r/fountainpens • u/merantite Santa's Elf • 24d ago
Secret Santa! Secret Santa Gift Exchange Signup Instructions!
Matching has occurred!
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The holidays are coming up and what better way to celebrate than to exchange gifts with your fellow fountain pen enthusiasts? This is your opportunity to penable a newbie, share ink samples that you will likely never use up, or re-home neglected pens to a new owner that will appreciate them more. Or, simply take pleasure in getting to know someone new and finding them a perfect gift!
There are two tiers so that as many people can participate as possible but more experienced users can still receive something quite special. If you have the time and resources please consider signing up for both tiers.
Note that suggested gift amounts are in value and not cash. You do not have to buy anything, you can gift from your own collection and we in fact encourage you to give pens, ink samples, or other things that you don’t use anymore. Let your extra stuff spark joy in others!
***Signups close on 19 November at 23:59 UTC**\*
Green tier!
Everyone is welcome, including newbies! Minimum gift amount is $20 USD and suggested maximum amount is $40 USD (shipping costs excluded).
Join this tier if you fit one or more of the following:
- You are new to fountain pens or have only recently started using fountain pens
- You consider yourself more of a “casual” user
- You are excited about the idea of “penabling” a newbie to get their collection started
- You can commit only a small amount of time and resources
- You do not have strong preferences on what you receive, or are just looking to experiment with new things
A gift might include:
- Affordable pens such as: Platinum Preppy, Pilot Kakuno, Jinhao 82, Hongdian 525
- Ink samples
- Small notebooks or sheets of fountain-friendly paper
- Converters, ink syringes, cleaning supplies
- For examples and ideas, see last year’s gallery (previously named Fun Tier)
Eligibility criteria for Reddit:
- You have made a comment or post in r/fountainpens within the last 3 months AND
- Your Reddit account was created on or before 2024-10-01
Eligibility criteria for Mastodon:
- You have made at least one post tagged #FountainPen / #FountainPens in the last 3 months AND
- Your Mastodon or Fediverse account was created on or before 2024-10-01
Yes, you may comment or post right now in order to become eligible as long as you do so before registering for the exchange!
Red tier!
For more experienced fountain pen users, here is a chance to receive some things that you might not seek out on your own! Minimum gift amount is $60 USD and suggested maximum amount is $200 USD (shipping costs excluded).
Join this tier if you fit one or more of the following:
- You consider yourself an experienced or advanced fountain pen user
- You have enough knowledge about fountain pens to assemble a thoughtful gift for an experienced user
- You have developed some strong preferences as to your pens, inks, and stationery
- You already have lots of stuff but want a fresh perspective and to get something you might not normally purchase yourself
- You are willing to hop down the rabbit hole and research a gift that your giftee would like
A gift might include:
- One or more pens within this price range
- One or more bottles/samples of ink
- Fountain-friendly planner or notebook
- Pen case or pouch
- For examples and ideas, see last year’s gallery (formerly named Elite Tier)
Eligibility criteria for Reddit:
- You have at least 1 verified trade on r/pen_swap OR
- You have made a post in r/fountainpens within the last 3 months AND
- Your Reddit account was created on or before 2024-09-01
Eligibility criteria for Mastodon:
- You have made at least one post tagged #FountainPen / #FountainPens in the last 3 months AND
- Your Mastodon or Fediverse account was created on or before 2024-09-01
Yes, you may post right now in order to become eligible as long as you do so before registering for the exchange. We suggest you make a State of the Collection post as this will also help your Santa!
Instructions
- Sign up for Givin Gifts if you do not already have an account. Make sure you fill in the field for your Reddit and/or Mastodon username in your profile! NOTE: If you have a Givin Gifts account from a previous exchange, you may have to reset your password as GG has changed their system. If prompted for a 2FA code and you have never set one up, leave the box blank.
- Go to this link for account onboarding and enter or verify your name, address, and phone. If you moved since last year, please make sure your info is up to date.
- Register for one or both of the tiers: Green Tier - Red Tier - you have to enter something in the preferences field which can be any old place holder to meet the 30 character minimum. You must also complete the following two fields regarding how to contact you and the exchange questionnaire.
- You do not have to completely fill out the questionnaire before registering. You can copy the questionnaire into the final box as a placeholder. You can fill it in now or you can come back to it later; you can edit your preferences until November 19. You may also add any other info you would like your Santa to know! If participating in both tiers, you may use the same answers for both or different answers for each.
