MetaFilter Gift Swap 2021 THANK YOU!

November 17, 2021 3:00 PM

By tradition, the first gift recipient gets to start the annual swap THANK YOU thread....

And this time it's me! A HUGE and happy thank you to oceanjesse for sending me the PERFECT shade of watercolor that I've been wanting for two years now -- payne's gray! It's one of the last colors I needed to complete my current working palette of misty/moody grays and greens. oceanjesse, I don't know how you were able to get it here so quickly short of some kind of miracle but I am utterly delighted and will use your gift all season with joy!

Wishing oceanjesse and everyone at metafilter all kinds of good cheer throughout the season!

posted by mochapickle to MetaFilter Gatherings at 3:00 PM (270 comments total)

Hooray thank you thread!
posted by freethefeet at 10:10 PM on November 17, 2021 [1 favorite]

Only having one comment in here is making me feel much better about my SQ efforts.
posted by biffa at 2:28 AM on November 19, 2021 [4 favorites]

I can confirm that as of this writing there are a few other packages currently in route! It's like popcorn! Pop pop!
posted by mochapickle at 4:57 AM on November 19, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you for the shoutout, and I’m glad you like the gift! Also you should be getting some Italian orange and lemon hard candies!
posted by oceanjesse at 5:22 AM on November 19, 2021 [2 favorites]

Off to the shops & PO tomorrow, looking like local produce is the way forward.
posted by biffa at 6:37 AM on November 19, 2021

Pop pop pop pop!
posted by mochapickle at 3:48 PM on November 20, 2021 [1 favorite]

Post office today! The Google form for tracking info is a great idea.
posted by ellieBOA at 12:32 AM on November 22, 2021 [1 favorite]

I received a package, will open it on Thanksgiving so I can enjoy delicious anticipation.
posted by theora55 at 4:57 AM on November 22, 2021 [3 favorites]

Holy smokes, the Disney x Betsy Johnson Haunted Mansion Statement Necklace? For me?

Oh my god, this is amazing, thank you.
posted by Katemonkey at 7:13 AM on November 22, 2021 [7 favorites]

The bright yellow Otamatone that I received is so wonderful! It’s quickly become a family favorite (my son learned Ode to Joy on it AND figured out how to make fart sounds! The baby will do hilarious call and response trying to duplicate its sounds). I don’t know who sent it but thank you for this incredibly silly noisy toy that brings us all so much joy!
posted by sleeping bear at 9:21 AM on November 22, 2021 [5 favorites]

I ordered my Secret Beans member their gift today and it will ship tomorrow because the local store I go to for things like this is good like that. Anyone who has got one from me before knows what it will most likely encompass because I'm predictable mostly.
posted by deezil at 12:01 PM on November 22, 2021 [2 favorites]

Payne's gray is a lovely shade!

Holy smokes, the Disney x Betsy Johnson Haunted Mansion Statement Necklace? For me?

That necklace is AMAZEBALLS.

I have the elements of my gift assembled and based on the recipient profile I have been inspired to do CRAFT that I have not done in over a decade. (CRAFT used to bring me much joy before specific parties sucked all the joy from creation - thus the long hiatus). If I can't finish it before the mailing deadline, Secret Beans is getting a two parter this year. I'm really excited to get started!
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 1:44 PM on November 22, 2021 [4 favorites]

Priority secret beans mail went out today!
posted by Lawn Beaver at 10:27 AM on November 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

Yeah, gift has left the station! And it's still November. Personal best.
posted by biffa at 1:49 PM on November 23, 2021 [2 favorites]

I couldn't get it together this year but I love the gift swap! I still think so fondly of my extremely thoughtful gift from you one year, mochapickle!
posted by ferret branca at 7:20 PM on November 23, 2021 [3 favorites]

My lovely Kentucky themed gifts (spices, pie, bourbon black tea, lucky horseshoe and a coloring book!) from deezil just arrived. I made the mistake of opening the box in front of my husband and "bourbon black tea" was, well, I think he's already hidden the container from ME! We could all use a bit more luck right now. Thanks so much!
My Secret Beanee (that's what I am calling my giftee anyway) has to wait for the last thing to arrive so I can put it all together and get it out. It's supposed to come before the deadline, but if not, I'll mail it in pieces with a note from the coordinators.
posted by atomicstone at 1:09 PM on November 24, 2021 [2 favorites]

A mysterious package arrived for me today!! I’m extremely grateful and excited, both for the gift AND for the chance to practice my least best virtue: patience!!
I’m going to hold out and wait to open this until Tree Time, but many thanks to my Secret Gifter in advance!
posted by Dorinda at 6:28 PM on November 24, 2021 [4 favorites]

mysterious Quonsmas parcel arrived yesterday from Massachusetts... we shall see if I can maintain patience!

meanwhile, some of my nonsenseries seem to have been delivered (apologies Quonsee, most are not wrapped)
posted by dorian at 1:25 AM on November 25, 2021 [2 favorites]

I received wonderful and thoughtful gifts today from maurice! Beautiful, locally made coasters that make a perfect addition to my living space AND a story collection, including one written by maurice! I so look forward to a coaster-protected beverage and some reading time in front of the fireplace this weekend to get all cozy and shit.

Thank you, maurice - so, so great!
posted by Twicketface at 8:00 AM on November 26, 2021 [4 favorites]

I sat down and opened my set of gifts from the marvelous Gemmy last evening after dinner. My thirteen year old nephew sat with me as I explained who my invisible internet friends are. His eyes grew wide when he saw all the candy that came in the box. We both loved the teeth from ancient beasts long dead. I especially love the tree ID book, because I have an abiding love of all things tree related. I also loved the crafted tree, made of stone and wire, it's absolutely beautiful. But the most beautiful thing of all is the mug Gemmy made, fired with this glorious green glaze, inscribed with leaves, all the way around. It is perfect and I love it. Thank you Gemmy!! Mefites are the best sort!
posted by msali at 8:27 AM on November 26, 2021 [12 favorites]

I’m so glad you liked the various tree things, msali!! Happy to have gotten it to you before the deadline for once! :)
posted by gemmy at 10:33 AM on November 26, 2021 [4 favorites]

I received a lovely winter care package from a mysterious stranger full of teas and cocoa and snacks for these cold winter nights in the Pacific Northwest. ❤️❤️❤️, looking forward to slowly savoring this in December (except for the almonds, which I am currently stuffing in my face).
posted by WedgedPiano at 6:47 PM on November 26, 2021 [5 favorites]

Jason6 send me a Boston Freedom Trail Ornament along with a video (via QR code) with more info on the Trail (and it was nice to put a face to username!) It really is the perfect thing! I am looking forward to hanging it on my tree soon (and for many years more!)
posted by vespabelle at 7:08 AM on November 27, 2021 [3 favorites]

Sent my gift yesterday in the mail, so hopefully it'll arrive early next week!
posted by xingcat at 12:08 PM on November 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

My husband picked up my gift from my parents' house yesterday (I'm in the hospital and have been for 13 months so packages are routed there.)

Thank you, Kate, for the Star Wars teas they are lovely.
posted by SuzySmith at 12:39 PM on November 27, 2021 [3 favorites]

I've received my gift but am keeping it sealed until gift-opening-day. Thanks sleeping_bear!
posted by buildmyworld at 2:28 PM on November 27, 2021 [4 favorites]

My gift has arrived! I won't be able to pick it up until I get home tomorrow, but it's been delivered.
posted by gemmy at 5:57 PM on November 27, 2021 [3 favorites]

Omg, Twicketface's gift arrived last night and it was an experience. I will try to narrate the events.

I get home and open the box. First, some delicious chocolate! Then, some packing plastic, which I drop on the floor because I'm a goblin. As I take out what appears to be a pickle-shaped cat toy, my 17 year old cat attacks the plastic, rubbing her face all over it, flopping on top of it, just generally having a good time. I'm trying not to laugh as I read on the back about Silvervine, which has two cat attractants and is therefore much more potent than catnip. I give her the toy and she LOSES HER ENTIRE GODDAMN MIND. Like my girl you have arthritis, you should not be able to flail that wildly over this toy! You're gonna give yourself whiplash rubbing your head back and forth so fast!

