secret quonsar 2019: sign-up thread November 2, 2019 8:29 PM Subscribe
It's secret quonsar time again! Participants will find out who they have drawn on Monday, November 11, and the gift send by (or on) date is Monday, December 2*. Please sign up by 11:59 PM EST on Saturday, November 9. The spending guideline: $10-20.
secret quonsar (wiki) is the MeFi holiday-adjacent gift swap. Each participant sends a gift to an awesome Mefite; each participant receives a gift from an awesome Mefite. Awesomeness and gifts abound.
There's typically a planning thread that happens a few weeks before this one, but torch-passing means that got a little lost. I wanted to go ahead and get this going so that we can keep to the traditional timeline. Thanks for everyone's patience!
Signing Up
There will be a link at the end of this post. Follow it. We need an actual MeFi username, an email address you check, your name & mailing address, and some good guidance for the person who draws your name. (If you are strongly google-averse, you may sign up with a MeFi sockpuppet name and throwaway account. You must agree to check the account until the gift you sent arrives and you receive your gift, and to send me via MeMail your primary MeFi handle AND the sockpuppet handle which I will pass onto the person who draws your name via MeMail.)
You will get a confirmation email that will show you the information you submitted. It will come from google forms and it will look like the form you just filled out. Please check your spam/junk mail folder. If you do not get this confirmation within 48 hours, send me a memail or an email to our gmail account. If you have not gotten a confirmation email, you may not be signed up or you entered the wrong email address. We can fix that.
Fun Fact: Every year, several people accidentally typo their own email addresses, which leads to confusion and consternation, and sometimes no gift for someone until late in the season.
You will get your draw via email. It will contain key information about the person you will be gifting: MeFi username, a real world name, mailing address, and hopefully helpful guidance from the person you drew. It should allow you get off to a running start.
If you are having trouble putting together your guidance section, ocherdraco put together a list of questions a few years ago to help you focus. You don't have to answer all (or any of) the questions, but this is a good place to start if you are stumped by the Guidance section.
We will not share, abuse, sell, or spindle your email address. The person who draws your name will not get your email address. We will delete all emails sent and received at the end of the sq season.
The Rules
If you failed to send your giftee a gift last year (without working it out with us), don't even bother signing up. You've been banned from this year's festivities. If you do try to sign up, your name will be yoinked from the swap. You can try again next year, but two strikes and you will be out. If you don't send a gift this year, you will be banned next year. You will get only one second chance. If you sign up anyway, you will be removed from the list and you will hear from me.
If you find that you can't participate after signing up but before the draw, after all, then send me a MeMail or an email to the address below. I'll remove your entry. If you find that you can't participate after all after the draw, please send an email to that same gmail account as soon as possible so we can contact the folks who drew you and whom you drew and redirect or reassign as appropriate.
If you do not think you can mail a gift in a reasonable amount of time, please do not participate. It's not OK to plan now on finding and sending your gift after your life calms down in January or late December or on Valentines Day.
Hey! You have a question!
We're happy to serve as anonymizing middlemen if you have a question for your recipient, to send messages to your recipient on your behalf, to find out if a package has been sent or has been received. Send us an email at our gmail address (see below), and we'll see what we can find out for you.
A Note About the Swap Groups
If we do not get enough people to do a swap in a group, we will contact folks in the underpopulated swap groups to see what can be done before the swap. Also! We are trying out a US/Canada swap group this year.
A Note about International Swapping
We STRONGLY recommend mailing as early as possible if you are going to send anything internationally, especially if the US is involved. Customs holds up lots of packages for varying amounts of time (with some, it seems forever). If you sign up for the International/Anywhere option, please be aware that shipping times may stretch out longer than you'd prefer.
Signing up for the international swap does not guarantee that you will get a gift from and/or will send a gift to someone outside of the country in which you live (particularly if you live in the USA).
Communicating with Us
Unless you need to contact us specifically about one of the organizers, please use our gmail account, secretquonsarswap. This will help us make sure we don't overlook anything and can be as efficient as possible.
Who we are
This year, the quonczars are myself, Secretariat, and mochapickle. If you drew one of our names and need to contact us anonymously about your quonsee, contact one of the other quonczars to get your answers.
*Send Date
I've set the send by date to be December 2. We do expect folks to have their gifts in the mail or on their way to the post office at the very beginning of December. This is not a free pass to mailing it out the next weekend.
**secret quonsar funding help
This year, we have a pool of funds to assist members who would like to participate in secret quonsar but doing so would be financially difficult for them. If you'd like to take advantage of this, please complete the sign-up link and then contact the team at secretquonsarswap@gmail.com (or memail curious nu directly) with your username and the best way to get funds to you (Paypal or Venmo is likely easiest, but other options are available).
The signup link
Sign Up Here
secret quonsar (wiki) is the MeFi holiday-adjacent gift swap. Each participant sends a gift to an awesome Mefite; each participant receives a gift from an awesome Mefite. Awesomeness and gifts abound.
There's typically a planning thread that happens a few weeks before this one, but torch-passing means that got a little lost. I wanted to go ahead and get this going so that we can keep to the traditional timeline. Thanks for everyone's patience!
Signing Up
There will be a link at the end of this post. Follow it. We need an actual MeFi username, an email address you check, your name & mailing address, and some good guidance for the person who draws your name. (If you are strongly google-averse, you may sign up with a MeFi sockpuppet name and throwaway account. You must agree to check the account until the gift you sent arrives and you receive your gift, and to send me via MeMail your primary MeFi handle AND the sockpuppet handle which I will pass onto the person who draws your name via MeMail.)
You will get a confirmation email that will show you the information you submitted. It will come from google forms and it will look like the form you just filled out. Please check your spam/junk mail folder. If you do not get this confirmation within 48 hours, send me a memail or an email to our gmail account. If you have not gotten a confirmation email, you may not be signed up or you entered the wrong email address. We can fix that.
Fun Fact: Every year, several people accidentally typo their own email addresses, which leads to confusion and consternation, and sometimes no gift for someone until late in the season.
You will get your draw via email. It will contain key information about the person you will be gifting: MeFi username, a real world name, mailing address, and hopefully helpful guidance from the person you drew. It should allow you get off to a running start.
If you are having trouble putting together your guidance section, ocherdraco put together a list of questions a few years ago to help you focus. You don't have to answer all (or any of) the questions, but this is a good place to start if you are stumped by the Guidance section.
We will not share, abuse, sell, or spindle your email address. The person who draws your name will not get your email address. We will delete all emails sent and received at the end of the sq season.
The Rules
If you failed to send your giftee a gift last year (without working it out with us), don't even bother signing up. You've been banned from this year's festivities. If you do try to sign up, your name will be yoinked from the swap. You can try again next year, but two strikes and you will be out. If you don't send a gift this year, you will be banned next year. You will get only one second chance. If you sign up anyway, you will be removed from the list and you will hear from me.
If you find that you can't participate after signing up but before the draw, after all, then send me a MeMail or an email to the address below. I'll remove your entry. If you find that you can't participate after all after the draw, please send an email to that same gmail account as soon as possible so we can contact the folks who drew you and whom you drew and redirect or reassign as appropriate.