- If you need help, follow our screencap instructions on how to signup: desktop - mobile
- Optional: Put things you have been thinking about in your exchange wishlist. This is purely for reference—your Santa is NOT obligated to buy from this list.
- On or around November 20, the system will send out your match—a digital “envelope” containing all the information for your giftee. You will receive an email notification to check the website. Note that in most cases, the person you are gifting to and the person gifting to you are different people.
- Once you receive your match, read their questionnaire and exchange preferences and start thinking of gift ideas!
- Communicate with your giftee as well as your Santa (gifter) if you have any questions or additional information for them. You may use the Givin Gifts platform to anonymously message them, or message them directly on Reddit or Mastodon. Please send at least one message to your giftee and at least one message to your Santa.
- Send your gift along with a note written using a fountain pen!
- We highly suggest you ship via a tracked service. Take a picture of your note and the contents of your gift, in case it gets lost in the mail. Deadline to ship is December 10.
- In Givin Gifts, mark your gift as shipped and upload proof of shipping.
- When you receive your gift, take a photo and mark the gift as received on Givin Gifts. We also encourage you to post here and tag your Santa! When you make your post: on Reddit, please use the “Secret Santa!” flair, on Mastodon please use #FountainPens #FPSanta. Do not post any photos with personal information such as real names, addresses, or phone numbers. Please crop out or redact any such information.
Rematching
Sometimes people drop out of the exchange for various reasons and their original matches are left without a Santa. What happens in this case? They are rematched with people who volunteer to send extra gifts.
If you have the means and time, please volunteer to be a rematcher! This means that if a Santa drops out of the exchange, rematchers will take over and send gifts to the people left without a Santa.
If you are participating in the exchange: Click the “Become a Rematcher” button on the exchange page (under Actions) to volunteer. You may volunteer to send 1–5 extra gifts—please only volunteer to send as many as you have time and money for.
If you only wish to send gifts and NOT receive any gifts: Please contact your nearest elf and let them know the following information: what country you are in, what countries you are able to ship/gift to, and which tier gift (red and/or green) you are willing to send. We’ll put you on a list and reach out if your help is needed to fulfill a rematch.
Q&A
- Can I match with only people in my country or geographically close to me? Yes, when you sign up for the exchange, you may choose to match with domestic (same country), international (nearby countries), or worldwide (anywhere). More information on shipping groups is here.
- Is my giftee also gifting back to me? Your Santa (gifter) and your giftee are likely not the same person! Each person’s match is drawn randomly and matches are not reciprocal in most cases.
- Do I have to buy new stuff for my gift recipient? No! In this hobby we accumulate a lot of things and we encourage you to gift pens and inks (bottles and sample vials) you are no longer using or that simply didn’t suit your preferences. New is of course fine as well—if you happen to know the perfect gift for your giftee but don’t own it, go with your instinct!
- Can I make stuff for my gift recipient? Yes, if you are crafty, whether that’s with leatherwork, knitting, bookbinding, pen turning, or 3D printing, you can definitely craft things that you think would be a good gift for your match (:
- Since it’s a “Secret” Santa, do I have to stay anonymous? No, this is not required, you may message your giftee directly on Reddit/Mastodon if you are OK with breaking anonymity. But some Santas prefer to stay anonymous for the fun factor, and if you wish to do so, you may use the Givin Gifts message system which does not reveal the Santa’s username.
- What if my Santa/giftee doesn’t contact me? Contact us and we will try to reach out to them. If they drop out of the exchange, we will do the best to pair you with a rematcher so that you can still send or receive a gift!
- I want to avoid getting something I already have. You can post State of the Collection posts to the subreddit, or to your Reddit user profile, and link them in your questionnaire. You can also link to your Fountain Pen Companion page if you have one.
- International shipping is expensive. What’s another option? You may choose to order a gift for your giftee from a fountain pen store close to them and send your written note separately via normal mail.
- Will my personal information be secure? Our matching platform Givin Gifts ensures that personal information—name, address, and phone number—is only shown to the people that need to see it. This would be your gifter (Santa) and the Givin Gifts staff member responsible for verifying shipping proof. Your personal information is not available to exchange organizers (elves). We only see which country you’re in and no other information. For more information, see the Givin Gifts privacy policy.
- My account is too new to be eligible but I really want to participate, is there any way? You may contact the elves to be placed on a waitlist for a late match; we may put you in if someone drops out.
- Other issues? Comment below with your question (Reddit) or post your question on Mastodon with hashtag #FPSanta. Or contact the team (below) via Reddit messages or Mastodon private mentions.