She's going so crazy over it that I vaguely feel like she needs to be supervised with it or she's going to bonk her head on some of the junk I have on the floor, so I take it away (it is covered in drool) so I can go shower. She immediately goes to the plastic again, so I put that away too. She keeps walking around the spot where the plastic/toy were, sniffing around and looking up at me. I'm losing MY mind at this point laughing.

Commence shower. I return and find her rubbing her face all over the plastic that the toy came in, which I forgot about. I put away that plastic, and finally get to take out the remaining object, a fidget toy that got forgotten in the Silvervine commotion. I read the back and a immediately smitten by the description, which I transcribe here as accurately as possible:

A little body , to satisfy your all hand addictions.

Modern people face a variety of emotional states such as stress, frustration, tension, and distraction.Now you only need to move a finger, to give yourself an effective psychological suggestion and adjust mood quickly. DoDoMagXanadu decompression magic cube is full of 12 small trivial organs,come on and try it.

The instructions inside refer to it as "Holy Crystal Decompression Magic Cube" and detail the various sides; here are some of the highlights:

Rotating disk: Do you want to a rotating disk? You can come and try it.
Switch: You can have experience of the ubiquitous switch rhythm.
Silicone rope: Free shrinkage,it can be hung anywhere and not afraid of missing.
Soft button: People who like pressing ball pen can try it.
Sliding block: Sliding the sliding block to adjust own life rhythm.
Smiling face: Is little face,very cute,it won't be angry no matter how to pinch.

My partner tries it out before I'm done reading the instructions (guess which one of us is autistic and which one is ADHD?) and complains that it's too awkward to hold because it's too big. I pick it up and find out that it actually fits perfectly with my giant piano hands with fingers that don't bend properly and thus could never get much use out of the original fidget cube. Perfect! Also, the bar code describes it as "Fidget Dodecagon-1...Autism (B3 Blue Sky)" which is my new proposed DSM-5 diagnostic code.

I then I look up and discover my cat, having been denied the plastic, has gotten into the box that the gifts came in and is getting high off that. At this point, I am seriously doubting those webpages that insist it's "not addictive." My partner gets up and closes the flaps over the box, looks at me, and says:

"I think I just hotboxed our cat."

What a fucking delightful and hilarious evening. Thank you Twicketface, for all the laughs, and gifts I will most certainly continue to get use out of!
posted by brook horse at 6:01 PM on November 27, 2021 [21 favorites]

PS please someone take these sockpuppet names:

12 small trivial organs
free shrinkage
hand addictions
honey i hotboxed our cat
posted by brook horse at 6:02 PM on November 27, 2021 [5 favorites]

PJsky, thank you! The present was really impressive! (I’m suspicious that you may have gone over the price ceiling.) The gifts matched all my wants and preferences perfectly — definitely a comforting and pleasant and very thoughtful package. I’m delighted. I am already wearing the fluffy, soft socks and will have the tea with breakfast tomorrow, if not sooner. Thanks! (And now I need to get my giftee’s package out the door…)
posted by reren at 6:29 PM on November 27, 2021 [3 favorites]

emmling sent me a lovely airmail card (with wonderful handwriting) in advance of something coming on a boat! Stand by for part #2...
posted by jason6 at 12:34 PM on November 28, 2021 [3 favorites]

I came home from some brief thanksgiving travel to find the most delightful selection of salts from an anonymous gifter. I am in the process of buying my first home (closing December 17, knock on wood) and, while it's been stressful, one of the fun parts is planning how we will equip the new kitchen and what we will cook in it. This salt definitely has a place of honor, and I'm so excited. In particular - sesame sea salt? Incredible. I could use that on everything.

(On the other hand, to my giftee...I ordered your gift a week ago and am still waiting for it to ship. Ack. But it is coming! I promise!)
posted by mosst at 4:30 PM on November 28, 2021 [4 favorites]

That was me, mosst! Glad you liked them!
posted by thomas j wise at 7:44 PM on November 28, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you to the mystery gifter for the board game! We love it. Wishing you all a peaceful winter.
posted by pingzing at 8:05 PM on November 28, 2021 [1 favorite]

I got an awesome stuffed Wooly Mammoth from NorthernLite! I told my four year old it’s name was Mega, short for Megafauna. She replied no, it’s name was Hairy Elephant ;)
posted by triage_lazarus at 8:06 PM on November 28, 2021 [5 favorites]

Thank you, brook horse, for the wonderful recap of events - the other option was a shark but glad I went with the pickle!
posted by Twicketface at 6:12 AM on November 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

renren, you are most welcome! Glad to know your gift arrived on time and it’s bringing you “comfort and joy.” Hope your holidays are wonderful!
posted by pjsky at 6:30 AM on November 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

SuzySmith, glad you enjoy the teas! There's one more little package coming your way!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:56 AM on November 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

Just sent mine off! A little later than usual, but should be there soon. Love reading the thank you threads every year and marvel at the ingenuity of MeFites...
posted by widdershins at 11:31 AM on November 29, 2021 [2 favorites]

Received the most delightful surprise today from tangaroo! Two absolutely hilarious books that are exactly my taste: Men to Avoid in Art and Life and The Mincing Mockingbird Guide to Troubled Birds. They have already brought levity and delight into my life! Thank you so much, tangaroo and swap organizers! <3 Seasonal cheer to all!
posted by hansbrough at 1:39 PM on November 29, 2021 [3 favorites]

I got such a LOVELY little package from to wound the autumnal city! A sweet calendar that is handmade with art, some awesome looking chocolate and a tote bag with mushrooms on it.

THANK YOU! What a lovely gift! And thank you to the awesome organizers, this made my day.

Sent mine off but realized I think I forgot to put my mefi name on the package. OOPS. Hope it works out ok.
posted by mulkey at 2:08 PM on November 29, 2021 [3 favorites]

LOL triage_lazarus, I'm glad you liked it.:) Your four-year-old sounds cool.
posted by NorthernLite at 3:57 PM on November 29, 2021 [2 favorites]

I just opened my package from the wonderful mollymillions, who sent me the most astonishingly beautiful wooden bowl handmade by her friend's dad. I appreciated both the cute postcard forewarning me that it was on the way, and the nice note with the gift. And oh gosh that bowl is just so incredibly beautiful! Not only beautiful, but so amazingly soft and smooth that I just want to hold it up to my face to feel the softness! It will fit perfectly on my shelf of wooden art things, and will serve as a perfect candy dish for the holidays. Thank you, thank you!
posted by gemmy at 5:33 PM on November 29, 2021 [4 favorites]

After a long, rough day I got home to a lovely package with everything beautifully wrapped from yarntheory! The calendar pages as cushioning were a particularly nice touch!

It included chocolate from a local Michigan place I had never heard of including chocolate with blueberries (yum) and something called panela (which I also had never heard of but am now super excited about).

There is also what looks like a truly lovely romance novel in exactly the vein of what I like to read.

There was also a lovely card. Thank you for a truly wonderful experience and some very nice stress relief!
posted by eleanna at 5:58 PM on November 29, 2021 [3 favorites]

I just ordered the stuff for my giftee and will send the tracking information to the elves as soon as I get it. As of now, estimated delivery date is December 8, but that could change once it actually ships.

The site did not give me an option to add a gift message, so giftee, please post when you receive it and I will reveal myself. : )
posted by SisterHavana at 9:35 PM on November 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

damayanti - After a long, chilly Minnesota Monday, I opened the package you sent me. And just like that, all of my hygge dreams came true: color, coziness, and cheer took the form of an absolutely gorgeous blanket shawl, a cable knit cup cozy, and an adorable bonus scrunchie. I’m wearing the blanket shawl to school tomorrow (très, très chic!) and will be giving my sparkling water cans a glow-up with the cup cozy. Thank you for making my week shine!
posted by WaspEnterprises at 10:06 PM on November 29, 2021 [2 favorites]

Glad you enjoy them WaspEnterprises! They're from a fellow MeFite's shop, watch out for turtles.

I got my gift yesterday. I opened up my mailbox and immediately got a whiff of coffee and got very excited. Inside was a lovely bag of grounds from a local shop in Ohio, plus a couple of samples. My giftee signed with their real name and not their MeFi handle, so I won't post it here, but thank you so much! I look forward to drinking it all!
posted by damayanti at 4:27 AM on November 30, 2021 [3 favorites]

Hello all from the thrilled recipient of Secret Beans from the phenomenal Lawn Beaver!