If you do not think you can mail a gift in a reasonable amount of time, please do not participate. It's not OK to plan now on finding and sending your gift after your life calms down in January or late December or on Valentines Day.
Hey! You have a question!
We're happy to serve as anonymizing middlemen if you have a question for your recipient, to send messages to your recipient on your behalf, to find out if a package has been sent or has been received. Send us an email at our gmail address (see below), and we'll see what we can find out for you.
A Note About the Swap Groups
If we do not get enough people to do a swap in a group, we will contact folks in the underpopulated swap groups to see what can be done before the swap. Also! We are trying out a US/Canada swap group this year.
A Note about International Swapping
We STRONGLY recommend mailing as early as possible if you are going to send anything internationally, especially if the US is involved. Customs holds up lots of packages for varying amounts of time (with some, it seems forever). If you sign up for the International/Anywhere option, please be aware that shipping times may stretch out longer than you'd prefer.
Signing up for the international swap does not guarantee that you will get a gift from and/or will send a gift to someone outside of the country in which you live (particularly if you live in the USA).
Communicating with Us
Unless you need to contact us specifically about one of the organizers, please use our gmail account, secretquonsarswap. This will help us make sure we don't overlook anything and can be as efficient as possible.
Who we are
This year, the quonczars are myself, Secretariat, and mochapickle. If you drew one of our names and need to contact us anonymously about your quonsee, contact one of the other quonczars to get your answers.
*Send Date
I've set the send by date to be December 2. We do expect folks to have their gifts in the mail or on their way to the post office at the very beginning of December. This is not a free pass to mailing it out the next weekend.
**secret quonsar funding help
This year, we have a pool of funds to assist members who would like to participate in secret quonsar but doing so would be financially difficult for them. If you'd like to take advantage of this, please complete the sign-up link and then contact the team at secretquonsarswap@gmail.com (or memail curious nu directly) with your username and the best way to get funds to you (Paypal or Venmo is likely easiest, but other options are available).
The signup link
Sign Up Here
Yay! This is gonna be great! (as usual!!)
posted by Secretariat at 9:35 PM on November 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Secretariat at 9:35 PM on November 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Excellent. Thanks to everyone who took the baton.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:36 PM on November 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:36 PM on November 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
This is the best thing to happen all week.
Thank you so much, curious_nu, Secretariat, and mochapickle. The folks who run Secret Quonsar are the very best of the web.
posted by angiep at 10:20 PM on November 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
Thank you so much, curious_nu, Secretariat, and mochapickle. The folks who run Secret Quonsar are the very best of the web.
posted by angiep at 10:20 PM on November 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
The sign up sheet took exactly four seconds to confirm my request. It must know how much I enjoy Secret Quonsar!
Thank you for being the SQaud this year!
posted by halfbuckaroo at 10:27 PM on November 2, 2019
Thank you for being the SQaud this year!
posted by halfbuckaroo at 10:27 PM on November 2, 2019
Thank you to the quonczars, new and old, for all you have done and will do in keeping this tradition alive and thriving. It is one of my very favourite parts of being on MetaFilter.
posted by invokeuse at 10:59 PM on November 2, 2019 [9 favorites]
posted by invokeuse at 10:59 PM on November 2, 2019 [9 favorites]
Thank you so much you rad people! So excited to get my quonsee!
posted by fairlynearlyready at 12:57 AM on November 3, 2019
posted by fairlynearlyready at 12:57 AM on November 3, 2019
Whoop whoop! Thanks for rescuing Quonsmas!
posted by RandomInconsistencies at 2:43 AM on November 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by RandomInconsistencies at 2:43 AM on November 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking this on!
posted by RhysPenbras at 5:02 AM on November 3, 2019
posted by RhysPenbras at 5:02 AM on November 3, 2019
Thank you thank you thank you!
posted by okayokayigive at 5:30 AM on November 3, 2019
posted by okayokayigive at 5:30 AM on November 3, 2019
Thank you! My Christmas last year was immeasurably brighter thanks to SQ!
posted by jgirl at 6:23 AM on November 3, 2019
posted by jgirl at 6:23 AM on November 3, 2019
YES!
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 7:49 AM on November 3, 2019
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 7:49 AM on November 3, 2019
Can we open up the MeFi Mall soon so participants can give and get awesome gifts from their fellow mefites?
posted by terrapin at 7:57 AM on November 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by terrapin at 7:57 AM on November 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
Neato! Secret Quonsar has become one of my favorite things about this time of year. I get more excited about it than about Regular Xmas.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 8:48 AM on November 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Mister Moofoo at 8:48 AM on November 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
I do like a bit of SQ. I've decided to push the boat out and go fully international this year. Last year's swiss army knife has been used more than I thought possible. My SO even got jealous enough to buy herself a similar one when we went to Lucerne this summer. Just noticed I put a typo in my own name. Genius.
Thanks to all the people organising this year. Its much appreciated.
posted by biffa at 8:48 AM on November 3, 2019
Thanks to all the people organising this year. Its much appreciated.
posted by biffa at 8:48 AM on November 3, 2019
I’m not a participant (I’m terribly unreliable), but just wanted to chime in with the rest and say thanks to the new Quonsar organizers for keeping the tradition alive.
posted by notyou at 8:57 AM on November 3, 2019
posted by notyou at 8:57 AM on November 3, 2019
Thank you everyone for organising and participating... this is such a heart-warming idea. I can't imagine how much effort it takes to make this work.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 9:12 AM on November 3, 2019
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 9:12 AM on November 3, 2019
I can't afford to play this year, but I'm glad the tradition is continuing!!
posted by sarcasticah at 9:31 AM on November 3, 2019
posted by sarcasticah at 9:31 AM on November 3, 2019
I'm stoked that I actually have the money to do this this year.
posted by kathrynm at 9:59 AM on November 3, 2019
posted by kathrynm at 9:59 AM on November 3, 2019
So glad that curious_nu and others stepped up to continue this grand MeFi tradition!
posted by Lynsey at 11:39 AM on November 3, 2019
posted by Lynsey at 11:39 AM on November 3, 2019
Would it be possible to throw up a site banner about signups being open? I know every year a few people miss out on signups because they didn't see the announcement. I know it's on the little news¬eworthy blurb but nowadays there's a lot of other stuff sitting above it in that right-hand column on desktop, and in the mobile interface it's especially not prominent.
posted by drlith at 4:29 PM on November 3, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by drlith at 4:29 PM on November 3, 2019 [6 favorites]
So excited! Thank you so much for stepping up. I filled out the form in the other thread so if you find you need additional quons-elving, please feel free to reach out!
Happy Quonsmas season, everyone!
posted by firei at 4:38 PM on November 3, 2019
Happy Quonsmas season, everyone!
posted by firei at 4:38 PM on November 3, 2019
I'm signed up and so excited!!
Thank you so much, new Quonsar Czar team!
posted by Sparky Buttons at 6:54 PM on November 3, 2019
Thank you so much, new Quonsar Czar team!
posted by Sparky Buttons at 6:54 PM on November 3, 2019
What if there was a crowdsourced fund folks could use to buy gifts if participating would otherwise be a hardship?