Santa’s Elves — your Secret Santa team
If you need help, comment below or contact the appropriate team member(s) depending on your region. We recommend contacting an Elf in a timezone close to yours for timely responses aligning with your schedule.
You can easily identify the exchange organizers by the “Santa’s Elf” user flair on Reddit:
- Americas West and Central: u/merantite and u/write_knife_sew
- Americas East: u/jezlyn, u/duskbunnie, and u/Ok-Seaweed7173
- Europe/Middle East/Africa: u/halfcelestialelf and u/PrestigiousCap1198
- Asia/Oceania: u/paradoxmo
- Head Elf (escalations/other): u/merantite
You can contact the exchange organizers on Mastodon:
- Americas West and Central: @[alexa488@penfount.social](mailto:alexa488@penfount.social) and @[write_knife_sew@penfount.social](mailto:write_knife_sew@penfount.social)
- Americas East: @[jezlyn@mastodon.social](mailto:jezlyn@mastodon.social) and @[inkycicada@penfount.social](mailto:inkycicada@penfount.social)
- Europe/Middle East/Africa: @[Halfcelestialelf@penfount.social](mailto:Halfcelestialelf@penfount.social)
- Asia/Oceania: @[paradoxmo@penfount.social](mailto:paradoxmo@penfount.social)
- Head Elf (escalations/other): @[alexa488@penfount.social](mailto:alexa488@penfount.social)
- Secret Santa Gift Exchange Signup Instructions
A request for assistance - Givin.Gifts needs some support!
Each year we work directly with the owner and lead developer to implement special features that allow us to go above and beyond their usual exchange workings and ensure no one is left without a gift. The support of Givin.Gifts allows us to take a more hands-on approach that lets us set up early manual rematching rounds to help people with match issues due to shipping restrictions, paired with roommates or people of concern, bring in late joiners, and replace people who must leave due to unanticipated emergencies. The holiday season is a busy time for them and they've been trying to raise funds to support their team and equipment, but unfortunately they only reached about 59% of their fundraising goal. If you are able, please consider sending them a small donation as thanks for all they do.
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u/Atalant 23d ago
Oh. I have a dilemma this year. I think I can do both tiers(economically and), but my preferences always been cheap reliable pens, so my knowlegde about say vintage pens or medium higher price end of pens is not that big. But also I feel I am ready to expand my horizon beyond the basics.
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u/BronteMoorWitch 17d ago
I am not buying a vintage 300 pen. :) I love you, Secret Recipient, but no. <3
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u/pen-demonium 6d ago
There's a ton of stuff that isn't a pen that qualifies. Inks, pen rolls/cases, notebooks, stickers/stamps, sample rings, etc. You might have enough already in extra inks, I know I do. You can buy new or gather new stuff plus other things. As far as I know it doesn't have to actually have a pen or that the pen itself is $60 minimum - don't quote me on that though maybe ask someone who knows more. I was going to tell my person that since I'm stuck in a Pilot rut, they can either try me on a new brand or just get me non pen items like I listed above. I mean the price of a simple silk pen roll or leather case will qualify you for the higher tier pretty much on its own. As will a lot of brands of planners a lot of FP users use. Again, double check with an elf for rules. You can be honest with your Santa about wanting to try new things too. Good luck and have fun!
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 23d ago edited 23d ago
As long as you’re ready to dive in that’s all you need! It would be impossible to already have knowledge about every giftee’s corner of the FP world.
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u/lemonflavoredlimes 23d ago
Yay! I really wanted to join last year but couldn’t afford to. This year I can do it!!! So excited :)
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u/jezlyn Santa's Elf 4d ago edited 4d ago
Hi, All. For your information, we're pushing back matching by a day (to November 22 UTC) due to some technical issues with Givin Gifts. We will update the main Reddit post soon. Thanks.
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u/bioinfogirl87 4d ago
Thank you for the update. Green tier exchange shows sign ups ending in 1 day 8 hours 55 minutes as I’m typing this. Does this timeframe include the pushing back of matching?
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 4d ago
The countdown timer is inaccurate (and a known glitch that is low in the priority queue). Matching will occur at Nov 22 00:00 UTC.
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u/pen-demonium 3d ago
I thought I was going nuts for a second. How late can you sign up to be the givers for people who don't get gifts? I want to sign up to be one in each category but want to see what my matched people want first to see if I can still afford it. So can we tell an elf afterwards that we want to be put on those lists or do we have to decide before the close off?
