Welcome to Gaia! ::

I was thinking we can have a request application process for would-be participants. They would fill it out, submit ti to the correct members of the charities, and after review, we add them to a list. At a certain date we would send a PM to each participant, asking them to pick a random number. This number, of course, will correspond to one of the eligible participants on a list.
They would then be told who they have to be secret santa for.

Participants will be encouraged to not share the name of the person they chose with anybody.

We will then remind everybody of the set date(s) to exchange gifts.

Everyone will be happy.

Problems: Min./Max. Gift price - We don't want people spending 30k on a gift, and getting a 1k gift back. They will feel bad.

Time Frame - It is almost Thanksgiving already, we need to start this asap

Date? - When will we end the application proceess, and start the number picking? When will we start the gift giving process?

Ditching the SS program - We don't want people to apply, and NOT participate, how can we avoid this?

Sounds good! I'm excited! xd Also, (I know I've already mentioned this to you via PM, but just to make it official) Azura suggested that people who are participating put gift suggestions in their wishlists on their profiles, so whoever gets their number will have some idea of what to get them rather than buying them some random item that they may not like. whee ~ heart

As for the problems, I'd say we set about a 4-5k minimum, but I wouldn't put a maximum just in case someone just wants to be extra generous. whee But we should make sure everyone knows that the gift that they receive will most likely be worth about 4-5k (or whatever we end up setting as the minimum).

I'm ready to get started whenever you are. Soon as it starts I'll post a link in the Special Event Thread, make an announcement thread here about it, and put an entry about it in G.G.W.'s News Journal. I'm assuming you'd like to host it in your thread? If not, I'm certainly happy to host it here. Just let me know. ^_^

I'd say if you absolutely want to have it finished by Thanksgiving then we'd better open it as soon as possible, and close the applications by Tuesday so that we can hopefully get all the numbers picked and people can get the gifts sent out by Thanksgiving hopefully. However, if you want to let it carry on a little longer (since we seem to be getting a late start. sweatdrop ) we could close application on Thanksgiving (or possibly the day after, so people who have been busy with Thanksgiving plans previously might get at least one day afterwards to apply), and then do the number picking and gift sending business over the weekend. ^_^

As for possible ditchers, I'd say that one thing we can do is that, once people receive their gift, they post that they've gotten something and, since we can keep track of who has who's number so that, for anyone who doesn't get their gift, we can PM the person who drew their number and "gently remind" them that they were supposed to have gotten a gift for their Secret Santa person. If they refuse or get snotty, we can always do our best to make it publicly known that said person is a dirty, rotten, untrustworthy, selfish double-crosser. stare Anyway, if something like this does happen, I will personally get a snazzy gift for whoever gets ditched. 3nodding

Sounds great! xd I'll make a thread about it now and just keep it locked until you get a chance to check it out and give the O.K. to open up and get started. whee The application looks good to me. Covers all of the bases. 3nodding

(sorry if i want supposed to post)
so when are we starting?

I want a gift sad I'll never get one because my friends are selfish! sad and they keep the gifts to them self!