Not sure how this would be administered and it’s probably too late this year — just thinking out loud. Might be something nice to do.
posted by delight at 7:36 PM on November 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
Not sure how this would be administered and it’s probably too late this year — just thinking out loud. Might be something nice to do.
posted by delight at 7:36 PM on November 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
What if there was a crowdsourced fund folks could use to buy gifts if participating would otherwise be a hardship?
We've actually just received some funds from an anonymous source to help out with that this year! I'll see about getting the main post updated with this, but in the meantime, if you would like to participate but can't swing it financially (or need some help), please either memail me, or email secretquonsarswap@gmail.com, and we'll get that worked out.
posted by curious nu at 9:01 PM on November 3, 2019 [20 favorites]
We've actually just received some funds from an anonymous source to help out with that this year! I'll see about getting the main post updated with this, but in the meantime, if you would like to participate but can't swing it financially (or need some help), please either memail me, or email secretquonsarswap@gmail.com, and we'll get that worked out.
posted by curious nu at 9:01 PM on November 3, 2019 [20 favorites]
Yay Quonsmas! Sign me up for two second chance-ings as well, as I'm paying forward being unexpectedly Quonsed twice by two gorgeous souls the year I couldn't participate while awaiting the eviction of George, The Giant Benign Fatty Kidney Tumor.
posted by romakimmy at 4:38 AM on November 4, 2019
posted by romakimmy at 4:38 AM on November 4, 2019
Thank you curious nu, Secretariat, and mochapickle! You are the real MVPs. Can't wait to quonse this year!
posted by capricorn at 6:02 AM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by capricorn at 6:02 AM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
It's the most quonsarful time of the year!
Sign me up for second chancing also
posted by darsh at 6:05 AM on November 4, 2019
Sign me up for second chancing also
posted by darsh at 6:05 AM on November 4, 2019
EXCITED!!!! THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE EMAIL REMINDER BECAUSE, HOT DAMN, I WOULD FORGET OTHERWISE AND THIS IS TOO MUCH JOY TO ALLOW FOR FORGETFULNESS!
I AM SIGNED UP!
posted by jillithd at 7:25 AM on November 4, 2019
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE EMAIL REMINDER BECAUSE, HOT DAMN, I WOULD FORGET OTHERWISE AND THIS IS TOO MUCH JOY TO ALLOW FOR FORGETFULNESS!
I AM SIGNED UP!
posted by jillithd at 7:25 AM on November 4, 2019
Signed up - and happy to volunteer for second chance squad.
posted by RedOrGreen at 8:15 AM on November 4, 2019
posted by RedOrGreen at 8:15 AM on November 4, 2019
Wonderful!! Signing up again this year.
posted by seawallrunner at 8:20 AM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by seawallrunner at 8:20 AM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best of the web! cheers all
posted by brilliantmistake at 8:34 AM on November 4, 2019
posted by brilliantmistake at 8:34 AM on November 4, 2019
Signing up now...this is one of my favorite things of the year. Thanks for organizing this, and thanks for the reminder email so I didn't miss it. Happy Quonsmas, everyone!
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 8:44 AM on November 4, 2019
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 8:44 AM on November 4, 2019
Thank you so much for carrying this tradition on, and a hearty thank you to all the Quonczars Emeritus for ensuring a peaceful transition of power.
A couple of things I like to mention at this point:
1) If you want to re-use your gift guidance from last year, just search your email for "Secret Quonsar 2018" and you should be able to find it easily.
2) My Ode to a Meh Quonsmas. Please don't place massive expectations upon yourself or your fellow Mefites this Quoliday season. Secret Quonsar is a delight and a joy, it is a way to be connected with the kindly folk we share this weird old internet website with, and a small source of warmth and light in a season (and a world) that can seem cold and dark. Try not to feel stress about choosing the exact perfect gift. Try not to look with envy upon your fellow Mefites who got what seems to be a more personal, more meaningful gift than you did. Instead, rejoice in the comfort of this little community, and in the ancient tradition of gift giving. A Meh Quonsmas is a lovely Quonsmas. Do your best, and be kind to yourself.
How many more sleeps until Quonsmas?
posted by Rock Steady at 8:55 AM on November 4, 2019 [21 favorites]
A couple of things I like to mention at this point:
1) If you want to re-use your gift guidance from last year, just search your email for "Secret Quonsar 2018" and you should be able to find it easily.
2) My Ode to a Meh Quonsmas. Please don't place massive expectations upon yourself or your fellow Mefites this Quoliday season. Secret Quonsar is a delight and a joy, it is a way to be connected with the kindly folk we share this weird old internet website with, and a small source of warmth and light in a season (and a world) that can seem cold and dark. Try not to feel stress about choosing the exact perfect gift. Try not to look with envy upon your fellow Mefites who got what seems to be a more personal, more meaningful gift than you did. Instead, rejoice in the comfort of this little community, and in the ancient tradition of gift giving. A Meh Quonsmas is a lovely Quonsmas. Do your best, and be kind to yourself.
How many more sleeps until Quonsmas?
posted by Rock Steady at 8:55 AM on November 4, 2019 [21 favorites]
It's the hap-hap-happiest time of the year! Fishpants! Prezzies! Mail! Quonsmasssss!
yep, signed up. Won't start playing Jingle Rock Bell just yet. Probably.
posted by theora55 at 10:03 AM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
yep, signed up. Won't start playing Jingle Rock Bell just yet. Probably.
posted by theora55 at 10:03 AM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
Ooo I love this. Just signed up; happy to be on the second-chancer list too. Somehow this is my fifth quonsmas? Though I still feel like I'm new here? Anyway: excited!
Good on you, Quonczars new & previous, for this lovely tradition.
posted by miles per flower at 10:13 AM on November 4, 2019
Good on you, Quonczars new & previous, for this lovely tradition.
posted by miles per flower at 10:13 AM on November 4, 2019
I am also happy to be a second-chance Quonsar for recipients in Canada and the US.
posted by capricorn at 10:27 AM on November 4, 2019
posted by capricorn at 10:27 AM on November 4, 2019
Thanks to you awesome, generous, wonderful folks, my cash-strapped self can play after all! Thank you!! I am IN!!
posted by sarcasticah at 10:58 AM on November 4, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by sarcasticah at 10:58 AM on November 4, 2019 [2 favorites]
This is my 4th Secret Quonsar and I am extremely excited.
Thank you Quonczars one and all!
posted by minsies at 11:06 AM on November 4, 2019
Thank you Quonczars one and all!
posted by minsies at 11:06 AM on November 4, 2019
I have signed up!
To clarify my guidance, when I said I wanted "the air from a tire on a celebrity's car captured in a balloon", I think I specified the right rear tire, which is dumb guidance--it can be any of the tires!
posted by maxwelton at 11:22 AM on November 4, 2019 [5 favorites]
To clarify my guidance, when I said I wanted "the air from a tire on a celebrity's car captured in a balloon", I think I specified the right rear tire, which is dumb guidance--it can be any of the tires!
posted by maxwelton at 11:22 AM on November 4, 2019 [5 favorites]
I've signed up! Hurrah for Quonsar season!
posted by PussKillian at 11:30 AM on November 4, 2019
posted by PussKillian at 11:30 AM on November 4, 2019
Signed up, and thank you so much for organizing this! This will be my first Quonsar, and I am super excited to participate.
posted by postmortemsalmon at 1:39 PM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by postmortemsalmon at 1:39 PM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
omg I have never regretted helping but it will be nice to enjoy Secret Quonsar this year as a normie
Thank you to the new team!!!
posted by phunniemee at 2:05 PM on November 4, 2019 [8 favorites]
Thank you to the new team!!!
posted by phunniemee at 2:05 PM on November 4, 2019 [8 favorites]
This has absolutely made my evening!
posted by Gin and Broadband at 2:48 PM on November 4, 2019
posted by Gin and Broadband at 2:48 PM on November 4, 2019
Aaaaand I’m signed up!