First of all, y'all. Look at this box! Hello friend in the corner with the hairflip and the smolder yes! So of course I ran around squealing with glee before I calmed down enough to open it.

There was a whole trove of treasures!

A fabulous assortment of weird and magical cards (I am currently living for the avocado-wielding style icon in the dice-emblazoned onesie because how can you not?) were tucked in with a very beautiful little notebook.

Then I found the sassiest change purse (Hell Yes I Do! Thanks for seeing me, change purse.) full of otherworldly shiny gorgeous shells and a tiny Bastet brooch.

And then the most perfect dream of a pot handmade by Lawn Beaver! I wish you all could hold it in your hands. It is so lovely to touch and also just the right size and shape and colors.

Dear Lawn Beaver, your care and thoughtfulness and creativity have made my heart so happy. All of the thanks in the world!
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 7:28 AM on November 30, 2021 [5 favorites]

A mystery box arrived for me! I'm waiting awhile to open it, but will update when I do. Thank you!
posted by lharmon at 9:02 AM on November 30, 2021 [2 favorites]

Hi damayanti, I was the one who sent the coffee, I'm glad you enjoyed the smell.
posted by greatalleycat at 10:03 AM on November 30, 2021 [3 favorites]

I got a lovely handwarmer device from zoetrope, which will come in handy as winter starts in northern Ohio and on my ski trip to Colorado in February.
posted by greatalleycat at 10:52 AM on November 30, 2021 [3 favorites]

Thanks to emmling for the Kaki no tane snacks - peanuts and crunchy rice pieces with various flavorings, wasabi, etc. Delicious!
posted by jason6 at 1:01 PM on November 30, 2021 [3 favorites]

Present arrived, from someplace artsy, feels rather soft. Hmm.

What could it be?!

But I don't want to open yet, so not sure if gift-giver is ID'd inside. So, thank you, Anonymous For Now!
posted by NorthernLite at 1:05 PM on November 30, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you to my anonymous gifter, who sent me not one but TWO beautiful notebooks and five different pens with green ink. These are bringing me so much delight!
posted by pril at 5:53 PM on November 30, 2021 [3 favorites]

Finally sent off the parcel today, and it is supposed to take 2-3 days for delivery.
Entered it into the Gift Swap Tracking. Hope it arrives safely.
posted by 15L06 at 7:37 AM on December 1, 2021 [2 favorites]

Got my package yesterday! Thanks for the socks and pen, I’m wearing them now (the socks, not the pen). The card was mysterious and made it sound like we have a friend in common, but I don’t know who!

I mailed out mine today, right in the nick of time. I love participating in this every year but always wish I had more time!
posted by oomny at 8:57 AM on December 1, 2021 [3 favorites]

Mailed a package out today, having already received the main part of mine a few days ago. The note I was forwarded has just enough hints to be intriguing without being revealing. So, we’ll see if I make it until the card that’s coming separately arrives, or if my curiosity gets the better of me first!
posted by daisyace at 1:01 PM on December 1, 2021 [3 favorites]

Received a perfect wee package of candle + soap bits + chocolate + cat toy from buildmyworld! I am thrilled with all of it, and especially excited about getting to try several different glorious soaps, all with very exciting smells (charcoal rose fire is probably my favorite so far, but i'm holding off on a final decision until I actually use all of them). My cat is equally thrilled with his gift, and chased it all over the kitchen floor yesterday.
posted by dizziest at 1:36 PM on December 1, 2021 [3 favorites]

To the mysterious sender from South Africa, thanks for the amazing gift! The spices and sketch of a random person are so great and purrfect for the spirit of the gift exchange! The sketch on the bag are really fun.

P.S. Goth kitty art is always a good time and I would love to see pictures of it, if I get the chance.
posted by Nackt at 7:02 PM on December 1, 2021 [4 favorites]

* appears in a puff of smoke *
Hey there Nackt! I'm so pleased that your gift arrived, apparently I sent it just in time before postage got disrupted by the latest developments.
Will share some of those creepy goth cat drawings :)
posted by Zumbador at 7:33 PM on December 1, 2021 [3 favorites]

Mine went out yesterday, by some coincidence to someone who was assigned me in the past! If someone sees this and wants to tell me where the tracking number google form is, it’ll be appreciated.
posted by centrifugal at 9:57 PM on December 1, 2021 [4 favorites]

Centrifugal, it’s in an email called “ Your assignment in the Metafilter Gift Swap is...”.
posted by ellieBOA at 12:20 AM on December 2, 2021 [3 favorites]

aspo (I think?) sent me some lovely marbled paper that reminds me of sea foam and tidal pools, a book of poetry (you're right about that opener!) and a perfect intersection of two things I love, page marker flags with wooly critters. thank you so much! delicious beans-mas to all!
posted by bunnysquirrel at 1:45 AM on December 2, 2021 [3 favorites]

Link to our google form tracker is here!

If you have questions, or if you want to check on a gift, or if you want to send a message to your sender or recipient, you can email us at [e-mail]. We check the account several times a day and aim to get back to people quickly.

And if you're running late on sending a gift -- it happens! -- please let us know so we can keep your recipient in the loop and help out however we can. Elf Station Colorado is hopped up on holiday bonbons (oceanjesse, omg these fancy italian lemon candies you sent are the best!) and there's no judgment, just delightful citrusy love.
posted by mochapickle at 3:28 AM on December 2, 2021 [6 favorites]

I usually beat the deadline for sending Beansmas gifts by a week, but events conspired against that this year. I got the package to Canada Post yesterday, so Canadian Beansee, you should see your gift in about a week. Hope you like it!
posted by angiep at 7:29 AM on December 2, 2021 [4 favorites]

I just got the most wonderful package from hellogoodbye! A selection of lovely Knit Picks yarns in such fun colors (I'm thinking of them in various combinations in yokes for sweaters for my daughters!) and some really lovely-looking coffee from a roaster local to them, which I am very much looking forward to trying. It's gray and rainy and very windy here and this has brightened up my day so much. Thanks, hellogoodbye!
posted by SeedStitch at 9:33 AM on December 2, 2021 [5 favorites]

Package sent. One day past deadline. Failure to live up to expecations is my super power
posted by DigDoug at 11:49 AM on December 2, 2021 [4 favorites]

It's a funny anomaly on the 2021 calendar, but I doublechecked and it just so happens that December 1 this year lasts until Thursday. :)
posted by mochapickle at 12:02 PM on December 2, 2021 [7 favorites]

Mine's out! A little late, but the story is boring. I was able to get mine out within about an hour of learning I have one coming (and a random gift for my dad showing up in my mailbox at the same time).

i am excited.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 1:30 PM on December 2, 2021 [3 favorites]

Package received, and it's just delightful--some excellent-looking local food, and a beautiful card.

I'm going to put smoked habanero powder on ALL THE THINGS.
posted by box at 1:35 PM on December 2, 2021 [4 favorites]

Thanks so much to nayantara for the word clock! It will go straight into my department office tomorrow.
posted by thomas j wise at 1:45 PM on December 2, 2021 [3 favorites]

Got a notice yesterday from the site where I purchased my giftee's gift that it shipped yesterday (right on deadline!) Tracking info has been submitted. : )
posted by SisterHavana at 2:08 PM on December 2, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you Servo5678 for the perfect Christmas hot chocolate and peppermint sticks. Looking forward to curling up under the throw blanket with hot cocoa, a book, and holiday music!
posted by jilloftrades at 4:53 PM on December 2, 2021 [4 favorites]

Thank you randomquestion for the tasty treats! I'm not saying I'm going to dip the chocolate in the maple syrup in an orgy of sugar, but I'm not NOT saying that either.
posted by aspo at 6:16 PM on December 2, 2021 [4 favorites]

Thank you, obol for the gifts from Seattle! Your package arrived a few days ago but I wanted to wait and share it tonight with a good friend who is celebrating his 79th birthday. The Aplets and Cotlets are a terrific fruit confection, and the Marketspice huckleberry tea is intensely flavorful. I'll be enjoying this throughout the season!
posted by apartment dweller at 7:02 PM on December 2, 2021 [4 favorites]

Holy cow, you guys! I got such a wonderful haul of treats from RobinofFrocksley! She is fully excellent and I am filled with delight!

