The (Un)Official Secret Santa 2018 Thread!

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woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,569
15,218
SE PA USA
Welcome to the 2018 Edition

of the

(Un)Official Secret Santa Extravaganza!
2v2Jr8Evjx3L6Bn.jpg
Yes, it’s that time once again: Stale fruitcake, wayward elves, drunken relatives, family fights and Secret Santa 2018! The event you’ve slowly, reluctantly come to regard as "Mostly Enjoyable", over lo these many years!
For those of you who are new to the concept, Secret Santa is an online pipe tobacco gift exchange held every year, since 2011, here on PipesMagazine.com. Organized and supported by the members of PipesMagazine.com/forums, it is not in any way affiliated with the ownership, management or sponsors of PipesMagazine.com. This is strictly a volunteer effort that is successful only because of the forum members who participate. If you want to get a feel for what it is, take look back at past year’s events:
Secret Santa 2017

Secret Santa 2016

Secret Santa 2015
Like all good things we have a couple of arcane, convoluted simple rules in play to make sure that no one gets a nose out of joint, a stocking full of coal, or re-packaged Carter Hall in a tin with pornographic tin art (for the record, it was Pirate Kake -ed.).
The Rules
You Must:

1) Have a minimum of 75 legit posts by October 1, 2018, or be vouched for by a member who has at least 150 posts. No exceptions.
2) Agree to send a gift of two (2) sealed tobacco tins, pouches, etc. of 50g each (or the equivalent volume of tobacco in sealed condition), incurring costs for the present and shipping. Please limit your gift to just two tins.
3) Post to this thread when you have shipped your present to your target victim giftee.
4) Post to this thread when you have received your present from your Secret Santa.
5) Enjoy what you receive, in the spirit of camaraderie and fellowship that guided your Secret Santas selection of a gift to you. (Seriously? We need a "no complaining" rule?)
6) Post pictures or at least a summary of the goodies you received from your Secret Santa to this thread.
7) “Favorite” this thread so that you can keep up with the adventure!
Participants outside the USA: We welcome your participation. I will make every effort to match you with someone from your country or trade bloc so as to minimize your potential customs fees, however that may not be possible. If you sign up for the Secret Santa exchange, and you do not live in the US, you agree to accept your gift package from another country and pay whatever customs fees may be charged to you.
The Signup

We moved the signup online last year, and it worked out really well. So when you are ready to take the plunge…

CLICK HERE and fill out the Secret Santa Signup Form.

Then post your preferences and other musings here on this thread.
The Long Form and Fine Print

After talking with a few forum members, I’ve decided to request that we limit our gifts to two 50gr. Tins (or the equivalent). Although it’s generally true that More Is Better, gift inflation can be intimidating to other potential Secret Santa participants. If you want to send along some pipe cleaners or other small pipe ephemera, that’s cool, but let’s try to keep it on an even keel.
Registration for this year's Secret Santa will close on Sunday, November 12th. I will send all participants the name and mailing address of their intended target by November 15th. Once you have received the name and address of your giftee, please take a second to look on this thread for any of their pipe-smoking particulars updates and then send your present tout de suite so that it arrives before Christmas.
It's up to you to decide when, where and how to open your present, but I thought that it might be cool to try have an UnBoxing Day Event online again here. So be sure to tune in and chime in on Christmas Day and show us all what you found under the tobacco tree. Either way, if you just can’t wait until Christmas, please be certain to come back here and post some pix of your bounty.
Participating in this thread is half the fun of Secret Santa, so be sure to stop by early and often.
The FAQ, Ma'am, Just the FAQ - Answers to Common Questions

Question - Hey Dan! So two tins is the recommended size of the present. Can I send more than that?

Answer – In past years, the sky was the limit, and some of us felt that things got a little out of hand. So we’ve been holding it to two tins.
Question - Hey Dan! Something unexpected/bad/sad/financially-debilitating just happened and I can't honor my commitment to send out my present to my giftee. What should I do?

Answer - Hey, we totally get that life happens and that sometimes the unfortunate unexpected happens, prohibiting us from honoring our commitments. IF THIS HAPPENS PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY.
Question - Hey Dan! It's Christmas Day (December 25th) and I have not received my present from my Secret Santa. What should I do?

Answer - If you do not receive your gift by December 25th LET ME KNOW.
Question - Hey Dan! I don't like (enter tobacco product name here). How do I let my Secret Santa know what my likes and dislikes are?

Answer – Include it in the sign up form, but I'd also use this thread right here to advise folks what your likes and dislikes are. I can't guarantee that they'll be respected, but at least you will have made your desires known.
And, finally, I would be a total putz if I didn’t acknowledge the great Santa’s that came before me: Duncan started this whole thing back in 2011 (I think). Mrgunnar177 picked up the reins after that and Pruss (Pat, who wrote most of this post for past year's Secret Santa) honed it into the fine running machine that is now over the past several years.
Ho, Ho, Ho... Here we go!
-- Santa Dan

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,569
15,218
SE PA USA
Yes, bagged bulk is OK, provided it's in good shape. I wouldn't want to cut off the possibility of someone receiving a great vintage blend.

 

josephcross

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 30, 2015
963
93
Hey Dan, thanks for organizing this again. Looking forward to seeing which unlucky victim, err I mean lucky person I get this year.

 

ashdigger

Lifer
Jul 30, 2016
11,378
70,056
60
Vegas Baby!!!
At the current market value of McClellands or some other unobtainium that I've hoarded..... would it be okay if I just sent two bowls worth? I can kick in some used pipe cleaners to "sweeten" the surprise.

 

bluto

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 24, 2018
737
8
Oh goody , I got a few homemade blends and flakes I need to try out , need a few test subjects

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,569
15,218
SE PA USA
That makes ten participants already! Last year, we had 44 by the time the list closed on November 12th. Can we beat that? I'd love to see a lot of our new members join the fray.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,070
Carmel Valley, CA
You da man, Dan! Thanks so much for doing this again, and I look forward to receiving the usual tins, one Penzance and one original Balkan Sobranie..... or a couple of M-69's.
Looking forward....
I know that you believe you understood what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,569
15,218
SE PA USA
I know that I think what you said is what I believe you intended to say, but you’re telling me that what your talking about isn’t what I thought you were meaning?
M-m-m-m69

 
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