College Students! discussion

Hi Everyone,

It's getting to be time for the annual College Students Secret Santa!

If you want to participate, comment here AND send me your mailing address(es) in a private message by November 22. (A note about the mailing address, please let me know if will be traveling and what dates you'll be where. This way your Secret Santa can gauge how long it will take for your package to arrive and can get it to you sooner) If I don't have your address by November 22, you won't be able to participate. I will pair you up with someone else and send you their address on November 23. You will need to send them a book and a clue about your identity by December 7. This will give the book plenty of time to arrive around Christmas.

Now, I have a special request. Please think about whether you will actually be able to participate before signing up. It really stinks to participate, but not get a present because your person decided to not do it. We have had this happen every year and it really stinks. We want people, both old and new to the group, to participate, but we want people to actually hold up their part of the bargain.

After you get signed up, start making your Secret Santa wishlist. Set up a special shelf with books you would possibly want (so your person gets you something you'll read). And make sure your profile is set to public.

Definitely looking forward to this! We usually have a pretty good time with it.

I forgot to mention, please note if you do not live in the US. If you are from the US and are willing to send to international members, please let me know.

I also want to mention that this is different from the Secret Santa on The Broke and the Bookish.

Yes! So doing this!

what about receiving audiobooks from your secret santa since I can't move my arms to read a book due to my disability

I can make sure to put a note in the message to your Secret Santa that it needs to be an audiobook. I am not familiar with audiobooks, so do you mean a CD audiobook or is there somewhere to download them?

I'm in! I can't do international this year. Wish I could!

I'm definitely in :D

Grayson wrote: "what about receiving audiobooks from your secret santa since I can't move my arms to read a book due to my disability"

cd version would be fine

im in too :D no international though

me me me! I wait for this all year :) Just within the state though.

EDIT: *states...I can send to more than just mine. Again I was too excited to type correctly

I'd love to! No international though, sorry!

I am in. Thanks Lori! Let me know if you need any help!

I'm in! But I live in Canada.

I'm in! I live in LA.

I'm in, but unfortunately I can't ship internationally this year.

I want to participate, but I can only ship domestically.

Same as everyone! I would love to do it but I can't really ship internationally :)

I would love to do this ! Count me in .

Later this morning, I will compare this list to the addresses I have received and let y'all know if I need anything.

Has everyone made their list? Make sure your profile is set to open so anyone can see it.

Wow, just clicked on 8 different people and only 2 had lists up. For whoever gets me. I have a secret santa list, but if there is nothing on it you can find, my wish list is also books I would like to get but haven't yet. Or you can send me whatever your favorite book is. I am always up to reading whatever someone suggests.

Grayson wrote: "what about receiving audiobooks from your secret santa since I can't move my arms to read a book due to my disability"

Grayson, do you have an audible.com account? My friend almost exclusively listens to his books, and he said it usually has more selection and lower prices than books on CD.

All right, it's a bit late because it's been crazy since Sunday, but here is the list of people who have sent me their addresses:

Ariel
Kimberly
Grayson
Rachel
Ashley M
Tami
Amelia
Michelle
Wei Cho
Fenixbird Sands
Kayla
K.Tram
Brittany
Candy92
Heather

Here is a list of people who have expressed interest but have not sent an address:

Sara
Anna

I will get people paired up and send out messages on Friday so that you have plenty of time to pick up a book while you do your holiday shopping.

Tami wrote: "Grayson wrote: "what about receiving audiobooks from your secret santa since I can't move my arms to read a book due to my disability"

Grayson, do you have an audible.com account? My friend almost..."

well i have an amazon account which let's me use audible for free but i don't have a membership

Im in!

Marisa, Great! Make sure you send me your address tonight. I am going to match up people tomorrow.

still waiting for my secret santa

It's time consuming, plus it was a holiday weekend.

Tami and I are still getting the list figured out. I hope to hear back from her tomorrow, so we can get these messages out. I know you all are just as impatient to get new books and play the game as I am! Thank you for bearing with us.

Sorry, completely my fault. My email started doing wierd things, so I had to wait until this morning (and use my work email, don't tell). Just sent Lori the update. This year half of us are being assigned out by Lori and the other half by me so Lori may be surprised this time about who has her. You will receive your assigned person and their address soon! Hopefully today, but no later than tomorrow.

For my secret santa - I have a list called "wishlist" you can pick from. It's gigantic, so you should be able to find something without a problem. PS - used books are absolutely fine with me!

thanks for the update

To my Secret Santa--I made a "secret santa wishlist" shelf for you to go off of (I also have a "want-to-own" shelf, but I wanted to create a wishlist specifically for this group's Secret Santa).

ive also made a secret santa wishlist, i have a few books on there will be adding more today. excited!!!