I actually got my reminder email after my “thanks for signing up” email, so here’s hoping I can remain so ahead of the game the rest of the season.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 4:43 PM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
I actually got my reminder email after my “thanks for signing up” email, so here’s hoping I can remain so ahead of the game the rest of the season.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 4:43 PM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
Thank you so much to those who stepped up to carry the Quonsmas Torch this year.
I had a sad moment last holiday season when I realized I'd seen the reminder email, made a mental note to sign up, and then forgotten to do so, leaving me Quonsless.
Not this time. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Thanks again to all!
posted by lord_wolf at 5:13 PM on November 4, 2019
I had a sad moment last holiday season when I realized I'd seen the reminder email, made a mental note to sign up, and then forgotten to do so, leaving me Quonsless.
Not this time. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Thanks again to all!
posted by lord_wolf at 5:13 PM on November 4, 2019
Super excited for my first year a-Quonsing. Thanks so much to the new and old organizers!
posted by jameaterblues at 6:51 PM on November 4, 2019
posted by jameaterblues at 6:51 PM on November 4, 2019
Yay! I love it!
To whoever gets me: I know my guidance is wordy, but I can’t help but feel like I have a duty to answer all the questions in my own questionnaire.
posted by ocherdraco at 7:20 PM on November 4, 2019 [9 favorites]
To whoever gets me: I know my guidance is wordy, but I can’t help but feel like I have a duty to answer all the questions in my own questionnaire.
posted by ocherdraco at 7:20 PM on November 4, 2019 [9 favorites]
Please sign me up as a second chancer!
I'd like to add my many thanks to julen and IndigoRain and phunniemee and arcticseal and ocherdraco and Rock Steady and curious nu and everyone who's ever pitched in with the volunteer work in different ways! Thanks for helping to continue the Secret Quonsar tradition.
My first SQ was 10 years ago (!) in 2009 and I also participated in 2010 (gosh, it sort of feels like I was a different person then). They were fab experiences.
I've wanted to continue participating, but the two main reasons why I reluctantly stopped after that was (1) not knowing if I'd be able to meet the sending deadline, and (2) the move to Google forms -- I'm pretty sure Google knows who I am now, but I'm very thankful that there's a username-disclosing workaround. It miiiiight be possible for me this year, so I'll think on it a bit more and see what happens.
Regardless, it's been a joy to read all the SQ threads over the past 10 years and I look forward to the schmoopy stories!
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 7:33 PM on November 4, 2019 [4 favorites]
I'd like to add my many thanks to julen and IndigoRain and phunniemee and arcticseal and ocherdraco and Rock Steady and curious nu and everyone who's ever pitched in with the volunteer work in different ways! Thanks for helping to continue the Secret Quonsar tradition.
My first SQ was 10 years ago (!) in 2009 and I also participated in 2010 (gosh, it sort of feels like I was a different person then). They were fab experiences.
I've wanted to continue participating, but the two main reasons why I reluctantly stopped after that was (1) not knowing if I'd be able to meet the sending deadline, and (2) the move to Google forms -- I'm pretty sure Google knows who I am now, but I'm very thankful that there's a username-disclosing workaround. It miiiiight be possible for me this year, so I'll think on it a bit more and see what happens.
Regardless, it's been a joy to read all the SQ threads over the past 10 years and I look forward to the schmoopy stories!
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 7:33 PM on November 4, 2019 [4 favorites]
I also meant to give shoutouts specifically to Secretariat and mochapickle as part of the new Secret Quonsar Guard™!
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 7:46 PM on November 4, 2019
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 7:46 PM on November 4, 2019
rangefinder 1.4: I'm pretty sure Google knows who I am now, but I'm very thankful that there's a username-disclosing workaround.
YES. Me too! Google knows a whole lot about all of us, but I see no reason to tell them even more.
posted by Too-Ticky at 10:57 PM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
YES. Me too! Google knows a whole lot about all of us, but I see no reason to tell them even more.
posted by Too-Ticky at 10:57 PM on November 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
Last year was my first SQ and it was really fun! Looking forward to this year!
posted by EndsOfInvention at 1:07 AM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by EndsOfInvention at 1:07 AM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
> maxwelton: To clarify my guidance, when I said I wanted "the air from a tire on a celebrity's car captured in a balloon", I think I specified the right rear tire, which is dumb guidance--it can be any of the tires!
*Throws away ziploc bag full of Freema Agyeman's used transmission fluid*
posted by Rock Steady at 5:40 AM on November 5, 2019 [3 favorites]
*Throws away ziploc bag full of Freema Agyeman's used transmission fluid*
posted by Rock Steady at 5:40 AM on November 5, 2019 [3 favorites]
Really excited we're off to such a great start! We're at 158 signups so far. I number of folk have contacted us to correct typos or missing information, but I'll be doing a pass tonight and Thursday to make sure everything's in place.
This is up on the main post now, but for extra emphasis:
If you'd like to participate but are unsure about the cost - whether that's for the gift, the shipping, or some combination - we have some money to help out with that. It's first-come first-serve, no strings attached, and other than you and the quonczars, it's anonymous. Unused funds will carryover to next year. Please don't hesitate to sign up if you want to be a secret quonsar, and we can make this happen.
posted by curious nu at 5:45 AM on November 5, 2019 [8 favorites]
This is up on the main post now, but for extra emphasis:
If you'd like to participate but are unsure about the cost - whether that's for the gift, the shipping, or some combination - we have some money to help out with that. It's first-come first-serve, no strings attached, and other than you and the quonczars, it's anonymous. Unused funds will carryover to next year. Please don't hesitate to sign up if you want to be a secret quonsar, and we can make this happen.
posted by curious nu at 5:45 AM on November 5, 2019 [8 favorites]
Yay! I finally participated the last 2 years after watching from the sidelines for years before that, and it was definitely quite fun. I didn't receive an email reminder? but just noticed this post on the banner, so I'll go sign up RIGHT NOW. Happy Quonsmas!!!
posted by widdershins at 7:39 AM on November 5, 2019
posted by widdershins at 7:39 AM on November 5, 2019
I am SO excited! I had a lot of fun picking stuff out for my recipient last year, and the gift I got was so lovely that it made me cry. Thank you for keeping this going, and for doing the funding help as well. Good and right.
posted by queensissy at 10:09 AM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by queensissy at 10:09 AM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
Signed up earlier today. This is going to be my first time participating.
