deskthority

Halvar wrote: Sorry about this, but please take me off the list, I'm having second thoughts... I just re-read the picture thread from last year and read about some people's expectations in this thread, and for me, this is getting out of hand. Now, the minimal expectation for this seems to be a nice full mech keyboard sent around the world. Which makes not much sense to me as a concept given shipping costs vs. variety of people's preferences.

Hmm… I get that same feeling. But I've a good excuse, thanks to December travel, to give it a shot anyway. Both the US and Europe are local for me this time. And I'll have lots of empty luggage going over.

Spoiler: I won't be sending a Type Heaven! Or expecting one either.

I never understood these "expectations" from Secret Santa. If I get a pair of socks with keyboards on them, I'm happy.

For those with retarded shipping costs (me included), no one says you have to ship a complete keyboard. There's keycaps, pcb's, plates, novelties, etc that can be shipped in padded envelopes for almost nothing (hell, AlinH shipped an entire 60% keyboard in an envelope without any problems).

So yeah, if I get someone close (DE mostly), you might get a keyboard, if I get someone from the US/AUS/etc you can bet your ass you're not getting a keyboard

That's the spirit!

I know 002 meant well when gifting that Type Heaven last year, but, alas, a big gift like that (at long range too!) raised the bar quite a bit, even if far from intentionally. I definitely have some boards that aren't getting their fair share of use here, and I may well give one away as the core of my gift, but none of them have that kind of value. None of them are even boxed! I know it's quite likely no one will gift something quite as stunning as that this year, but part of me is definitely comparing. Even when I tell that particular devil on my shoulder to shut up and take his bloody halo off.

Halvar wrote: […] I just re-read the picture thread from last year and read about some people's expectations in this thread, and for me, this is getting out of hand. Now, the minimal expectation for this seems to be a nice full mech keyboard sent around the world. […]

gogusrl wrote: I never understood these "expectations" from Secret Santa. If I get a pair of socks with keyboards on them, I'm happy.
[…] no one says you have to ship a complete keyboard. There's keycaps, pcb's, plates, novelties, etc that can be shipped in padded envelopes for almost nothing […]

It feels good not to be alone

What? No, I'm not expecting a Type Heaven. Geez. My point was that I've set aside some money for International shipping because I know this is an international forum. I haven't even decided what I'm giving yet. It may not be a full keyboard after all.

Nor am I expecting anything in particular! I'm hoping for something that will bring a smile to my face. Like Julle's thread.

Sounds to me like someone should be Halvar's Secret Santa even if he's out.

I agree this went a bit out of proportion.

Why dont we simply set a spending limit ? Thats what they do for most secret santa

Considering this is an international vintage keyboard community, setting a spending limit seems pointless. Would that include shipping ? Are we talking market value or purchase price ? If I send a set of HAU keycaps that I got for 5$ at the flea market for another 5$ in shipping, am I a cheapskate or going over the limit (since I've seen them go for over 100$) ?

Well not a hard and fast limit, that would be silly, but a general ballpark would be a good guide.

I know what I am sending if they are in Europe. Its not super expensive but its not only 5 quid ether. I may get somthing different for US due to the weight ( and i will put some chocolate in there too as american chocolate is fucking disgusting ( excluding penut butter cups ))

Apart from shipping, I'm planning to spend $0 (€0, ¥0, etc.) on this. I have shelves and drawers full of crap^H^H^H^Hpriceless collectibles looking for a new home.

Well, except for candies. Maybe someone will get some nice pecan pralines out of it. I forgot to collect pecans from our trees this year.

Can you just send me a pecan pie ? I love pecans but they are so hard to get in the UK. Oh and some real maple syrup.

oh shit, forget keyboards, gimme some maple syrup.

Really not about getting something expensive\valuable imo but getting something new or interesting. Year before last I got purple mods, and that's something good enough for me. I wouldn't expect another full keyboard, that'd be asking too much from anyone.

Looking back at 2013 and 2012 not nearly as many big things, not entirely sure what was going on last year.

I believe there was talk of cloud-berry jam...?

Cloudberry jam is like 9 USD for a small container at IKEA. Maybe, depending on where you are.

Maple syrup is pretty cheap here. I think under 12 USD for a liter of it at Costco.

I figured cloudberry jam was reasonably common in the EU. Is maple syrup difficult to find there?

mr_a500, wherever he may be, is probably laughing at all of us. Why I bet he has a sugar maple right next to his house or something like that.

Maple syrup is stupidly cheap at costco, everywhere else seems to be 2-3x as much for the same amount (and I'm talking real stuff, not that corn syrup garbage).

I honestly have no idea how much any of that stuff costs, I was just being silly . I don't think it's super expensive, but it's also not super common (at least where I shop).

XMIT wrote: Apart from shipping, I'm planning to spend $0 (€0, ¥0, etc.) on this. I have shelves and drawers full of crap^H^H^H^Hpriceless collectibles looking for a new home.

Exactly what I was thinking myself! Shipping will be what costs me money in this. Especially if I get paired to good old Oz. I've probably got something here to suit anyone, but the weight and bulk will vary.

If I took 002's advice and bought something online in the receiver's own country, there's a danger their gift would be 2 of something I like, and would include a proxy request!

Sweeties are a nice enough idea, but their halflife around me is a lot less time than it takes me to wrap a parcel, so the outlook is not good…

XMIT wrote: Cloudberry jam is like 9 USD for a small container at IKEA. Maybe, depending on where you are.

Maple syrup is pretty cheap here. I think under 12 USD for a liter of it at Costco.

I figured cloudberry jam was reasonably common in the EU. Is maple syrup difficult to find there?

mr_a500, wherever he may be, is probably laughing at all of us. Why I bet he has a sugar maple right next to his house or something like that.

Bah! I've got a sugar maple in my house.

Well, not really.. but I think they still make maple syrup about 20km from me. You'd think it would be cheap, but no. Anything made in Canada is actually MORE expensive for Canadians than you can get it in the US. Canadians seem to enjoy ripping off other Canadians for some reason.

guk wrote: If possible I'd prefer to know my giftee earlier than december 1st. Why does the deadline have to be that late? Doesn't leave much time to find and send a present if I draw someone from e.g. the U.S.

OK, since we are quite a lot of participants already, we can roll the deadline the other way round:

What about the 1st November?

I like it. Anyone oppose?

I'm fine with it!

Cool.

fine with me

Yup, that works for me too.

Great, thanks!

20 participants is not that very many,
but waiting for more doesn’t seem to make much sense,
so OK with me too.

yay! Early Santa!

No opening your presents before Christmas, kids!

People still have this week and next week to sign up. Safe to assume most people who might be interested have made their minds up already anyway. If they haven't: get on with it! Halloween is coming…

There's still some time left for people to sign up, kbdfr. But wouldn't expect many people to join anymore, this is more of a usual suspects event appearantly.