There was an interesting vintage book about the history and development of cities in Medieval Europe (you would not believe how many woodcut maps there are). There is a vintage postcard set from New York (and I don't mean vintage like 1993, I mean vintage like Rockefeller Center is the hot new building, La Guardia is shown with DC-3s and NYC is "the terminal of more than a score of railroads and more than 150 steamship lines").

And there are a ton of edible treats! My word, the cross-cultural, international haul of treats. English fudge, Dutch salted licorice (this one causes some trepidation), Polish milk fudge and a Taiwanese black sesame thingy. I haven't tried them all yet, but the winner so far is the Ukrainian jam-and-toffee delight, Minky Binky. Just say that name again, Minky Binky; my wife and I amused ourselves by shouting it to each other, and we're going to do it again. And to finish the treats, there's an intriguing assortment of Penzey's spices that I'm sure are going to wind up in my next meal.

Thank you so much! It really filled me with joy!
posted by Superilla at 10:32 PM on December 2, 2021 [5 favorites]

Tracking info received and I am excited!
posted by ellieBOA at 12:04 AM on December 3, 2021 [1 favorite]

I hope you see this, Nackt, here are some of my Goth Kitty drawings. From the sketch book of the Random Person drawing I sent you. Scroll to see all of them.
posted by Zumbador at 4:10 AM on December 3, 2021 [3 favorites]

I just wanted to let my secret fidget know the package arrived and I’m waiting to open it, but I am very excited! Thank you!
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 4:35 AM on December 3, 2021 [1 favorite]

Thank you, rekrap, for the beautiful homemade ornaments and the little kit so we can make our own! So cool, this will be fun to do with my kids. And I love my other items as well!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:59 AM on December 3, 2021 [6 favorites]

(Fun coincidence - rekrap was my recipient in 2018)
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:05 PM on December 3, 2021 [5 favorites]

RhysPenbras, you excelled!

I got some awesome pencils that say Team Oxford Comma from the Grammar Police, a nifty rocks glass and chocolate covered sponge candy. A fantastic haul!
posted by deezil at 3:03 PM on December 3, 2021 [4 favorites]

So glad you like the ornaments, ThePinkSuperhero! I enjoy that craft because I am no kind of artist but these turn out pretty cool-looking no matter what I do. They have the added feature of not breaking when rambunctious kids or pets knock them off the tree.
posted by rekrap at 4:37 PM on December 3, 2021 [5 favorites]

You know the drill when it comes to this swap -- you sign up, fill out the little form, try to be easygoing and not demanding, and then hope for the best. So this afternoon when I received a box that is MUCH LARGER than anything I put on my list, my heart started to beat a bit. I mean, marmosets are cute, but I have a scampy dog that wouldn't appreciate one. I opened the box and found two gifts and a card.

The card is a gorgeous 3D card of a Christmas cactus from MOMA! I love cards so much and I can (and will) bring this one out every year as a desk decoration.

The smaller gift was a toy for Murphy, my dog! A bag of Dogritos! It's adorable! Cool Ranch Doritos is my snack of choice and has been my emotional support chip throughout 2020 and 2021. I have staged poignant photos with Doritos. I love Doritos.

So when I unwrapped the larger gift and found that IT WAS FULL OF COOL RANCH DORITOS I nearly lost my damn mind! LOOK AT THIS!

Glee. Pure glee.

This amazing, thoughtful, 110% effort gift comes from the marvelous Spacewarp13! Thank you so much - Murphy and I will enjoy this for a long time and smile about it forever.

Thank you also to curious nu and mochapickle for organizing!
posted by kimberussell at 4:53 PM on December 3, 2021 [17 favorites]

Finally made it here today to see all the comments, which are always a joy to read.

@Gemmy, I’m SO glad you like the bowl! I’m not craftsy (ha! such an understatement…) but luckily know a lot of folks who are.

Beansies for me must still be on the way, which is awesome.
posted by mollymillions at 4:59 PM on December 3, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you to craven_morhead for the delicious dark chocolate assortment! It was the best thing to come home to after a long work day.
posted by cozenedindigo at 5:11 PM on December 3, 2021 [1 favorite]

The pic of Murphy with the Dogritos is simply amazing.
posted by delight at 5:21 PM on December 3, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thanks for the book Sublimity! I'll be sure to do some trashy-fun reading this weekend.
posted by gtrwolf at 8:07 PM on December 3, 2021 [2 favorites]

My parcel from guster4lovers arrived yesterday. I opened the box and set all the little wrapped gifties out where I could enjoy gazing at them in anticipation. I only made it a few hours, though, before I needed to discover what smelled so good. A fir-scented candle! I love the smell of pine, and have always had a hard time finding oils, candles, &c. in nice piney scents. The glass votive holder the candle came in sadly did not survive the journey from North Carolina, but the candle has been neatly transplanted into a little canning jar—perfect, as I can put a lid on it and freshly enjoy the flood of wonderful Frasier Fir scent every evening.
Candlelight, a set of cards and envelopes, many wonderful & weird local flavors, and a little wooden pig have all helped make my season bright. Thanks so much, guster4lovers!
posted by obloquy at 12:10 AM on December 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

Yay! So glad you got it!

I should have wrapped the candle more carefully - I totally forgot about it having glass in it in my rush to get it in the mail.

Also in my rush I didn’t add to the note that I stalked your mefi comment history for ideas and saw you comment that you hadn’t heard of Duke’s mayonnaise. I hadn’t either until I moved here, and I felt like that was something I could help with at least.

My three year old had a lot of fun helping me shop for you.
posted by guster4lovers at 5:11 AM on December 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thanks very much, meinvt, for a cheerful dish towel that makes me want to visit your state, as well as the journal and fancy markers. The Chrstmas-star-ifying glasses are also great! In my neighborhood we have not only folks who put up outdoor lights, but also this quirky guy who decorates his bike with lights and pedals around at dusk in a Santa suit…looking forward to starifying him :). Happy holidays and New Year to you!
posted by homelystar at 5:42 AM on December 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

Received a fun package from jilloftrades and waited til today to post the thank you so I can report that I used some of the baking tools already to make pumpkin bread for my in-laws. She must have read my mind that I had been needing a sifter specifically.

Can’t wait to use the rest and play the game. Thank you!
posted by hellogoodbye at 5:43 AM on December 4, 2021 [3 favorites]

OMG rekrap & ThePinkSuperhero — those ornaments are so fabulous! I love the flowing organic shapes!!
posted by Metasyntactic at 6:26 AM on December 4, 2021 [1 favorite]

Wow! My rainy morning has just been made 100x better thanks to homelystar! An awesome big thick juicy with info book on Zoology (my passion!) And it's on Kindle, so it's going on my phone where I can take it WITH me and enjoy it! Thank you so MUCH! and I don't blame the rest of it for heading to Puerto Rico, I'd do the same 😊 Thank you!!!
posted by The otter lady at 7:25 AM on December 4, 2021 [3 favorites]

My spoon has rested thanks to a lovely metal spoon rest engraved with "Metafilter Secret Beans 2021" from an awesome anon gifter. Thank you!
posted by Pineapplicious at 9:21 AM on December 4, 2021 [6 favorites]

You are most welcome, The otter lady! I live in Illinois, so indeed, the package must have just wanted a vacation before its trip to your part of the US...
posted by homelystar at 9:43 AM on December 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

I received the most wonderful package in the mail yesterday! Based on me mentioning I’m learning Norwegian, my gifter picked out two Nordic-themed books for me: The Ice Palace by Tarjei Vesaas and The Windows of Brimnes - An American in Iceland. They also included a Norsk krone coin (very cool!) and a delicious maple sugar treat I ate right away. My gifter didn’t give their MeFi name, but please know I thoroughly enjoyed your card! Thank you so much!
posted by meggan at 9:50 AM on December 4, 2021 [4 favorites]

Update: My giftee is not anon, I just didn't look carefully at the gift tag. Thank you Munchning Langolier!
posted by Pineapplicious at 9:57 AM on December 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

I just came home to a bounty of candy and a graphic novel from an anonymous person in the great state of Washington. Thank you, whoever you are! I will enjoy the novel while I stuff candy into my face hole.
posted by bondcliff at 10:15 AM on December 4, 2021 [5 favorites]

Thank you so much, oomny, for your incredibly thoughtful gifts!!