posted by Dotty at 1:22 PM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Dotty at 1:22 PM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
Oh Id love to? I have so many questions about what this is! (yes I will start reading up)
posted by cabin fever at 4:11 PM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by cabin fever at 4:11 PM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
Signed up! Truly had fun doing this for the first time last year and I can’t wait for Quonsmas!
posted by theappleonatree at 4:46 PM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by theappleonatree at 4:46 PM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
Just signed up--my third year in a row! Thank you SQ organizers for making this happen!
posted by snaw at 5:58 PM on November 5, 2019
posted by snaw at 5:58 PM on November 5, 2019
This will be my first Quonsar! I missed the sign up window last year. I wanted to be fun and do international but started Googling.... how to even send things international and got intimidated by words like CUSTOMS FORM so I decided not to ask too much of my executive function this year. Maybe next time around!
posted by brook horse at 6:35 PM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by brook horse at 6:35 PM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
Signed up! Yippeee! I just found one of the dinosaur stickers my quonsar sent for my kid on a sweater, which I apparently haven’t worn since last winter. The giving and the getting are both my favorite.
posted by centrifugal at 6:39 PM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by centrifugal at 6:39 PM on November 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
That's a great point, brook horse, thank you for bringing that up!
Quonsars who have done international shippping: would you be able/willing to write up how you've done this in the past? Shipping cost information (from where, to where, package dimensions, package weight, shipping company) would be incredibly useful as well. If you'd like to provide that information privately, please memail me. I'll compile whatever data we get and use it as guidance for future years.
posted by curious nu at 6:53 PM on November 5, 2019 [2 favorites]
Quonsars who have done international shippping: would you be able/willing to write up how you've done this in the past? Shipping cost information (from where, to where, package dimensions, package weight, shipping company) would be incredibly useful as well. If you'd like to provide that information privately, please memail me. I'll compile whatever data we get and use it as guidance for future years.
posted by curious nu at 6:53 PM on November 5, 2019 [2 favorites]
Speaking of shipping --- I read through everything and have a question: is the spending guideline ($10-20) supposed be for the gift only, or including gift and shipping? IIRC, it's just for the gift (at least, that's what I did in the past), but just checking.
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 7:05 PM on November 5, 2019
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 7:05 PM on November 5, 2019
Quonczar Secretariat here. Previously the guidance has been that “there is no one true way to quonsar (other than: send a gift. get a gift.)”, and I think this is still the case. Quonsmas isn’t about spending a lot of money, it’s about the friends we made along the way! So if you feel comfortable spending over $20, you could choose to not include postage your total cost. But I also think in most cases it’s totally possible to achieve a gift and shipping for $20. The exception is going to be when there’s international shipping, which can be costly. That’s why we try to set up local swap groups as much as possible.
posted by Secretariat at 11:09 PM on November 5, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by Secretariat at 11:09 PM on November 5, 2019 [6 favorites]
Also, if the thought of postage costs are making anyone nervous, don’t forget about this year’s available quonse-funds. Email us to inquire!
posted by Secretariat at 11:13 PM on November 5, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Secretariat at 11:13 PM on November 5, 2019 [2 favorites]
HOORAY, signed up! Thank you, current organizers and previous organizers and participatees. :0)
posted by Glinn at 8:50 AM on November 6, 2019
posted by Glinn at 8:50 AM on November 6, 2019
I am signed up! Whoo, I skipped a few years there and I am so happy to be back, thank you Quonse-elves!
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:18 AM on November 6, 2019
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:18 AM on November 6, 2019
I'm thrilled it is that wonderful time of the ywar again! Can't wait to start planning what to send out!
posted by Julnyes at 1:53 PM on November 6, 2019
posted by Julnyes at 1:53 PM on November 6, 2019
Signed! Quonsing is one of my favorite MeFi traditions. That and the annual daily Plating of the Beans.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 2:57 PM on November 6, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Hardcore Poser at 2:57 PM on November 6, 2019 [1 favorite]
Quonczar Secretariat again! Two notes about mailing addresses:
1. If you happen to sign up for a swap group where your quonsar could potentially be in a different country than you (eg. Canada/US or International), please include the full mailing address they will need to put on a package for it to get to you, including your country. Don't worry about it if you've already signed up, I've fixed the missing countries.
2. A handful of mailing addresses (about 10) appear to have been cut off when they were entered in the form. I've sent anyone whose address was affected an email about this. Check your email and respond so we can include you in the swap!
Thanks, and may the quonse be with you!
posted by Secretariat at 7:01 PM on November 6, 2019
1. If you happen to sign up for a swap group where your quonsar could potentially be in a different country than you (eg. Canada/US or International), please include the full mailing address they will need to put on a package for it to get to you, including your country. Don't worry about it if you've already signed up, I've fixed the missing countries.
2. A handful of mailing addresses (about 10) appear to have been cut off when they were entered in the form. I've sent anyone whose address was affected an email about this. Check your email and respond so we can include you in the swap!
Thanks, and may the quonse be with you!
posted by Secretariat at 7:01 PM on November 6, 2019
We are moving this year, and the idea of getting more stuff is overwhelming. But I do have 10+ well-written romance books from late 90s and early 2000 that I want to find a good home for. This is very much a shot in the dark, but if anybody reading this thread happens to be interested, please memail me!
posted by em at 8:20 PM on November 6, 2019
posted by em at 8:20 PM on November 6, 2019
Yay, just signed up! I participated for the first time last year and loved it. Thanks for making this happen.
posted by sunset in snow country at 11:15 AM on November 7, 2019
posted by sunset in snow country at 11:15 AM on November 7, 2019
I'm in! I felt like this was only my 3rd or 4th year but I looked and this is year *7* for me! Time flies when you're having fun!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:04 PM on November 7, 2019
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:04 PM on November 7, 2019
Oh wow, the oldest email I have about participating in secret quonsar is from 2009! So, um, if my math is correct, that means...!!!
posted by Secretariat at 12:57 PM on November 7, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by Secretariat at 12:57 PM on November 7, 2019 [3 favorites]
Hell yes I'm in! Quonsee, I hope you like handmade things that may or may not be made from circuit board.
posted by Too-Ticky at 1:08 PM on November 7, 2019
posted by Too-Ticky at 1:08 PM on November 7, 2019
So Excited! My first Secret Quonsar! Can't wait to see what my secret Quonsee would like!
posted by antiquated at 4:31 PM on November 7, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by antiquated at 4:31 PM on November 7, 2019 [1 favorite]
I just signed up! I do have a MetaWishlist site that I use for this kinda thing, but I haven't updated it in a while so this is a good prompt.
I do wish you could put more than one swap group though. I put International, but my real answer would be "preferably Australia but I can do international if need be".
posted by divabat at 8:59 PM on November 7, 2019
I do wish you could put more than one swap group though. I put International, but my real answer would be "preferably Australia but I can do international if need be".
posted by divabat at 8:59 PM on November 7, 2019
And don't forget to sign me up as a Second Chancer.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 6:55 AM on November 8, 2019
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 6:55 AM on November 8, 2019
divabat, we can totally make that a note for when we do the swap groups.
