Thursday, October 31, 2013

4th Annual Broke & Bookish Secret Santa!


Hello everyone! We are planning a Secret Santa exchange again --broke and bookish style. We did it for the past three years and it was a TON of fun, we've had SO many participants and we got great feedback from everyone! We want this to be a low key and fun Secret Santa that doesn't put too much of a damper on your wallet.

Please only sign up if you are truly interested and are committed to sending off a package. We have only had a few problems in the past 3 years but I'd like to not have to spend my time chasing people down -- seriously.  It's a bummer for the person who doesn't get a package and a bummer for me to have to hunt you down for months after.



Things You Need To Do


1. Send an email BEFORE November 17th to TBTBSecretSanta (at) gmail (dot) com with the answers to the following questions:

  1. Full Name & Address
  2. Blog URL 
  3. Would you be able to send internationally if needed? Please answer with Yes, No or Would prefer not to but will if needed (if you are outside of US and Canada just know I can't guarantee that you will get somewhere even remotely close to you. I try to work it geographically for you but there have been only 10-15 international participants each year).
  4. List 10 books you'd like to read or a link to a wishlist (please mix it up with older and new releases -- aka maybe things that aren't just available in hardcover right now). DO NOT ASK FOR ARCS please. If your SS wants to throw some in there because they saw it on your Goodreads or something that's fine but once we had someone ask for mostly ARCs.
  5. List of your bookish preferences (a few fave authors, your fave genres, things you WILL NOT READ)
  6. Please give a few things you like (to help with your goodie). See below for examples in the guidelines.
  7. Any questions, comments or additional things your Secret Santa should know.

2. When you receive your Secret Santa, go play Santa and buy your prezzies. Send it out no later than the week of December 6th-10th. The earlier the better as the mail is always slow during the holiday season.


3. After you send off your package, please email TBTBSecretSanta (at) gmail (dot) com letting us know you sent it off WITH DELIVERY CONFIRMATION (changing it this year, sorry!). Email us again when you receive your package. If you have not received your package by January 1st please then email us and I will attempt to contact your Secret Santa. Please understand I will try my damndest to work it out but there is only so much I can do in the event someone decides to be naughty. Karma is a biotch though..maybe they'll get their toes run over by Santa's sleigh.

4. FOR EXTRA FUN: Thanks to Estelle from Rather Be Reading for this idea! We are going to use the hashtag #TBTBSanta for this event! We'd love to hear and see through pictures and tweets your entire process -- maybe a sneak peek of your Secret Santa skills in action (a picture of something you are sending, the wrapped picture, the box) and we'd LOVE to see your goodies as you get them!

Some guidelines:


* Books can be new or used. Use your discretion as far as used books go but please be kind and don't send something you wouldn't want to receive. They should be in VERY good condition -- like you can't even tell if it was read. Please pick at least one other goody to put in the package.

                           So your package should look something like this:

  1 or 2 books + some sort of little goodie or two (candy, bookmarks, something bookish) & a card or note.

* Suggestions for things to add that could be helpful to tell your Secret Santa for the little gift: things like music you love, Harry Potter/Star Wars/etc. fan, collects keychains or something else, would love something native to where your Secret Santa lives, tea fanatic, loves stationary, loves chocolate, etc. etc. Also maybe if you have an e-reader and would be willing to get ebooks or a gift card. That way maybe they can find something related.

*We would love to again have this be open internationally and will make an effort to pair up people from the same countries to keep costs down. However, if anyone would like to do an international exchange, you can let us know. It was hard on some people who had to send internationally but using The Book Depository could be a good option. If you are from outside the US, be aware that you might have to send internationally due to the fact that there are significantly more US participants and we may not be able to pair you up with someone closer.



* Feel free to grab the button to put on your sidebar or make your own!

Please ask any questions in the comments!!

Also, be sure to keep an eye out for my 4th annual End of Year Book Survey. Check out the 3rd annual End of Year Book Survey to see all the fun we had!