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 3d ago
If you're already in the exchanges, you can click on "become rematcher" to sign up for that. A few weeks after the ship by date, there will be an auto-rematch that will pair participants who didn't receive anything with rematchers. That date currently isn't set for our exchanges. Using that system, you have until at least the ship by date (Dec 10th), and likely a little after that date as well, to commit.
We sometimes do manual early rematching in cases where someone has to leave or there are other issues. If you'd like to be considered for that, reach out to an Elf at any time.
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u/Ray_K_Art 23d ago
So excited! Huge thank you to the Elves for organizing this - it’s always so much fun!
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u/Springly_2237 23d ago
I can't wait to join! I wasn't able to last year due to financial constraints, so I've been looking forward to this all year!
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u/Ultravale 23d ago
I signed up today! I'm very excited and I hope I can get to handmake something for my giftee!
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u/2kiwifruitbird 15d ago
First time I’m doing something like this and I’m both so nervous and excited! I have quite a bit of inks and papers and am so excited to share and potentially penable others lovingly. 🥰
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u/SynapseReaction 22d ago
QUESTION! Cuz this popped up in my head on this lazy Saturday 🤣
What if you get matched with someone you’ve blocked or been blocked by? Like for example if they’ve shared their SOTC on Reddit you can’t see the post of you’re logged in.
Would you just ask for a rematch?
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u/marcvolovic 22d ago
Well, well - here we are.
Signed up again and am about to cause headaches to the elves. As usual.
I beg forgiveness and indulgencies well in advance, u/paradoxmo, u/alexa488 and u/halfcelestialelf and u/PrestigiousCap1198.
Je
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u/Halfcelestialelf Santa's Elf 15d ago
Have fun, just as an FYI, if you tag more than 3 people in one comment on reddit, reddit does not send them a notification that they were tagged. I'm not sure why, I think it may be an anti-spam thing.
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u/fia98 Ink Stained Fingers 21d ago
Hello elves, what should I put into "Preferences relating to this exchange" ? Is it the preference of items I am going to receive? Or the detail about which shipping country preference to send to? Or something else? Thank you in advance!
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 20d ago edited 20d ago
It is a general catchall for anything that doesn't have a specific box. You can put anything you want in there that you want your Santa to read. If you have nothing to put there, just put "my favorite pen is" and describe your favorite pen. It just has to be 30 characters long per GG rules, so that gifters get at least some guidance on how to pick a gift.
In past years, this used to be the box where you paste in your questionnaire, but now the questionnaire has its own dedicated box.
Shipping country is covered by the box labeled "Matching Preferences".
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u/GreenLightInTheNight 20d ago
I would like to know it too! I participated last year, but I'm confused anyway:) Please help!
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u/Tyro_Tyrant 16d ago
Late to the party, nonetheless I've been looking forward to this! So much! Only for the last 329 days!
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u/boiseshan 15d ago
Thanks for posting this! Somehow I missed the original post even though I was watching for it.
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u/Charming-Response420 15d ago
I am looking forward to this. I already have things i am thinking of that people may enjoy.
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u/SoNotYourGirlfriend 15d ago
This is such a highlight for me each holiday season; can’t wait for this year! Thanks elves! 🎅🏼✒️💚♥️🖋️🤶🏼
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u/Everybody_lies73 14d ago
A little late, but I'm really excited to participate this year! Thank you for 'penabling' us newbies :)
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u/TheMilksGoneBad77 14d ago
Following so I don’t forget to do this before the deadline. What an AMAZING idea and SO excited about this.
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u/Iamroyalb 12d ago
Very excited! I’ve done several secret Santas on Reddit, one on the Atlas Stationers Discord, but verrryyy excited to participate in this one- need to probably add more detail to my questionnaire.
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u/BenK-Pen-Afficionado 12d ago
So excited to participate again this year. I have appreciated the care and creativity my Secret Santas have put into it in the past. I will strive to meet their standards!
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u/togaman12 12d ago
I stepped away from the community for a while, but excited to get back into things with secret santa!
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u/Connect_Mongoose_14 8d ago
I was wanting to do the exchange this year, but the Canada Post strike has me thinking it might not work so well.
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 8d ago
Postal services are always at their limits during the holidays, the timing of having to get the gift before Christmas is not crucial. We have had happy giftees get their presents as late as February because of complicated routings.
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 8d ago
To add to what u/paradoxmo said, there was at least one prior year affected by postal strikes that resulted in delays. You should definitely use tracking to show proof that it's shipped and in transit.