First off, my cats absolutely LOVE the cat toy and have played with it for a solid hour since I opened the box; they’re way more into it than any other toy I’ve ever given them… I’m so looking forward to trying the local and organic Earl Grey tea tomorrow morning - it smells delicious - and my daughter has already asked to play the Anatomy Flux game tonight - can’t wait! The cat print is completely adorable, and your hand painted snowbird card is simply stunning and will have pride of place this winter.

Tea, games, cats, art - you completely nailed it! I am so touched by your thoughtfulness, creativity and kindness. Thank you and happy winter holidays to you too!
posted by widdershins at 11:26 AM on December 4, 2021 [4 favorites]

Received a gift of assorted cookies that are allergen friendly! As a vegan I enjoy having treats too share with my gluten-free friends! No idea this brand existed - always good to have a new go-to. Thank you, Secret Beans gifter!
posted by idealist at 11:41 AM on December 4, 2021 [1 favorite]

Thank you to reren for the lovely hand-illustrated card, *perfect* selection of enamel pins, and chocolate (which is now gone but was much enjoyed). This made my day and Janeway Cat approves.
posted by esoterrica at 1:57 PM on December 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

KingEdRa hacked my browser history and saw that I was recently shopping for a good travel mug but failed to place an order. He gifted me exactly what I was looking for along with a lovely note and a plug for what sounds like an amazing bookstore/beer bar called Rough Draft which I will definitely be visiting the next time I am out in the Hudson Valley. Thanks!
posted by maurice at 2:04 PM on December 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

KathrynH NAILED it on my gift! Local chocolates and local soaps. So perfect. I have already consumed one of the bars within seconds of opening. And the soaps seem really great!!
posted by kthxbi at 2:21 PM on December 4, 2021 [1 favorite]

Meggan thank you so much for the incredibly thoughtful and PERFECT gift. I feel so honored to be on the receiving end of something you clearly put so much effort into. (How the heck did you guess my absolute favorite tea?!) I loved everything and the Star Baker pin made me squee so loudly. Thanks to MochaPickle and Curiousnu for organizing, this is so lovely.
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 2:27 PM on December 4, 2021 [4 favorites]

I have been beansed by skycrashesdown! A lovely book about Seattle History, with *MAPS(!)* And an old McDonald's Great Muppet Caper glass in *great* shape. Thank you very much. Really lovely gifts
posted by DigDoug at 2:31 PM on December 4, 2021 [8 favorites]

Thank you so much to the anonymous gifter who gave me colorful artwork from and of Tucson! I love it and my three year old son loves the train but is slightly unhappy that there is no caboose!! Thank you, thank you!!
posted by unreasonable at 2:44 PM on December 4, 2021 [1 favorite]

Thank you kbar1 for the cards, stickers, and tattoos. I will use the sloth magnetic bookmarks heavily - my organization systems RELY on magnetic bookmarks! Truth be told, I would have been stoked to receive the cigar box empty - what a treasure (ROMEO Y JULIETA).

Lovely all the way around.

PS - My mother and brothers live in Phoenix, and I like to regale them with tales of how cool it is here in the frozen tundra of North Carolina. Currently: 61F. It was a warm day.
posted by jeoc at 3:31 PM on December 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

The universe first apprised me of a centrifugal force in 2019, when I was most pleased to send a boxful of gifties her way. This year, my guidance salutation, addressed to "serendipitous gift swap friend," was aptly read by centrifugal! Readers, she did not disappoint. I have benefited from her many talents with the following:

• Two framed photos of sea creatures that she took at a local beach (fulfilling my wish for handmade items, sea-themed items, orange or green items, and local items) and destined for my home desk and my office desk, respectively
• A jar of crabapple jelly made with apples from her tree (handmade, local, trees and nature themes)
• A lovely (handmade) bud vase with a brown glaze, dotted with prints of seashell spiral points (sea theme; also, I love that shade of brown)
• A (cozy) hand-knitted (purple) scarf (that she made) wrapped with rosemary sprigs (trees) from her garden (a great winter smell!) I'm wearing it as I write this.

Speaking as a literature major, I also appreciate her close reading abilities, as they have brightened my Christmastide. Thank you so so much, centrifugal!
posted by initapplette at 6:58 PM on December 4, 2021 [3 favorites]

Thank you SuzySmith for the lovely box of Penzeys herb blends! I pretty much only use Penzeys but I didn’t want to specify on my wish list in case I sounded like some kinda spice snob. And yet you knew!! Merry merry Beansmas to you and yours!
posted by exceptinsects at 9:30 PM on December 4, 2021 [1 favorite]

Initapplette, I'm so glad the package reached you intact and you liked it! I loved making each of those things and had fun putting the box together. I still think about the lovely gift you sent me in 2019, at a time when I really needed it, and am glad I could return some goodness to you.
posted by centrifugal at 9:59 PM on December 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

I’m in a sunshiny state, having already sent Part One of a gift to the Sunshine State. Part 2 will be headed along shortly .. so sorry for the delay.
posted by initapplette at 6:35 AM on December 5, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you to Tesseractive for the mixing bowls. I can always use more mixing bowls (especially as cookie season is upon us). The color even match the kitchen!!
posted by kathrynm at 8:32 AM on December 5, 2021 [3 favorites]

I got a package! I got a package! I'm in an agony of indecision as to whether to open it right now or wait ...
posted by darsh at 10:50 AM on December 5, 2021 [1 favorite]

Dear andree, you have made the season brighter for me with a whimsical pile of maritime gifts! I am from an ocean place but no longer live in one and what a delight to see all these sea treasures. Thank you so much, I do hope to get over your way in better weather. (Also, your penmanship is glorious!)
posted by wellred at 1:08 PM on December 5, 2021 [2 favorites]

Dear holborne!! My dark chocolates arrived today and I am in Heaven! Thank you so much. Exactly what I asked for and they're perfection. YUM! My holidays will be decidedly better with my stash of delicious Li-Lac Chocolates. Thank you so much!!
posted by pjsky at 1:42 PM on December 5, 2021 [2 favorites]

Many thanks, exceptinsects! A trivet was a wonderful, practical gift that is also beautiful -- mine are peeling cork so this one will be a great replacement. The scarf is gorgeous and so silky, and the hand lotion smells amazing! A very lovely gift! I took a picture in case anyone else wants to see how gorgeous this stuff is!
posted by possibilityleft at 2:01 PM on December 5, 2021 [4 favorites]

A trivet was a wonderful, practical gift that is also beautiful

That trivet looks almost good enough to eat!
posted by cynical pinnacle at 2:21 PM on December 5, 2021 [3 favorites]

Thank you to the mysterious “follower of the old ways” that sent me the latest book from my favorite author, and some of my favorite tea to drink while I read it!
posted by jet_pack_in_a_can at 4:08 PM on December 5, 2021 [2 favorites]

I was utterly delighted to get a box with a gorgeous purple cowl made from hand-spun yarn, and great stickers I would have picked out for myself, and various other goodies from Portland. Thank you, Secret Gifter!
posted by rhiannonstone at 5:02 PM on December 5, 2021 [4 favorites]

Happy Holidays and a big Thank You to Nac (aka The demon that lives in the air) from your fellow Oregonian! I will definitely make time to read this book, it looks fascinating!

May your days be merry and bright……a big ask in Oregon but it could happen!
posted by ZenMajek at 5:35 PM on December 5, 2021 [3 favorites]

Secret Beans Elves, is it too early to ask for a statistics drop? Do we have a marmoset count?
posted by janell at 7:51 PM on December 5, 2021 [2 favorites]

possibilityleft, I’m so happy you like them!! It was fun putting a gift together for you.
posted by exceptinsects at 12:29 AM on December 6, 2021 [1 favorite]

That's wonderful, wellred, I'm glad you liked the maritime whimsy starter pack...! And thank you for the compliment on the penmanship - you may have just motivated me to send a few more cards out this year. :)
posted by andree at 4:12 AM on December 6, 2021 [2 favorites]

Mine came yesterday!