Our Aus/NZ group is actually very small right now, but the donations have been unbelievably generous and if there are any Aus/NZ (or adjacent) folk that would like to participate but are wary of cost, please sign up and then let us know you'd like to take advantage of that! (and of course anyone in any other region as well)
posted by curious nu at 7:35 AM on November 8, 2019 [1 favorite]
Our Aus/NZ group is actually very small right now, but the donations have been unbelievably generous and if there are any Aus/NZ (or adjacent) folk that would like to participate but are wary of cost, please sign up and then let us know you'd like to take advantage of that! (and of course anyone in any other region as well)
posted by curious nu at 7:35 AM on November 8, 2019 [1 favorite]
Signed up today for this and the holiday card swap, both firsts for me. Looking forward to it!
posted by wicked_sassy at 11:02 AM on November 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by wicked_sassy at 11:02 AM on November 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
I went looking through my activity and this will be my 10th Secret Quonsmas, an annual celebration of schmoopy joy that would not be possible without the Secret Quonczars and their excellent SQ'elves. Thinking I might do the holiday card swap this year, too.
posted by angiep at 12:30 PM on November 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by angiep at 12:30 PM on November 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
And I'm back in, after an eight-year break! Thank you, quonczars, for the additional info. Signed up and used ocherdraco's wonderful list to help with the guidance section. (Note to self after re-reading what I submitted: I should proofread stuff I write in the wee hours of the night because there will be awkward grammar/punctuation errors. But I'm pretty sure the errors are obvious and the message will get across as intended.)
The last time I did this, we only had a couple of weeks between the draw and the sending deadline, so I'm super glad of the extra time.
Note to quonczars: Not sure if this is a known issue but FYI there are two spots on the signup form that still refer to julen's email address:
- in last paragraph of the initial signup form intro
- in second-to-last paragraph of the thank you message after submitting the form (it says "Your swap assignment will come from [email address]")
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 6:27 PM on November 8, 2019
The last time I did this, we only had a couple of weeks between the draw and the sending deadline, so I'm super glad of the extra time.
Note to quonczars: Not sure if this is a known issue but FYI there are two spots on the signup form that still refer to julen's email address:
- in last paragraph of the initial signup form intro
- in second-to-last paragraph of the thank you message after submitting the form (it says "Your swap assignment will come from [email address]")
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 6:27 PM on November 8, 2019
Those ones actually should be correct, I think! julen very generously is letting us use her email server setup for this, so the assignment emails will be coming from the @julen.net address. We'll look into something else for next year. =)
posted by curious nu at 7:27 PM on November 8, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by curious nu at 7:27 PM on November 8, 2019 [3 favorites]
I'd like to add my many thanks to julen and IndigoRain and phunniemee and arcticseal and ocherdraco and Rock Steady and curious nu and everyone who's ever pitched in with the volunteer work in different ways! Thanks for helping to continue the Secret Quonsar tradition.
Hell yeah! Thanks to all of you for doing this over the last several years, and for keeping it going!
Just signed up again.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:37 AM on November 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Hell yeah! Thanks to all of you for doing this over the last several years, and for keeping it going!
Just signed up again.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:37 AM on November 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
The sign-up officially ends at 11:59 PM EST tonight! That means ~4 more hours. I'm watching the thread, my memail, and email, in case you have any last-minute questions or concerns. We'll be doing the swap assignments around 7am EST tomorrow, so you've got a little extra time if you need to make corrections or adjustments. Please check your email and spam folders to make sure we haven't contacted you about an address or guidance correction, and review your confirmation email for any errors.
posted by curious nu at 5:09 PM on November 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by curious nu at 5:09 PM on November 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
@curious nu I have signed up and I would also be happy to be a second chancer. Thank you so much for keeping secret quonsar going.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 7:06 PM on November 9, 2019
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 7:06 PM on November 9, 2019
Just signed up! Excited to participate again :).
posted by Annabelle74 at 7:42 PM on November 9, 2019
posted by Annabelle74 at 7:42 PM on November 9, 2019
Good grief, did I really just sign up 35 minutes late? Hopefully y'all can still squeeze me in.
posted by GuyZero at 9:34 PM on November 9, 2019
posted by GuyZero at 9:34 PM on November 9, 2019
Yep, but you're good, GuyZero =) I left the sign-ups open overnight to catch any last-minute additions, and that's fine. They are now closed, though, so later today (when I said "7am" what I obviously meant was "1pm" because I can 100% do timezones, you betcha) we'll do the assignments. I had originally thought to send out the emails on Monday but I think we'll just do that today, soooo watch your email boxes, folks!
posted by curious nu at 6:43 AM on November 10, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by curious nu at 6:43 AM on November 10, 2019 [3 favorites]
Oh man, I just missed it! Have fun everyone!
posted by SisterHavana at 10:58 AM on November 10, 2019
posted by SisterHavana at 10:58 AM on November 10, 2019
SisterHavana, check your mefimail!
posted by Secretariat at 11:40 AM on November 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Secretariat at 11:40 AM on November 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
Assignments are out! I'm super nervous and hope everything has gone smoothly! If you have signed up for SQ and not received an email by the end of today, please memail me or email the SQ email address and we'll figure out where it went.
posted by curious nu at 12:18 PM on November 10, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by curious nu at 12:18 PM on November 10, 2019 [7 favorites]
Yeah, got my quonsee! The prevaricating can begin!
posted by biffa at 1:11 PM on November 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by biffa at 1:11 PM on November 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
Oh no, I completely missed the sign up this year! I hadn't even started to think about the holidays yet, so it didn't even dawn on me to check on the Secret Quonsar swap. This is a very sad day.
Maybe I can be put on a list for second chancers or other folks who totally missed the boat?
If not, I'll just have to live vicariously through you all.
posted by MsVader at 2:41 PM on November 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
Maybe I can be put on a list for second chancers or other folks who totally missed the boat?
If not, I'll just have to live vicariously through you all.
posted by MsVader at 2:41 PM on November 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
Just checked my spam, and there's the sign-up reminder email. *SIGH* I hate you, Yahoo, for sabotaging my Quonsmas.
posted by MsVader at 2:53 PM on November 10, 2019
posted by MsVader at 2:53 PM on November 10, 2019
MsVader, please check your mefimail!
posted by Secretariat at 3:20 PM on November 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Secretariat at 3:20 PM on November 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
I have my Quonsee! Now, someone tell me how to find their profile so I can mefi stalk them... their user name is a word that's used a lot. How do I limit mefi search to a user????
posted by mightshould at 3:40 PM on November 10, 2019
posted by mightshould at 3:40 PM on November 10, 2019
https://www.metafilter.com/contribute/search.mefi?q=QUONSEE_NAME&tab=users
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 3:44 PM on November 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 3:44 PM on November 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
Of course I didn't see the MefiMail until now. But I sent info anyway, in case there are any other stragglers. : )
posted by SisterHavana at 4:04 PM on November 10, 2019
posted by SisterHavana at 4:04 PM on November 10, 2019
Thank you Johhny Wallflower.... my Quonsee is now stalked!
posted by mightshould at 4:45 PM on November 10, 2019
posted by mightshould at 4:45 PM on November 10, 2019
curious nu, I know you asked for feedback if something didn't go as expected, but I wanted to say I got my assignment on time (my quonsee and I have a bunch of things in common, which is pretty neat - I am excited!), and everything looks great and the switchover has been pretty smooth from my POV.
