Yep, I know -- it's not even Halloween yet and fall leaves are still changing colors -- but in the words of Ned Stark, "Christmas is coming" -- which means that the HF Forum's Secret Santa festivities are coming as well. All are welcome to play – newbies and oldies. And even if you know the drill, please read the below.

There are three simple steps: 

(1) Send me a PM telling me that you're in and, most importantly, giving me your address (and your email address if you want Kindle or Nook ebooks). Sign-ups start now and will continue through November 1st (or thereabouts) -- don't be a lollygagger.

(2) Make a "most wanted" list to post in the separate "Most Wanted" thread. On this list should be the WL books that you most want AND that are unlikely to be posted to you within the next two months.  You should list between 5 and 10 books to give your Secret Santa a range of choices -- please include title, author, and desired binding (i.e., hard-cover, paperback, or e-book). If you wish, you can provide links to each listed book's page, ISBNs, or links to your WL or a book list that you've created. These books DO NOT need to be historical fiction and DO NOT need to be on your PBS WL. Also, please note on your post if there are any allergies (e.g., pet hair, smoke, etc) that you need your Secret Santa to be aware of.

(3) After sign-ups are completed and I randomly assign you a secret buddy, find a book (or 2 or 3) on your buddy's "most wanted" list, wrap it (them) up and send off the package in time to arrive for Christmas/Chanuka/ Kwanzaa/Winter Solstice. A good deadline for Media Mail is December 5th; for First Class, Parcel, or Priority, December 15th.  Media Mail will invariably be the least expensive option.

Rules/tips:

• Please do not request a specific secret buddy.
• There is a money limit of 15 dollars, not including shipping. You can buy more than one book.
• The books can be used or new, but MUST meet PBS posting guidelines
•  If you have a problem that will prevent you from being able to send a package to your buddy, please let me know as soon as possible. We all understand that sometimes life gets in the way of our best intentions, and I have a back-up plan in case this happens. No one will be left without a gift. 
• PM me when you have mailed your package.
• Include a little note or card in your package to let your buddy know who you are.
• If you want to add a little something extra to the package, send a bookmark. Yes, yes -- I know you all want to send holiday ornaments, stationery, wind-up Santas, stuffed reindeer, chocolate, wine, etc. -- this is neither expected nor required. If you choose to do so, please note that any extras count toward your shopping limit AND render your package ineligible for Media Mail. (If you insist on sending chocolate and wine, you should send them directly to your Secret Santa coordinator, i.e., yours truly, who will determine after a taste test whether or not to send them on.)
• Even though you are not receiving PBS credits, you may still use PBS Delivery Confirmation with or without PBS printed postage IF you want. See the posting below for how to do this. I recommend Delivery Confirmation (whether through PBS, the Post Office, or PayPal) so that you can track your package. This is the holiday season, after all. Again, please send in a timely fashion so that your package will arrive before the holidays -- but not too early!!
• When you receive your package, post about it, brag about your goodies, and thank your Secret Santa.

Disclaimer: Because we are not depositing PBS credits, PBS allows us to have this exchange in the HF forum rather than in the Games forum AND only during the holiday season. This is considered an UNMODERATED game -- which means there is no recourse through PBS if one's Secret Santa doesn't follow through, books don't meet posting requirements, packages get lost, blah, blah, blah. In other words, if you participate in this Secret Santa exchange, you do so at your own risk. 

Let the fun and games begin!!!

FAQ:

• When is Chanukkah this year? It starts the night of December 16.
• Is it Chanukkah or Hanukkah or Hannukah or Channukkah or what? It's חֲנֻכָּה
• What if I spend more than $15? You will be flogged with a wet noodle.
• What happens if I order books for my buddy that don't arrive in time? Let me know, send them when they arrive, life will go on.
• What if I don't believe in Santa?  Why would you not believe in someone who is sending you books you want?
• What if I want to send chocolate? PM me for my address. I prefer milk chocolate with nuts.
• What if I want to send wine? PM me for my address. I prefer white but red will do as well.
• Why should I participate? Because it's fun.
• What if I want to participate but forget to sign up? That would be sad indeed. Don't let that happen. 

Secret Santas:

• Mimi M. (mimima)
• Aubree G. (notyourstar)
• Kelly P. (KellyP)
• Linda B. (KellyP)
• Josie C. (brwneyedbeauty)
• Cheryl M. (hannamatt52)
• Becky T. (beanie5)
• Lauri E. (Luluette)
• Alice J. (ASJ) 
• Sharla U. (sharz96) 
• Holly P. (MichiganderHolly) 
• Aimee W. (peculiarway)
• Deborah A. (DebKit)
• Carolyn R. (yankeechick)
• Mary (mepom)

IF you'd like to send your Secret Santa package using PBS Delivery Confirmation (DC), there are two ways to do so. In both cases, you need money in your PBS account. The first method allows you to purchase PBS DC only; the second method allows you to purchase PBS DC with printed postage.