THANK YOU trillian! It couldn't have been a more perfect gift. A tote bag from her hometown, some stickers and a beautiful card. Everything she sent had significance to the area and it was great get a little history lesson thrown in. After being sick for a week, this was so nice to open.

thankyouthankyouthankyou!
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 3:48 PM on December 6, 2021 [2 favorites]

Y'all are the best secret gifters, and mochapickle has been working hard answering pretty much every email as fast as they come in!

This year, we've had 207 people participating. 178 of those folks have sent something out, 9 are almost ready, and we're still following up on about 20 others. If you haven't sent yet and haven't chatted with us recently, please reach out to us (memail or email) and let us know. :)
posted by curious nu at 5:22 PM on December 6, 2021 [11 favorites]

To the wonderful keeo: many, many thanks for a super special Beaning surprise! The extremely useful produce bags, citron carry bag, and reusable zipper bags are exactly the sorts of gifts I like best. (The zipper bags will be used tomorrow for taking snacks to the office.) The sentiments in your card were also lovely, and came at just the right time, bringing joy after a long first-day-back in the office. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness!
posted by angiep at 7:04 PM on December 6, 2021 [3 favorites]

pjsky, I'm so glad you liked your chocolates! Li-lac Chocolates kinda saved my life during lockdown (although I ate perhaps more fudge than was good for me), so of course hereabouts we call it Li-lacdown. Har har har.

I came home today after getting soaked in a downpour to the loveliest package from charmedimsure -- a whole herd of chocolates, *plus* homemade raspberry gin and blackcurrant preserves. I hadn't eaten for most of the day, so I had some of the preserves on toast with butter for dinner, which hit the spot perfectly. (I like having breakfast for dinner. For every meal, actually). This was a lovely way to end the day, thank you so much!
posted by holborne at 9:14 PM on December 6, 2021 [2 favorites]

I said I wanted to be surprised but that I prefer practical things – I got both! I’ve greatly admired the woodwork/bowls shared by Bondcliff on MetaTalk, especially here and on the recently created Mefi Art and Makers Club, so I was thrilled to find that Bondcliff was my gifter and that he sent me a beautiful handmade bowl – the lines, the smooth texture, the maple color – it’s gorgeous!!! He also sent me a jug of genuine Vermont maple syrup - I’ve never had the real deal! Thank you so much Bondcliff!
posted by kbar1 at 11:45 PM on December 6, 2021 [10 favorites]

The mail came early today and in it was a package from Nerd of the North. I now possess a tea towel so gorgeous that I may frame it instead of use it, a lovely Great Blue Heron charm from a local gallery and a notecard so pretty that my spouse asked to see the back so he could contact the designer and order more. All from local stores and artisans, which is totally my jam. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 7:58 AM on December 7, 2021 [2 favorites]

I got lovely gifts from essexjan! Thank you so much! I love that it was all themed around your home area. The art magnet is a pretty addition to my little collection, the scarf is dreamy, and I will be keeping my rings in the little handmade wooden bowl. Handmade wooden things are so satisfying :D
posted by brilliantine at 9:57 AM on December 7, 2021 [3 favorites]

I just received a box of amazing treasures from jeoc, who it turns out was my bean-ee a few years back! Everything was beautifully (and spoopily) wrapped, and I squealed with delight over every little bit of ephemera that was part of the wrapping. And then inside that wrapping were gifts! The BLM sticker went immediately onto my laptop, the fuck it stickers are going right on the cover of my 2022 planner, and both the adorable glass spider and the skull candle have already found homes on my desk. The blessing bottle is safely tucked away - it knew where its home was! - and I am trying valiantly not to eat the lip balm, because it is YUMMY. Thank you thank you thank you!!
posted by okayokayigive at 10:17 AM on December 7, 2021 [3 favorites]

The name of my gift-giver was lost in the shuffle, but I received a lovely assortment of teas and wonderful smelling candles. One of the candles was in a coffee cup, but, unfortunately the cup broke in transit. I really appreciate the thought, though. The Galveston swag is wonderful!
posted by ASlackerPestersMums at 11:17 AM on December 7, 2021 [2 favorites]

Oh! And I got a beautiful seashell ornament! It is hanging on the very front of my tree. Very beautiful and festive! Thank you so much!
posted by ASlackerPestersMums at 11:19 AM on December 7, 2021 [2 favorites]

I'm so happy you like your gifts, brilliantine. The magnet artist, Walter Spradbery, is buried in my local churchyard and I often walk through the woods where his house used to be. The bowl is a little piece of 'my' forest in your home - I live in a cul-de-sac in the forest and, weather permitting, I get out amongst the trees every day, so to be able to send something made from the forest is very special for me. I wasn't 100% sure about the scarf, but when you said you like teal, I thought the copper/teal combination worked very well.

Happy Holidays!
posted by essexjan at 1:45 PM on December 7, 2021 [6 favorites]

I received my gift yesterday from sweetmarie! I am saving the wrapped part for later this month, but am looking forward to using the lovely unwrapped note cards for my letter project (always accepting new people to write to! Currently running at about a 6-8 month backlog).
posted by chiefthe at 3:00 PM on December 7, 2021 [3 favorites]

Dear The Elusive Architeuthis, thank you so very, very much for the magical gold package which found its way to my doorstep. We're deeply ocean and aquatic creature obsessed in this house, so your presents were amazeballs to a very high order. I love the resusable bag spawning fish, and will keep it clipped to my super cool mom fanny back during weekend outings to the farmers market. The aquarium by our house also has an amazing display of sea horses that we spend a lot of time staring at, so the notebook was a big hit. And finally, the toffee is pure, undistilled delicious. Each present resonated, and I'm very appreciative of the kind thought you put into every element of the present. You rock.

p.s. I love your user name.

Your mail bud,
batbat
posted by batbat at 4:33 PM on December 7, 2021 [5 favorites]

Today I received not one but two boxes from Idealist! A book I’ll dive into this weekend, cards and some amazing honey…thank you! And to curious nu and mochapickle, we appreciate you so much! Love this holiday tradition and spreading some cheer. Happy holidays, MeFites!
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 11:32 PM on December 7, 2021 [1 favorite]

After enjoying reading along with this thread my delivery came! Thank you LizBoBiz for the lovely candles, thoughtful fridge magnets, and nice smelling lip balm. The small candle jar didn’t survive the journey but the candle did!
posted by ellieBOA at 1:56 AM on December 8, 2021 [3 favorites]

Thank you to my gift-sender! An excitingly big, square box has just arrived in the mail - to preserve the surprise, I'm not looking too closely yet, so I'm not sure who it's come from, so I hope my sender sees this! (Will also email the Gift Swap masterminds to let them know...)

I'm afraid I'll probably not open it until early January - I'll be away for Xmas and I always enjoy having a few gifts to open when I get home, so I'll update again then.
posted by penguin pie at 4:56 AM on December 8, 2021 [3 favorites]

Got a notice that my giftee’s gift is out for delivery today. : )
posted by SisterHavana at 5:14 AM on December 8, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you so much, wellred, for my awesome Toronto-themed gifties! The raccoon pin made me laugh out loud and is currently on my pinboard surrounded by a few other animal pins. And I think the pencil case and notebook are going to get a lot of use in my work bag.
posted by zoetrope at 8:04 AM on December 8, 2021 [3 favorites]

Ooh zoetrope so pleased you're enjoying, we have a light covering of snow right now which just makes our trash pandas cuter. And thank you to dear mochapickle and curious nu for all their hard work.
posted by wellred at 8:15 AM on December 8, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you to dizziest for the lovely recipe book and chocolate! I am also eagerly awaiting the calendar :) Thanks again and Happy Quonsmas!
posted by randomquestion at 8:51 AM on December 8, 2021 [3 favorites]

Thanks to captain_science for some funky soaps (cabbage! perogis!) and a great looking Mary Roach book!
posted by craven_morhead at 8:58 AM on December 8, 2021 [3 favorites]

Oh boy, thank you, bunnysquirrel!!! Easily one of my top ten most undignified noises popped out of me today when I opened this tiniest of gifts!!!

LOOK. AT. HOW. CUTE. AND. SMALL.