42 comments:

  1. This sounds really fun. Is it only bloggers that participate ? Or can random readers, like me, join on in too ?

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    1. Do you have a goodreads account or a Twitter that could be shared to help the person get to know you. I've had a couple bad eggs who weren't bloggers and some that WERE bloggers so I find it unfair to limit it to JUST bloggers but it IS mostly bloggers who participate though we have had some LOVELY readers participate in it. I just would need some sort of account to try and weed out the people who are just trying to get free books without following through if that makes sense. Hope you decide to join in on the fun! :)

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    2. Oh yes I do. I follow you on both :P So I should send those on the email right ? Yay, so cool :D thank you for answering.

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    3. Yep! Just add those where it says blog!

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  2. This sounds like an awesome idea! I'm new to blogging this year so it's always fun to find new things to take part in and ways to get to know other bloggers too. I'm off to write my email now :)

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  3. This sounds so FUN! I do want to participate but I am not completely sure right now so I'll try to persuade myself and then sign up before the deadline. :D

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  4. This sounds awesome!! I'm totally doing this! :)

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  5. This sounds like so much fun! Really, you have no idea how excited this made me.

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  6. Woohoo! I love these exchanges and can't wait to participate!

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  7. I love this event! I'm so excited!

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  8. This sounds like fun, I am going to join in this year. I will be sending my email shortly.

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  9. So excited to participate in this one again! It's so much fun! Will send my email ASAP!

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  10. So excited to participate in this! My first holiday season as a blogger! YAY! :)

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  11. This sounds so fun! I'm totally doing this :D

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  12. Thanks ladies for putting this together again! I wasn't able to participate last year due to tight finances during the holidays, but I am back & ready to play secret santa this year!!

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  13. I couldn't participate last year so I'm super excited you're hosting this again. Filling out my email now.

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  14. Hi! I totally want to participate, but I have one question---possibly a silly one. What do you mean when you instruct us to send it off with delivery confirmation? Thanks!

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    1. I use the flat rate Priority mail boxes and envelopes for any kind of shipping I do. It gives you delivery confirmation for free.

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  15. So glad that you're hosting again, as I love Secret Santa exchanges!

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  16. Looking forward to participating this year. Already sent my information

    Ashley

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  17. This sounds AWESOME. My first holiday season as a blogger :) Sending my email sometime today.

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  18. Woohoo! I'm so glad that you all are putting this together again this year!

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  19. This sounds so fantastic! I'm getting the email together now, I love that you do this :D

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  20. Wordery also ship internationally (based in the UK) for free and I've been really impressed by them so far. :-)

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  21. How much more difficult is it to find to UK participants? I really want to participate, but my budgets too low to ship internationally :(

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  22. What a great idea! We have a similar website for Hungarian bookworms and it will also be the 4th year we play secret santa there as well. I would like to join your international group just Im a bit concerned about the time limit cause if I order a book on bookdepository it takes at least 8-10 days to get it, and if I send it from Hungary at the beginning of December for e.g. to US no way it will get there for Christmas. Do you think it would be ok to order the book to the receiving address directly if I cant find it in a bookshop here (which is most likely to happen) and send a separate package with the other stuff?

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  23. Yay! I didn't do a Secret Santa last year so I'm glad to be participating in one again. Thanks for hosting. I sent the email. :)

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  24. This sounds like great fun and I plan to participate for the first time. So glad I found out about this before the deadline! Thanks for hosting this.

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  25. This sounds like SO much fun!! I'm so excited to do this :) I have the perfect goodies in mind to share (besides the books) swag and bookmarks yay >.< I'm super glad I saw this before the deadline!!

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  26. So it's okay to send your own Christmas book if the person likes the genre? Plus a little something extra?

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  27. I sent my email!!! I am so excited to participate! I love this idea it is so cute and fun! Plus I love giving presents! When can we expect to get an email back?

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  28. already send my mail! so excited!

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  29. Aww, too late...maybe next year :/

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  30. awww this sucks I had my wedding and everything and didnt get to this in time to participate.. Hope everyone has fun...

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  31. Rats I missed the deadline - a friend told me about this last year and I was hoping to get in this year.

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  32. I am so sad that I JUST found this. I will most definitely participate next year!

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