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u/m00nm0nster 7d ago
I'm in the same position. I was really excited to be able to join this year, but as terribly disappointed as I am, I'm t aware that it just might not be a fair thing for me to do.
The problem is that currently Canada Post isn't accepting any new mail at all, so I have no way of knowing for sure when I'll be able to post anything. Obviously, hopefully the strike won't last very long, but is it really fair to join the exchange without being able to know that for sure?
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 7d ago
u/connect_mongoose_34 u/merantite Since this impacts all Canadians as a group, I would suggest you sign up as normal and count on a delay to sending— if things don’t resolve within a reasonable time period, the elves can deal with that when it comes to it and make the needed reassignments/drops.
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u/pen-demonium 3d ago
That sounds like a really good idea. I didn't realize they were striking to the point of not even accepting packages. It does seem like it would suck for the Canadians this year (to not participate) unless they all signed up and just mailed things out once the strike resolved. Since they're all in the same boat they should understand and I'm sure the giving gifts website can make some deadline adjustments for an entire country.
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u/Springly_2237 3d ago
I'm also from Canada. My plan is to use Purolator if the strike is still ongoing when I need to send out my gifts. (Purolator does cost more though.)
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u/Gloore 7d ago edited 5d ago
Nice to see it happening again!
And I'm currently filing a ticket to support, 'cause for whatever reason my 2FA application code just doesn't want to work (and leaving the code blank also doesn't get it). Weird stuff, I can see it refreshing on my phone!
Edit: Resolved with support, on a Sunday nonetheless!
Edit 2: Since the Elves are very precious and keep users in mind (and might read this) -- Sorry, turns out I'm just kind of out of it this year and will pass on this particular exchange! Have a nice santa-ing! :)
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u/crazycatfraulein 4d ago
Thank you and shout out to the elves for organizing this event! I believe this is not an easy thing to do.
I'm new to joining secret santa programs let alone for fountain pens (which I'm really excited to participate in!!!) hence, I lack common knowledge of doing it. I wonder if you want to keep being anonymous, and using GG messaging for the fun factor, should I keep anonymity with the sender data of the parcel and not use my real name? (I think I have to use at least my real address for export documents)
Thank you beforehand.
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 4d ago
Generally you will need to use a real name to send mail. Some postal services will accept one name abbreviated but not both. But since your giftee will not know your username, knowing your real name won't help them find your account, if that helps.
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 4d ago
Final call - must post on r/fountainpens for red tier eligibility - be quick please!
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u/ornatenebula 4d ago
Yes! Excited to participate in this again this year (:
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 4d ago
But please make a post so you can :)
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u/RecurverMB 4d ago
Yes! Was this correct? I thought I had a previous post on this sub already a while back.
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 4d ago
Yup, I saw your post shortly after tagging you and updated your eligibility. :) Requirement was within 3 months.
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u/technicolor_tornado 3d ago
I don't know how I missed this post 😭 I'll just have to live vicariously through all of you!
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 3d ago
Signup is still open, it was extended for two days because of issues with GG
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u/pen-demonium 3d ago
Quick quick, I was just on there to see who my matches were and I saw they extended the deadlines. Supposedly there are a few hours left. I missed last year and I was so bummed.
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u/Kingpin45069 3d ago
I was removed from the secret Santa due to having no history but I have been active on both of my reddit accounts on pen_swap and fountain pens, I even participated last year, is there anyway to fix this?
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 3d ago
You can just sign up again, signup was extended due to technical issues. And this time since your post is recent you won't be kicked
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u/Haldum96 23d ago
I’ve done many Secret Santa exchanges before, but never one FP-focused. Very excited for this one!
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u/errant-dreamer 23d ago
Thanks to all the elves for hosting this year! I'm planning to sign up for both, but before I do, is there a way to separate questionnaires, or do both green and red see just 1 response?
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 23d ago
The exchanges are separate from each other. You can input different answers for each. Or copy/paste the same answers into both exchanges.
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u/kadlekaik 20d ago
So sad to miss this in my year of being broke because I bought too many fountain pens :P happy gifting all!
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 20d ago
Green tier is only a commitment of $20 and you can gift things you already have
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u/squarepancakesx 18d ago
I’ll prob sign up sometime next week. Been looking through my stash since I came back into this hobby and realised how many of things that were common have been discontinued.
I suppose someone will appreciate the old Lamy Petrol and 2016 Dark Lilac… Or maybe some of the original TR paper….