These little dino friends are so itty bitty my phone is incapable of doing them any justice. I think if I ever get my home decorating act together I'm going to make a little miniature vignette of my office where I have much larger dino friends on a shelf and put these little guys on a little shelf and really complete the picture. So cute. Thank you!
posted by phunniemee at 11:12 AM on December 8, 2021 [5 favorites]

Such lovely presents from mochapickle! A big box arrived a week ago, along with some curiosity-provoking details, but I held out until the rest came today. The gorgeous wrapping revealed mochapickle's wonderful eye right from the start. Inside, several delightful objects accompanied by personal notes all conveyed how thoughtfully mochapickle took my gift guidance to heart. There's an ingenious colander-bowl combination that will be ideal the next time I want to rinse sushi rice, and a serving board made from a single piece of wood by mochapickle's neighbor. The smallest of the presents is maybe the most perfect symbol of both what I asked for and how mochapickle both understood it and elevated it. It's "just" some binder clips, but they're especially nice ones, and packaged with an eye for design that shows them for the precious objects they actually are, which is further explained in the accompanying note about how they're from mochapickle's own small stash. (If you're thinking, "binder clips as a present?" it's only because you didn't see my gift guidance, which in part explains why zip-ties are my kind of gift.)

Thank you, mochapickle, for the great presents and notes, for all the care you put into suiting them to me, and to you and curious nu for organizing!
posted by daisyace at 12:26 PM on December 8, 2021 [7 favorites]

And can I just say... for so many years, I've kinda hated exchanging presents in real life. The kinds of things I wanted, if I asked for them, I was told, "That's not a present." The anxiety of trying to meet other people's expectations and hopes, and knowing I wasn't that good at it. Group gift swaps where the thing I brought was never one of the stolen/coveted things even though I'd really tried. Here, each year, I'm amazed that someone who doesn't know me carefully reads what kinds of things I like, and goes so far beyond the call to deliver just the right kind of thing and then some. And likewise, I love delving into what my giftees might want, and how appreciative they've been. Thanks again to everyone who makes it so we can keep having this heartwarming gift exchange!
posted by daisyace at 12:35 PM on December 8, 2021 [11 favorites]

Here, each year, I'm amazed that someone who doesn't know me carefully reads what kinds of things I like, and goes so far beyond the call to deliver just the right kind of thing and then some.

What if the real friends were all the people we argued about declawing cats with along the way
posted by phunniemee at 2:01 PM on December 8, 2021 [6 favorites]

daisyace, I'm so glad everything arrived safely and that you especially liked those binder clips. It made me happy to know that through our love of pretty yet practical things, we are very much poured from the same pot of tea. The colander is identical to mine at home and it's a marvel for rinsing a tumble of cherry tomatoes or vast handfuls of sugar snap peas, but sadly its disappoints with the rice I've tried as all the grains get stuck in those precisely rice-sized holes. I am hoping you will have better luck...

It was so fun finding items for you! Wishing you a lovely holiday!
posted by mochapickle at 2:08 PM on December 8, 2021 [3 favorites]

So, as y’all probably know, it is still a WILD time to be a health care worker, even one like me who’s not right on the front lines of covid. After spending today tracking down information from no less than seven separate hospitals, I was pretty worn down and also ready to kill for a functional, universal medical record system.

And then, like magic, I got a box! All the way from Shetland! Full of intriguing little packages in matching paper!My roommate’s nosy cat, Charlie, naturally had to come investigate.

Inside, I found a whole array of wonderful local goodies. Real Shetland wool yarn in three colors! (Some of this may become fingerless gloves to wear in my cold workspace). Lemongrass rosemary soap that I just held up to my face and inhaled for a minute! Fancy body scrub! Sourdough pink pepper crackers! And, possibly best of all, a sort of cookie called PUFFIN POO! I don’t think I actually mentioned this in my guidance, but I have the sense of humor of a teenage boy so this is perfect! Haha, I’m going to eat Puffin Poo! Here is the whole haul in all its glory.

There was also a beautiful card inviting me to write back to my recipient and share what I do with the yarn. I think I will. Thank you so much, Mairi from Shetland. I didn’t see your username anywhere in the package, but I thank you so much and hope you have a wonderful beansing too. Between this package and the eggnog that came with my groceries I do believe I’ve managed to turn the day around.

Meanwhile, I am slow and still finishing the last piece of my package, but I am making a vow here to have it out by the end of the week.
posted by ActionPopulated at 4:27 PM on December 8, 2021 [7 favorites]

I received a box from cozenedindigo a couple days ago that ended up at a neighbor's place accidentally. Eventually, it made its way to me, very fortunately.

She was generous to make a donation to a charity that is particularly meaningful to me (and effective to boot), which is exactly what I was looking for this time of the year. The chocolate was a nice bonus - I'm a huge fan of Theo Bread and Chocolate bars. Thank you!
posted by saeculorum at 5:20 PM on December 8, 2021 [5 favorites]

You're welcome, saeculorum! The chocolate looked so tasty, I may have to get some for myself.
posted by cozenedindigo at 5:49 PM on December 8, 2021 [2 favorites]

Many thanks to Mandolin Conspiracy for the lovely card (featuring a rocket-wielding trash panda and their friends) with kind words inside, and an awesome plotter print from fellow mefite seanmpuckett! I even have a frame to fit.

Thank you so much--sorry it took me a few days to get to my post office box.
posted by maxwelton at 6:20 PM on December 8, 2021 [3 favorites]

Thank you so much to Snarl Furillo who sent me a sweet little gift box of soaps, a solid lotion bar, and lip balm all from a small company in Oregon. These all smell so fresh and herbal, I can't wait to use everything . Thank you so much! <3
posted by Sparky Buttons at 6:46 PM on December 8, 2021 [1 favorite]

maxwelton, you're very welcome! Glad it made it to you!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:07 PM on December 8, 2021 [1 favorite]

A gift from a Torontonian just isn't complete without some trash panda action, apparently <3 miss you mandolin conspiracy and seanmpuckett!
posted by wellred at 7:05 AM on December 9, 2021 [2 favorites]

Every year, we get piles of questions from curious participants of just what goes on behind the scenes at the swap. Here at Elf Station Colorado, I've been able to semi-automate portions of process so I have more time to untangle string lights and find new ways to inhale an entire Terrys chocolate orange in a single sitting.

A big part of our focus right now is confirming that gifts have indeed arrived safely at their destinations after they've been dropped off by the postal service. As part of our automation, I've invited a family of seven marmosets to take up seasonal residence in my dining room to monitor the swap email and thank you thread for confirmations. For each gift monitored per day, each marmoset receives a kiwi from the Machine as reward. For each confirmation, the whole marmoset family receives a juicy pumpkin.

As of this writing, marmosets are checking for post-delivery news on a rolling average of 23 packages daily. With seven marmosets, it's... it's a lot of kiwis, so they've been piling up. Softening. Often they get tossed around in dormant moments. From the living room, all I hear is keyboard clicking and the soft thuds of wet kiwi bouncing against the chandelier. The marmosets, they're on contract through New Years, so I've put down another roll of plastic sheeting and am hoping for the best.
posted by mochapickle at 8:50 AM on December 9, 2021 [24 favorites]

triage_lazarus nailed it! I asked for cozy comfort items, and they correctly guessed that I love Lush bath products! Thank you so much, I am so excited to take some truly luxurious baths. And I just finished a challenging job training, so I finally have time for it too!
posted by nakedmolerats at 11:15 AM on December 9, 2021 [2 favorites]

And another THANK YOU! to homelystar-- the package finally returned from its sunny vacation in Puerto Rico, and now it is settled under where eventually the tree will be, to wait for opening on the 25th! Thank you!
posted by The otter lady at 11:36 AM on December 9, 2021 [1 favorite]

Yay rhiannonstone! I'm so glad it all made it to you, I'm your gifter and completely forgot to put my mefi name in your package! So glad you enjoyed it. :)
posted by mulkey at 2:25 PM on December 9, 2021 [2 favorites]

Hot damn!

Just picked up the mail...

...thank you atomicstone!

In the package that was waiting for me, there was copy of The Settlement Cookbook, and Sally Grainger's Cooking Apicius: Roman Recipes for Today. I'm going to enjoy these!