Kudos to you, Secretariat and mochapickle!
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 9:35 PM on November 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
Kudos to you, Secretariat and mochapickle!
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 9:35 PM on November 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
I was so excited to get my assignment today! It's been fully the effort of curious nu and Secretariat so far (go team!), but I'll be helping them with gift tracking and unraveling the occasional random delivery mystery once our packages start bouncing their way across the globe.
This is my eleventh year participating in SQ. As always, I'll be sending the traditional Colorado gift -- a live marmot and a homemade popcorn ball -- and this time my quonsee is only three states away so there's a real chance my quonsee will get to the popcorn ball before the marmot does.
posted by mochapickle at 11:12 PM on November 10, 2019 [7 favorites]
This is my eleventh year participating in SQ. As always, I'll be sending the traditional Colorado gift -- a live marmot and a homemade popcorn ball -- and this time my quonsee is only three states away so there's a real chance my quonsee will get to the popcorn ball before the marmot does.
posted by mochapickle at 11:12 PM on November 10, 2019 [7 favorites]
Thank goodness, mochapickle, you had me worried there for a moment. I totally misread your comment and thought you were sending a live marmoset, and, of course, that's completely against the rules. But then I re-read it and was relieved to see you were sending a live marmot, so that's okay then. Phew!
However, I am amazed to know that you can send homemade popcorn across state lines.
Oh, and my Quonsee assignment arrived and I am so excited. One SQ component purchased already!
posted by angiep at 8:30 AM on November 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
However, I am amazed to know that you can send homemade popcorn across state lines.
Oh, and my Quonsee assignment arrived and I am so excited. One SQ component purchased already!
posted by angiep at 8:30 AM on November 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
That's a nice seque to my Quonsor Question, which is, can I send something homemade as my gift? I knit and can.
posted by bq at 12:37 PM on November 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by bq at 12:37 PM on November 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
bq, I have both sent and received homemade gifts! They are great!
posted by jillithd at 12:42 PM on November 11, 2019
posted by jillithd at 12:42 PM on November 11, 2019
I missed the address correction email until this morning. Womp-womp for me. Maybe I can second-chance, then?
posted by ApathyGirl at 4:24 PM on November 11, 2019
posted by ApathyGirl at 4:24 PM on November 11, 2019
I decided to skip the worrying about what to send and go straight to "how awful will they find the gift?" part of worrying...sent my gift out today.
I wonder if I poked enough air holes in the box.
posted by maxwelton at 5:20 PM on November 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
I wonder if I poked enough air holes in the box.
posted by maxwelton at 5:20 PM on November 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
I have received my mission, gleefully accepted it, and have started crafting representations of my Quonsé(e)s favourite animals! And since I'm already enjoying myself... as far as I'm concerned, this year's edition is already a success.
posted by Too-Ticky at 5:50 AM on November 12, 2019
posted by Too-Ticky at 5:50 AM on November 12, 2019
A-quonsing I will go, a-quonsing I will go...
Gift ordered. Thanks, you lovely people, for making Quonsmas a reality this year.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 7:56 AM on November 12, 2019
Gift ordered. Thanks, you lovely people, for making Quonsmas a reality this year.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 7:56 AM on November 12, 2019
HOOOOORAH!
Got the notification today that my Quons-compatriot's gift has been shipped and is making its way towards them as we speak.
This is the earliest I've EVER completed my Quons-task. Truly, a Quonsmas miracle!
posted by Dorinda at 9:11 AM on November 13, 2019
Got the notification today that my Quons-compatriot's gift has been shipped and is making its way towards them as we speak.
This is the earliest I've EVER completed my Quons-task. Truly, a Quonsmas miracle!
posted by Dorinda at 9:11 AM on November 13, 2019
Some of y'all are so timely! It makes the little marmoset in my heart do joyful backflips.
posted by Secretariat at 9:34 AM on November 13, 2019
posted by Secretariat at 9:34 AM on November 13, 2019
I sent my gift to my Quonsee on Tuesday from Hong Kong! Fun facts about my Quonsing experience:
- The shops were empty (because of mass transport disruption)!
- There was no traffic (because there was a roadblock on my road and it was on fire)!
- The post office was uncrowded (because there was a general strike)!
- No tear gas had been fired (up to that point)!
Wishing everyone a happy (and sedate and democratic and non-chemical-weapons-used-in-residential-neighborhoods-y) Quonsmas shopping/making/packing/mailing experience. Can't WAIT for my Quonsmas vacation, y'all.
posted by mdonley at 7:36 AM on November 14, 2019 [12 favorites]
- The shops were empty (because of mass transport disruption)!
- There was no traffic (because there was a roadblock on my road and it was on fire)!
- The post office was uncrowded (because there was a general strike)!
- No tear gas had been fired (up to that point)!
Wishing everyone a happy (and sedate and democratic and non-chemical-weapons-used-in-residential-neighborhoods-y) Quonsmas shopping/making/packing/mailing experience. Can't WAIT for my Quonsmas vacation, y'all.
posted by mdonley at 7:36 AM on November 14, 2019 [12 favorites]
I picked out a thing I hope my quonsee will like! They did not give a lot of direction! (Unlike me, who perhaps gave too much. Maybe that is worse! I don't know.)
Also, I did that thing where I found something neat for my quonsee and also got myself one.
Happy Quonsing, people! Don't stress too much over it! :0)
posted by Glinn at 10:34 AM on November 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
Also, I did that thing where I found something neat for my quonsee and also got myself one.
Happy Quonsing, people! Don't stress too much over it! :0)
posted by Glinn at 10:34 AM on November 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
Ah, my Quonsee was languishing in my spam folder for days, now its time to agonize over what to send (I find this part fun)
Also, for the first time I gave more information about my likes and dislikes and it made me feel like I was telling my SQ what to get me? I don't know why but answering simple questions made me feel like I was demanding something specific. I guess if it makes it easier for my SQ that makes me happy.
posted by Julnyes at 11:29 AM on November 14, 2019
Also, for the first time I gave more information about my likes and dislikes and it made me feel like I was telling my SQ what to get me? I don't know why but answering simple questions made me feel like I was demanding something specific. I guess if it makes it easier for my SQ that makes me happy.
posted by Julnyes at 11:29 AM on November 14, 2019
Turns out my quonsee is the perfect recipient for the wares of one of the vendors on the MeFi Mall.
SUPPORT MEFI'S OWN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON™
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:05 PM on November 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
SUPPORT MEFI'S OWN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON™
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:05 PM on November 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
Will the "thanks" thread be sidebarred, once one is created? It's always one of my favorite threads of the season but it's often seemed difficult to discover. I may also be fairly dim.
posted by maxwelton at 2:24 AM on November 15, 2019
posted by maxwelton at 2:24 AM on November 15, 2019
Yes, I'll ask to have it sidebarred. =)
posted by curious nu at 5:56 AM on November 15, 2019
posted by curious nu at 5:56 AM on November 15, 2019
Got my better-late-than-never pick and have started the stalking-I mean SHOPPING...
posted by MsVader at 1:46 PM on November 18, 2019
posted by MsVader at 1:46 PM on November 18, 2019
And sent!