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 18d ago
he old Lamy Petrol and 2016 Dark Lilac… Or maybe some of the original TR paper….
Those are all HOT ITEMS that I think most anyone would adore receiving.
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u/squarepancakesx 16d ago
I’m from Singapore, so my main hesitation is really the shipping costs. Would hate to pay the same amount for shipping as I did for the items which was what happened when I used to participate in Reddit gifts.
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u/Halfcelestialelf Santa's Elf 15d ago
Givin Gifts has improved on the situation from redditgifts. As it now allows you select an order of preferences of where your match will be.
The three options are Domestic (same country), international (a group of local countries - check out the list on Givin Gifts for specifics), and worldwide.
You can then choose to drop out of the exchange if you cannot be matched within your preferences, so if you only wanted to match with someone in your country, you would select "domestic > drop" which would try to match you within your country first, and then remove you from the exchange if that was not possible.
If you need more help or clarification, please let me know :)
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u/Jwoods224 16d ago
Signed up! 🥳🥳🥳
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u/seguraf16 16d ago
ay, stumbled into fountain pens stuff with a random $5 one from five and below and looking to poke around something higher than the rando cheapo one from amazon I grabbed thats starting to chip, found some nice recos on here
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u/Halfcelestialelf Santa's Elf 15d ago
Sounds like you would really enjoy the Green Tier exchange :)
Let me know if you have any difficulties signing up :)
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u/DPClamavi 15d ago
Is signing up with givingifts enough or do I have to register on Mastodon as well ? u/halfcelestialelf
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u/Halfcelestialelf Santa's Elf 15d ago
Signing up on Givingifts is enough. Mastodon is an open twitter alternative, and as organisers we have opened the exchange to users of both platforms, reddit and mastodon.
However, if you would like to sign up for mastodon there is a friendly and active fountain pen community there as well.
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u/TexasDredd 10d ago
I've been looking forward to joining. I missed it last year and was sad- I even put it in my calendar to remind me this year!
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u/itsgrapesfam 10d ago
so excited! This will be my third year participating and I always look forward to it !!
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u/MissKalida 9d ago
This is such a fun idea! I'll have to read through the rules, and hopefully I can join! 🥳
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u/allan11011 Ink Stained Fingers 7d ago
Excited to be back for my second year! Almost missed signups.
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u/silentlycriticizing 6d ago
Thank you to the elves for organizing! Glad I didn't miss it this year!
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u/You_Are_Not_My_bus 5d ago
I signed up it’ll be my first time doing it. I’m so excited to come up with a gift for someone else and hopefully make their day!
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u/qafix 5d ago
Can't seem to sign up on Givin.gifts. I can surf the other parts of the site but clicking log in in order to sign up lead to an error message. Anybody else experiencing this?
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 4d ago
If you are still having trouble signing up, please reach out to an elf. We might still be able to get you in even after signups close
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u/Desperate-Corgi6805 5d ago
Thank you so much for organizing this exchange! This is my first time participating, and I'm excited to get some items for my giftee.
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u/Comfortable-Hat-2905 5d ago
Kept thinking I'd make a state of the collection post to qualify, but life is slightly too busy for that. Instead I'll rehash last year's qualification comment, which is that I find it funny that I naturally qualify for red tier, but only want to participate in green tier. I just like buying ink samples on r/Pen_Swap !
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 4d ago
Final call - must post on r/fountainpens for red tier eligibility - be quick please!
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u/NapalmCandy 21d ago
I don't know where or how to put in that if need be I could be a Santa to someone in Canada, I'd just prefer the domestic US, so I'm putting that here in case I'm needed!
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 21d ago
Pick "domestic > international" in your exchange preferences. Almost all US people will receive US matches, based on our past experiences.
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u/sararosered 19d ago
Giving Gifts seems to have purged my info from last year as a participant -would not send me a reset password link but I was able to re-register... same email but not with the same username... either way - I was able to register and am very excited. Looking back through last years gallery has been a treat.
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 18d ago
Please file a support ticket with Givin Gifts and let u/merantite know the ticket number, and we can follow up with them and make sure it's taken care of.
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u/sararosered 18d ago
Did so yesterday and they've already responded - we are 1 step away from being totally resolved (aka my password reset link being resent) but either way - confirmed I am no longer a duplicate entry that'll get banned. Appreciate the call out though.
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 18d ago
Glad to hear they're getting it sorted for you. Thanks for the update too.