1) Custom Delivery Confirmation Label: Go to "My Account" and click on "Custom DC." Click on "Create a New Label." Fill in the name and address of your secret buddy and print the DC label. If you are sending via media mail, this option will cost you 50¢ in addition to postage -- 30¢ is the PBS fee which is deducted immediately and then a 20¢ USPS fee will be collected at the post office. If you are sending via first class, then you will pay only the 30¢ PBS fee.

2) Mail To A Friend Option: Go to the book's page on PBS -- which you can access by searching for the book or by clicking on the book's title on a WL or RL. Click on the "More Options" button and then "Mail to a Friend." Fill in the name and address of your secret buddy. Then you can print the wrapper as usual -- adding PBS DC only, PBS DC with printed postage, or no extra services. IMPORTANT: If you are using PBS postage, check the weight. Sometimes the weights are wrong. AND, if you are sending more than the one book, you will need to change the weight to reflect the additional book(s). The cost of using PBS DC with printed postage is 55¢. If you use printed postage, you can just drop the package in any blue box -- no standing in line at the Post Office.  Also, when you use this option, the book goes onto your account and you will need to mark the book received after your buddy lets you know that it was delivered.

.

Yay for our Secret Santa elf, ambassador, moderator, coordinator, logistician and all around wonderful person! Sending a PM now for us!

Kelly

<...all around wonderful person>

Aw shucks...I'm using you as a reference from now on!

I luuuuvvvvv me some Secret Santa...

Bumping to encourage lollygaggers to sign up. How can you resist Secret Santa????

Calling all procrastinators -- stop what you are doing and sign up NOW. You do not want to miss out -- trust me!

Secret Santa assignments going out in a day or two -- don't miss out!

Secret Santa assignments have been sent. If you haven't received yours, check your PMs -- and then let me know immediately if you didn't receive your assignment. 

If your secret buddy has requested ebooks, then presumably an email address was included with your assignment. If it wasn't, let me know.

Remember to post your most wanted books here, if you haven't already done so. Otherwise, I start receiving complaints from impatient Secret Santas -- and then I get annoyed and, when I'm annoyed, my DH suffers -- so do my beleaguered DH a favor and post your lists ASAP.

Most importantly, have fun!!!

(ETA: And remember, there is a spending limit.)

Received my recipient's name and have completed my shopping!!  It is now in the hands of the U.S. Postal Service which is a scary thing!!!!

Wow, Becky -- that's impressive. No wonder when I look up the word "efficient" in the dictionary, I see your picture (well...your avatar).

I almost have all of my Secret Santa books in hand --- is it okay to read them before sending (hee hee)!!!!!

Just received a question that hasn't come up before: is it ok if one of the books I'm sending to my buddy is an ARC?

In my opinion, it would not be ok if you were sending only one book. However, if you are sending more than one book, only one needs to meet PBS swapping criteria. Any additional books are bonuses. Obviously, it's nice when all books are postable, since that allows the receiver to post them when finished. But we don't live in a perfect world (as evidenced by the fact that the Secret Santa, in this case, was not informed when she ordered the book that it would be an ARC -- so it was a rather annoying surprise upon receipt.)

Am hoping that this opinion does not rile the masses. Am certainly willing to entertain opposing viewpoints, but really -- if you get one postable WL book from Santa, are you going to complain about getting additional WL books that you can't post?? (Note: Secret Santa gifts are not those Book Bazaar deals in which recipients are right to complain when books ordered as extras from a bookshelf don't meet swapping criteria since such books shouldn't have been posted on the sender's bookshelf to start with.) 

Still -- feel free to express your opinion -- truly. I could be totally off base (certainly, my family thinks so).

It's so funny that this came up as one of the books I had ordered for my giftee arrived yesterday and was an ARC. I was not happy. I'd like to hear others' opinions on this because if my giftee says she is ok with it I'll still send it with the other books.

Wow --- where did the ARCs come from???  Third party booksellers I assume???  I almost exclusively use Abe's Books but they have many of the same sellers as Amazon.  In all the books I have ordered I have never received an ARC.  Quite disappointing really.

How would I feel about receiving an ARC in my present???  I think I would be fine with it if it were not the only book I received.

The one I ordered came from Abebooks. All the others I've received from them have been great!
 

I'd have no problems with receiving an ARC--anything I get that's not postable (and not a keeper) goes to the local UBS and they're fine with ARCs. I would definitely be frustrated if I ordered a book and it ended up being an ARC, though!

I generally read books for my swaps and if it is an ARC you can not use it.

Aubree they should refund your money, as it not the final published copy.

Alice

Aubree --- My opinion is that you should contact the Abe's seller.  They usually send you an e-mail acknowledging shipment, etc.  Tell them what happened and that you are not happy.  You could also let Abe's know.  My feeling is some of the resellers may not even know what an ARC might be.

I did contact the seller and they are refunding my money.

got all my books will wrap them up and mail out Thanksgiving week..

Alice

Last book for my recipient arrived yesterday ---- will be wrapping them up very soon and popping into the mail.

Yesterday went down to bring up a few books I had on wishlists to read and one of the, "The Yard" by Alex Grecian, came from a PBS member and it is an Uncorrected Proof.   URGH !!!  Seems everyone can make a mistake ----

I mailed my package out for secret Santa Buddy today. Nobody was in the post office

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