter now to mail it tomorrow...

Sorry to hear this, hope all is well

All is worse. I can't run the secret santa this year for personal reasons. If anyone else enya to keep it going and has been active and around enough to trust let me know.

To anyone who has given me their personal info I won't give it out to anyone without your consent.

Sorry to hear that. I hope everything is okay :(

Yea i hope things get better for you 10k. and thanks for trying to get all this shit together.

The Secret Santa event will still take place, we're just trying to find somebody to fill in for 10K. So your assignments may take a few more days to be sent out, and we'll extend the deadlines for when you have to mail out your packages by so everything doesn't feel so rushed.

Keep an eye on this thread for more updates on the Secret Santa event soon.

Damn. Hope things get better 10k. :tear

Just caught up on the thread. That's a bummer 10k. I hope whatever is going on man works out. :(

Really sorry to hear that, 10k. That sucks.

Best of luck with your current situation.

Ooookay, with 10k knocked out, I'll just put it out here that whoever gets me please address it to my REAL NAME, otherwise someone ele might rip it open before I get home when it arrives

Sorry to hear bill, hope everything gets better.

I'm working to get through this but its going to take a shit ton of time and won't be an easy process.

I figured that I could still be productive though and I finally sorted out the Secret Santa people though. You should be getting your secret santa person within the next five minutes.

Yeah, like GRAVY GUS

Just got my Secret Santa assignment. Thanks 10k! I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say I appreciate you going forward with the event even with the other difficulties currently going on in your life. Hope your Secret Santa sends you something extra special ;)

To all participants, we'll extend the deadline for when you need to have your gifts sent out by, since your assignments are a few days late. The new deadline for sending gifts is December 7th. That's a full week, so get out there and get shopping for your Secret Santa!

Ah, yeah! Glad you decided to continue on with event, 10K. :xmas1
Now that I know who I'm buying for, I can ignore the interests thread and start shopping. :xmas2