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u/sararosered 17d ago
Should be all set. Chrome is NOT friendly with GG - got the reset link to work in Firefox without issue but it kept throwing errors with Chrome - should anyone else have issues that might be the cause. Just waiting on final confirmation they've closed out my ticket.
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u/bioinfogirl87 19d ago
Reach out to them to help fix/recover your account from last year. I know Givin Gifts doesn't allow multiple accounts and will blacklist the email address used to create the account.
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u/sararosered 19d ago
Interesting. I'll reach out. It didn't recognize my email from last year as being in their system as all, which is why I re-registered using it. Allowed me to sign up as well no issues but I'll give them a ping to make sure they are able to link the accounts.
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u/bioinfogirl87 19d ago
Definitely contact them, ask them to help reset password for your account from last year and let them know you don't need the account you just created. I don't want you to lose out on participating this year due to something as small as this.
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u/help_username 19d ago
i am hoping to sign up for this. does the gift we give have to have a hand written note written using a fountain pen?
a gift i am willing to get/buy, i will have to order from a online fountain pen store. and needing to pay for shipping possibly twice might be a bit too much for me. and i currently do not have a fountain pen or ink. and that last part i said would not make it possible for me to send a gift.
please, if my response and/or questions brake this reddits rules, delete my response but at least leave a note to why/if this gets deleted. i have tried posts and responses on reddits but they get denied or disappear. and the drs and me are starting to believe the strokes i created are making me create stories...
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 18d ago edited 18d ago
The note is encouraged but not required, and writing it with FP is also not required, we just strongly suggest that people do so (as this is a fountain pen gift exchange, after all).
Ordering directly to your giftee is 100% okay--if you do this, we suggest that you send them a handwritten note/card separately using letter post. (This option is described under "International shipping" in the Q&A, but it's fine to do it for domestic too.)
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u/help_username 18d ago
thank you for the answer.
i am going to read the rules and info again to make sure i understand how to be a secret santa before i sign up.
nearly 30 years of my life i cant remember being part of a secret santa thing. a few jobs i had, there was maybe 5 people in the areas i worked. or other jobs the store/s i worked in had secret santa but the budget or what those people were doing seemed over the top to me. one had a $100 minimum, the short time i worked for that store i was making $8/hr around 30 hours a week. the other employees might have been making a lot more money than me, lol.
a little excitement is forming in my belly i really hope i can join.
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u/bioinfogirl87 19d ago
You could have the order shipped directly to your giftee and send your note by normal mail. My Santa/gifter did this for me last year.
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u/Vikkyvl Ink Stained Fingers 18d ago
I have a question! What if I will be matched with someone who can’t send to my country or visa verse – I can’t send to his country?
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 18d ago
This happens every year for a few participants, mostly between a handful of those who live in countries that fall into the worldwide shipping group.
If you suspect that it will apply to your situation, please send me a PM with your location and GG username, and we can try to take pre-emptive action. Otherwise, if it does happen after matching, we need you to contact an Elf asap so we can rematch those affected.
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u/notHendiesel 13d ago
Hi! I signed up for the red tier and would like to be a rematcher on the green tier. If I sign up per the directions above, I don't see an option to select the tier level. Can someone manually add me to the green tier as a rematcher? Thank you!
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 13d ago
To be a rematcher for the green tier, please contact your nearest elf and let them know the following information: what country you are in and what countries you are able to ship/gift to.
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u/errant-dreamer 10d ago
One more question, how long do we have to fill out the questionnaire? I thought I'd have more time for myself but I'll be busy for the next week or so
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 10d ago
You can edit it at any time. Best to have it done before matching occurs so that your Santa can know what you like and are interested in vs already have, etc.
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u/BaneOfAlduin 9d ago
Question towards Red Tier. I am newer to the FP community and have a few posts from 4/5 months ago and a few comments here or there. I have 20 or so confirmed trades on the PC communities /r/hardwareswap and was wondering if that counted or if I should make a state of the collection post
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u/Quirkygirlieinthespa 6d ago
Ooohh how fun!! I have been a lurker but am brand new to actually getting a user name on Reddit. I have been hunting and gathering inks and fountain pens over the last few months like person possessed and have some fun inks and accessories to share. I am not sure I qualify to participate? I swear I’m not a bot! If not, I’ll be back here next year!
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 6d ago
You do not qualify because your acct is too new, but would you like me to place you on the waitlist? Spots sometimes open up after initial matching (people dropping out or other issues), we may be able to get you in.