Just an update, I will send out my half their addresses tomorrow. My uncle passed away and my mother is taking it really hard, so I haven't been able to get to a computer most of today. Had a couple of minutes and remembered you all. Promise, it will be out tomorrow!

I made a list, hopefully I got my address sent in with enough time to be included...I keep losing track of time lately.
I also have a kindle and I think there is a way to gift books on that, so that might be an option for my santa if they have trouble getting to a bookstore or finding my books. I'd prefer a real book, but if it's between a Kindle book or nothin', I'd take Kindle.

Mine just says wish list, but I'm always happy to find new books/authors to love so if you have a favorite you'd like to send instead, feel free!!

I just received three really good questions from someone, so I thought I'd paste them in here in case anyone else has the same question.

1. Are we allowed to buy used books through Amazon?

You can buy new or used books. We only ask that the book be one that you would be OK with receiving. If you do have an Amazon book delivered directly to them, make sure you send a clue separate.

2. If we're to send clues as to who we are, aren't our names going to show in the sending address? Like, if I purchase the book in local bookstore and I mail it, the post office is going to ask for my name and address. I think if I buy and send it via Amazon my name can't be taken out (not entirely sure on this).

There are a few things about the address. We ask that people ignore the return address unless they are really stumped about who sent them a present. I would just leave off your name, but keep your address on there (obviously). I also usually use a relative's address, so that it's really not tied to me. But it's up to you how you want to do that.

3. How does the clue thing work?

The clue is just supposed to be a little something about you that could help someone guess who sent them a gift. For instance, if you mention in a thread that Beauty and the Beast is your favorite movie, send a Beauty and the Beast book mark. Or if you mention that you really love tea, send a box of your favorite tea. It helps to look through past comments that you've made to see what you've said. Also, if you have a favorite books shelf, you could include a copy of one of your favorite books as the clue, then people will go to your profile (and however many people's it takes to find you) to figure out whose favorite it is.

Other people who've participated before--what are some clues you used?

Ooo Hey Thanks! I was wondering about these questions too. I was browsing through this other thread: July Secret Santa (or the like) and I noticed that the majority of the participants sent two books plus a something extra (I'm guessing it's the clue?). Anyway, my question is, is there a minimum amount of money that is required to be spent on the books plus the clue?

To all: I have my wishlist up, it's sort of short on books for now. Sorry, couldn't think of any other book. However, whomever is my secret santa could send me a book they think I'll like based on my wishlist! :D I welcome either way.

There is no minimum amount you have to spend. It's entirely up to you and what you're able to do.

In the past I have given two books if I already had one of the ones they asked for, or happened to find two really cheap books.

I have usually sent more than 1 book with the second being my clue or just because I have a really hard time at the book store keeping my purchases to a minimum.

As for clued: Last time, I sent a keychain of Dobby from Harry Potter and put "I cried when he died." as the clue (posted in book that made me cry thread). Too easy, I was guessed right away.
I received chocolates from someones school once. That was a harder clue than you would think.
I also received a bookmark once of the persons Book Crush, which had been posted in that thread.
Good luck everyone, and have fun!

Haha, yes you were guessed right away. ;D


ALSO! Something to keep in mind, don't post when you've shipped your package. It might give away who you are!

I got my gift last night! I got Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys and a cute little snowman pin. I got my clue in a Christmas card, so off to decide who my Secret Santa is.

I received my gift two nights ago. I got Angelfall by Susan Ee and the clue was Wine to Water: A Bartender's Quest to Bring Clean Water to the World by Doc Hendley. It came with a very nice and sweet Christmas card and an awesome message :D So THANK YOU!

I peruse a little bit and wasn't hard to guess who my secret santa is.
*drum rolls*
It is Tami! (Am I right? :D)

ps. I don't mind, I hope you enjoyed it ^_^. I'm looking forward to reading it since finals are over, yay!

I am glad to hear that people are getting their gifts and making guesses! Just make sure that you neither confirm nor deny if you are guessed until we all have our gifts!

GOT MINE TODAY! thankyou so much to my secret santa, got so excited to read it and also got the nicest chocolate ive ever tasted, just need to work out who it was now! :)i know its from the UK so im going to guess Candy :)

I got my gift today! I got Every Day by David Levithan, some lotion from Bath and Body Works and chocolate covered espresso beans.

I have a pretty good idea who my Secret Santa is already, but I'm going to do a little bit of research to make sure before I make my guess. :)