This one was a challenge for me. My quonsee mentioned local stuff a few times, and I figure that if you've signed up to the International bracket it would be a bit of a dick move to get stuff that's not really representative of somewhere else. The stuff I had in mind, however, were either unshippable, sold out, or would cost more to send from where I am to where they are (and shops local to them wouldn't carry them).
They did also mention a few book genres, which I initially thought I wouldn't have any recs for. I also find book gifting a bit anxiety inducing after a few Secret Santa experiences where I got given books that weren't actually what I wanted but the senders thought were better than my tastes (and I end up not being into them).
After some Googling, I realised that actually, I do know a couple of books that I liked, fit their request, suits their interests, have some local-to-me relevance, AND are available on Amazon! (I would have liked to use an indie bookstore or something like Book Depository but Amazon's the only place that stocked them alas)
So hopefully my quonsee likes them too!
posted by divabat at 3:47 PM on November 18, 2019
This one was a challenge for me. My quonsee mentioned local stuff a few times, and I figure that if you've signed up to the International bracket it would be a bit of a dick move to get stuff that's not really representative of somewhere else. The stuff I had in mind, however, were either unshippable, sold out, or would cost more to send from where I am to where they are (and shops local to them wouldn't carry them).
They did also mention a few book genres, which I initially thought I wouldn't have any recs for. I also find book gifting a bit anxiety inducing after a few Secret Santa experiences where I got given books that weren't actually what I wanted but the senders thought were better than my tastes (and I end up not being into them).
After some Googling, I realised that actually, I do know a couple of books that I liked, fit their request, suits their interests, have some local-to-me relevance, AND are available on Amazon! (I would have liked to use an indie bookstore or something like Book Depository but Amazon's the only place that stocked them alas)
So hopefully my quonsee likes them too!
posted by divabat at 3:47 PM on November 18, 2019
My Quonsee’s gift has been shipped!
posted by jet_pack_in_a_can at 4:00 PM on November 18, 2019
posted by jet_pack_in_a_can at 4:00 PM on November 18, 2019
Quick update for anyone that comes across this later: the thank you thread is active. If you have a question it's best to email or memail us, or drop a note in the current thread.
posted by curious nu at 4:18 PM on November 21, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by curious nu at 4:18 PM on November 21, 2019 [2 favorites]
My Quonsee’s gift is out of my hands, and in the mail. It's travelling to a country where I've never been, will probably never go, and with a bit of luck it's going to bring a MeFite some Quonsmas cheer. Merry Quonsmas, one and all!
posted by Too-Ticky at 8:16 AM on November 22, 2019
posted by Too-Ticky at 8:16 AM on November 22, 2019
I, at least, plan to wait until the very lat minute to mail my Quonsee Gift so I can teens a local craft fair the last week of November. So if any of you don’t see prezzies yet don’t despair.
posted by bq at 4:09 PM on November 22, 2019
posted by bq at 4:09 PM on November 22, 2019
Sent my gift today! I like a lot of the same things as my Quonsee, so putting it together was both easy and delightful.
posted by centrifugal at 1:53 PM on November 30, 2019
posted by centrifugal at 1:53 PM on November 30, 2019
Woohoo, sent!
I thought I would get it out on Friday (for once not waiting until the VERY LAST MINUTE), but the "servers were down" at the PostShop. "International Parcels" was on the long list of NO. Uh... I have not encountered that failure mode before and I felt as if the universe was tormenting me for not procrastinating quite as much as usual. "HAHAHA you won't be able to send it until the deadline day anyway HAHAHAHA!"
posted by inexorably_forward at 8:36 PM on December 1, 2019
I thought I would get it out on Friday (for once not waiting until the VERY LAST MINUTE), but the "servers were down" at the PostShop. "International Parcels" was on the long list of NO. Uh... I have not encountered that failure mode before and I felt as if the universe was tormenting me for not procrastinating quite as much as usual. "HAHAHA you won't be able to send it until the deadline day anyway HAHAHAHA!"
posted by inexorably_forward at 8:36 PM on December 1, 2019
Dropped off my gift today!
posted by oceanjesse at 3:46 PM on December 2, 2019
posted by oceanjesse at 3:46 PM on December 2, 2019
Sliding in just before the post offices close because being locked down in a government building threw a wrench in my morning plans. The universe conspires against me, etc etc, but I did it! Very first Quonsmas present ever sent out!
posted by brook horse at 3:50 PM on December 2, 2019
posted by brook horse at 3:50 PM on December 2, 2019
I won’t be able to send my gift until Tuesday or Wednesday. I beg the quonczars’ forbearance!
posted by delight at 5:52 PM on December 2, 2019
posted by delight at 5:52 PM on December 2, 2019
I've been quonsed! By meggan, who was my quonsee many years ago! As she said in her card, the circle of quonsar is now complete.
I have two bars of exciting CHOCOLATE (a brown butter nibs & sea salt and a huckleberry, which no is definitely not gross, it's delicious and reminds me of something very specific I've had before but can't put my finger on), a really cute Girl Scout patch, and a very cool Jurassic Park t-shirt with an outrun vibe. It is, as I believe the kids would say, a e s t h e t i c. I love it. Thank you!!
My gift to my quonsee will go out tomorrow if I can get out of work before 4:30 today. I have my heart set on including an item I can only buy at a place that closes at FIVE pm and I've been out of town straight into workdays, so pray 4 ya girl.
posted by phunniemee at 11:20 AM on December 4, 2019 [5 favorites]
I have two bars of exciting CHOCOLATE (a brown butter nibs & sea salt and a huckleberry, which no is definitely not gross, it's delicious and reminds me of something very specific I've had before but can't put my finger on), a really cute Girl Scout patch, and a very cool Jurassic Park t-shirt with an outrun vibe. It is, as I believe the kids would say, a e s t h e t i c. I love it. Thank you!!
My gift to my quonsee will go out tomorrow if I can get out of work before 4:30 today. I have my heart set on including an item I can only buy at a place that closes at FIVE pm and I've been out of town straight into workdays, so pray 4 ya girl.
posted by phunniemee at 11:20 AM on December 4, 2019 [5 favorites]
Well hell, this is the sign up thread. I thought this was the thank you thread. gnfti sorry about the memail I am an idiot. 👌
posted by phunniemee at 2:29 PM on December 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 2:29 PM on December 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
My Quonsmas gift was sent out a tiny bit last this past weekend but the exciting part is that I get emailed tracking updates on it automagically so it's now on a plane that's taken off for overseas! Mystery non-American Quonsee, a package is in its way!
posted by GuyZero at 2:59 PM on December 10, 2019
posted by GuyZero at 2:59 PM on December 10, 2019
Don't miss all the fun over at the Secret Quonsar 2019 THANK YOU thread!
posted by mochapickle at 9:28 PM on December 10, 2019
posted by mochapickle at 9:28 PM on December 10, 2019
I sent a package across the USA yesterday to someone who has posted in this thread! (Sorry for my tardiness.) You should have it tomorrow or Saturday- hope you like!
posted by initapplette at 5:12 PM on December 12, 2019
posted by initapplette at 5:12 PM on December 12, 2019
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posted by frumiousb at 8:48 PM on November 2, 2019 [3 favorites]