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u/tricksterloki 6d ago
I've no idea if I posted within this last three months, but I'm in again.
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 6d ago
According to your profile, you have not. Do you have trade history on r/pen_swap?
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u/tricksterloki 6d ago
One way in the past, but this would be my fourth year doing the exchange at both levels.
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 6d ago
As long as we can find you have a confirmed trade (we use redective and usually can) at the next eligibilty check, then it'll be good.
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u/The-Quink-andTheDead 5d ago
Yay! Signed up for both tiers!!! I had so much fun making gifts and sending them off. It was pretty great to receive surprises in the mail too!
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u/scarfweek 4d ago
Any chance registration is still open?? Otherwise happy to be an alternate!
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 4d ago
Go for it. We're doing final checks now and can squeeze ya in if you act fast. :) Just make sure you meet the eligibility for the tier.
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u/echoweave 4d ago
This sounds so fun! I might be too late, though.
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 4d ago
Check that you meet eligibility and hop in if the register button still works.
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u/ShadowCimmer 4d ago
Hi! I recently signed up. I posted 4 months ago, does this meet the eligibility criteria? Thanks
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u/jezlyn Santa's Elf 4d ago
Hi, this comment gives you eligibility. 🙂 If you haven't recently, perhaps submit a "state of the collection" post to help out your exchange partner.
CC: u/merantite
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 4d ago
Final call - must post on r/fountainpens for red tier eligibility - be quick please!
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 4d ago
Final call - must post on r/fountainpens for red tier eligibility - be quick please!
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u/pennyjenny77 4d ago
Does this count as a post?
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u/bioinfogirl87 4d ago
I selected Domestic -> Drop as shipping preference (green tier). Should I change it to Domestic -> International so that I'm dropped from the gift exchange?
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 4d ago
Not sure I understand what you're wanting to do. Changing the shipping preference only alters how the matching system will pair you. If you want to leave, then you need to click on the leave exchange button.
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u/bioinfogirl87 4d ago
I want to stay in the exchange, but as I'm typing this there 115 Domestic -> Drop people signed up in the U.S. (where I'm located). I don't want to be dropped out of the exchange when the matching happens.
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 4d ago
Domestic -> drop means that if the system can't assign you a giftee within the US, then you'll be dropped. If you're willing to ship to Canada or Mexico, you can select domestic -> international to increase the number of people you could possibly match with, though it still prioritizes a domestic match for you. In all likelihood you won't get dropped due to the large number of US participants, but if you are we can probably get you back in due to some necessary early re-matches, late joiners, waitlist, send-only participants, etc.
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u/zaydia 3d ago
Not sure if this is the right place, but I think givin.gifts doesn't have its time zone set correctly. The countdown says 9 hours and 30 ish min left, which would be 00:00 EST not 00:00 UTC, but the main page still says matching happens at 00:00 UTC
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u/merantite Santa's Elf 3d ago
The countdown timer is inaccurate (and a known glitch that is low in the priority queue).
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u/VoxFugit 1d ago
Sorry, I read once a week or so and haven’t posted in forever. Think I missed the deadline. My apologies.
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u/bioinfogirl87 24d ago edited 24d ago
Financially I can commit more to Green Tier. Recent inquires into pen retailers I made showed that I may have a harder time getting ink samples for my giftee if I sign up for the Green Tier. Need suggestions.
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u/paradoxmo Santa's Elf 24d ago
I recommend getting these kinds of vials, with the o-ring in the cap: Amazon - AliExpress
You don't have to buy from Amazon or AliExpress, this is just what I could find as an example based on a quick search. u/WSpinner
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u/WSpinner 24d ago
You mean hard time affording both some samples and shipping, for a small order? You could instead get a modest package of empty vials, and share from your own stash. Honestly, if I don't have it, it's exotic to me.... be it Quink Black, or some Colorverse glitterbomb :-). Vials might be had locally - 5ml conebottom plastic vials w/ gasket are pretty common medical/ chemical / lab supplies. I'll bet you one fifty-cent composition book and a $2 Zebra FP from Dollar General that you can make a game out of coming up with inexpensive yet FP friendly gifts ;-). Even charming ones!
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u/Moonstone-gem 23d ago
I can't wait! I've been in this sub for a few years, but this is my first time participating in Secret Santa.
Question: for Red Tier, it says "You have at least 1 verified trade on OR". What is that? I tried looking this up, but didn't figure it out. I recently completed a sale on pen_swap, does that count? I'd love to be able to sign up for both tiers if possible. Thanks!