AWESOME. Thank you again...and for the Washington, DC fridge magnet...pictured here undergoing inspection by the Maine lobster I received in a previous MeFi gift swap.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:03 PM on December 9, 2021 [4 favorites]

yay! I thought it might never arrive! Happy weirdo cooking (or at least flipping through recipes and gawking!)
posted by atomicstone at 4:11 PM on December 9, 2021 [2 favorites]

A big thank you to janell, who sent fancy sea salt, salted chocolate caramels (perhaps Janell is telling me I need to be more salty? :) ) as well as two non-fiction books that I am looking forward to reading over the holidays.

Again, thank you to everyone who comes together to make the gift swap work every year. Stay safe, everyone, and have a happy holiday season!
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 4:41 PM on December 9, 2021 [3 favorites]

Whoa! Thanks so much to my mysterious benefactor! What a great care package--every gift is absolutely wonderful. Seeds to grow the grooviest sunflowers; a diminutive vase, made of a delicate test tube in a magnetic holder; a pint glass festively decorated to honor pioneering chemist Alice Ball; and a wee tin of Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty, which my teenager promptly claimed as her own and is merrily squishing away even as I type. Each and every one a home run, and very much appreciated.

Thank you again, my Magic Bean Gifter! And thanks to the organizers for herding the marmosets! Merry Quonsmas, everyone!
posted by Sublimity at 5:25 PM on December 9, 2021 [1 favorite]

Thank you to my anonymous gifter (I think? It was shipped direct from the seller, and I didn't find any note) who cut to the heart of my dissertation-length guidance and sent me ALL THE STICKERS. The festive and merry ones will be going right back out since they need to be shared with the world!
posted by invokeuse at 7:02 PM on December 9, 2021 [3 favorites]

Oh my goodness, Pretty Good Talker, I am SO excited about my wood whittling kit! I said that I liked animals, birdwatching, and learning new skills - learning to whittle my very own bird is perfect (so perfect, in fact, that my wife was sure at first that I must have specifically asked for that, but it honestly never even occurred to me). I'm now considering getting a kit like that for my brother-in-law, who is already into jigsawing. Thank you so much - I can't wait to start whittling this weekend!
posted by DingoMutt at 7:50 PM on December 9, 2021 [5 favorites]

(I loved the card as well - if you're curious, I did indeed wait until after I'd unwrapped the gift to read your spoiler alert =)
posted by DingoMutt at 7:50 PM on December 9, 2021 [1 favorite]

I'm sending a huge and delighted thank you to my (initially mysterious) Secret Bean provider. Among my many hints, I'd said I loved history, reading, Jane Austen, and all things Anglophilic, and gtrwolf found me a fabulous book called Servants: A Downstairs History of Britain from the Nineteenth Century to Modern Times (by the so, so British-sounding Lucy Lethbridge). I have a New Year's Day tradition of starting a new book, and I've set this aside for that purpose.

gtrwolf, you'll be getting a "real" (OK, old-fashioned, postal) thank you but I want you to know I'm so happy to start reading this thick, heavy, and obviously deeply-researched book!

Thanks, also, to mochapickle for solving the mystery so I knew whom I should thank.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 9:35 PM on December 9, 2021 [3 favorites]

A package has arrived for me but it will be a few days before I can pick it up. A preemptive thank you to my gifter, I'm sure whatever it is will be delightful.
posted by sgrass at 10:35 AM on December 10, 2021 [1 favorite]

Thank you maxwelton (and Brodie!) for the wonderful package I just received today - on top of the thoughtful selection of books you sent, you actually gave me the best gift of all: not having to decide what books to read over the holidays! I'm all set!
posted by andree at 11:51 AM on December 10, 2021 [2 favorites]

I got the second half of my gift yesterday. Candy cane inspired measuring spoons have already gotten employed in holiday baking.
posted by kathrynm at 2:33 PM on December 10, 2021 [2 favorites]

My gift from SpelunkingPlato arrived yesterday. Thank you.
posted by Nerd of the North at 2:52 PM on December 10, 2021 [1 favorite]

Hooray! A package came for me today from The Wrong Kind of Cheese! UPS took its sweet time getting this to the other side of the US, but I finally opened it to find three smaller packages wrapped in delightful snowman paper and a note with a tantalizing hint that two of them contain famed yumminess from Chattanooga! I’m going to wait until my kiddo is here on Wednesday to open these, so expect a more detailed thank you then!
posted by centrifugal at 4:09 PM on December 10, 2021 [2 favorites]

centrifugal, I'm so relieved you finally got it. I've been tracking it since I shipped it, and it made it's way nicely from Chattanooga to Nashville to somewhere in Illinois A WEEK AGO and then it just sat in IL from Saturday to Tuesday with a message, "A late UPS trailer arrival has delayed delivery. We're adjusting plans to deliver your package as quickly as possible." before finally wending its way through four cities in your state. I hope you and your kiddo have a delightful holiday experience!
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 4:58 PM on December 10, 2021 [2 favorites]

I got an -eclectic trove- of notecards and envelopes this morning, along with a coloring book to make even more notecards, some super-chunky polyester chenille yarn that I will sprang into a cowl, and a very charming card from eleanna. Thank you! Thank you!

Oh and they also included some scrummy chocolatey pretzels! I extracted them from the box earlier today just when it arrived (due to a warning about perishables) and stashed them out of feline range until after work.

Yay!

Thank you!

Yay!
posted by janell at 6:51 PM on December 10, 2021 [4 favorites]

That was me invokeuse! Thank you for giving me a chance to shop for all the stickers at one of my fave local papeterie. I hope you make some delightful cards!
I also got my gift, but forgot to note the giver for proper thanks! Apologies, just know that I'm thrilled. The honey Drizz has already made it into a few treats, and the, what is it, honey stick? I always wanted one of those!
posted by Freyja at 7:45 PM on December 10, 2021 [1 favorite]

Dear secret gifter, your package was delivered today...two hours after I left the country. I'm sorry that I won't be able to pick it up until the 30th, and therefore don't know who you are, but rest assured it is somewhere safe. Thank you in advance!
posted by ilana at 7:53 PM on December 10, 2021 [2 favorites]

Hi The Wrong Kind of Cheese, glad you liked the gift! (I tried to find something that checked off as many boxes on your list as possible). Happy New Year's reading!!
posted by gtrwolf at 10:57 PM on December 10, 2021 [2 favorites]

I just got home from a walk in the forest to find a package on my step from my mystery Secret Beanie! I am so thrilled with my gift, these absolutely gorgeous silver sparkly mittens/fingerless gloves. They are super comfy, and it's the first time I've ever seen ones that have a separate thumb cover too! What a lovely, thoughtful gift. I am so happy with it. Please, Secret Beanie, let yourself be known so the whole Metaverse can be aware of how kind you are.
posted by essexjan at 6:26 AM on December 11, 2021 [4 favorites]

DingoMutt - I’m so glad you like the whittling kit! Your second box is due to arrive on Monday, sorry for the delay, but I hope you enjoy it as well!!
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 7:57 AM on December 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

Got my Secret Beans gift yesterday. My mystery sender sent a delightful assortment of unusual jams (Wild Apple!), packed in a completely charming box. The jams came in adorable hexagonal small jars (I LOVE small jars!).
I’ll have some new jam on my toast today! Thank you!
posted by dbmcd at 9:04 AM on December 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

dbmcd, thank you for lovely treats! I asked for local specialities, and received hyper local! Granola made from oats grown in her very own garden! Plus yummy jam, a super cool sticker and some ah-mazing smelling soap, all made locally. My heart is warmed! Thank you!!
posted by erloteiel at 12:11 PM on December 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thanks to Xingcat for the amazing rainbow painting, pizza cutter, and chocolates! It's always a treat when your present comes from someone whose handle you recognize as a poster of good info.
posted by advicepig at 1:12 PM on December 11, 2021 [5 favorites]

I just got another piece of my Secret Beans gift. This time a loaf pan. Thanks so much!!! I was going to bake banana bread tomorrow, so now I have a nice new pan to do it in.
posted by kathrynm at 2:58 PM on December 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

dbmcd, I’m so happy the jam successfully made it to your toast! Enjoy!
posted by WaspEnterprises at 4:13 PM on December 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

I'm so glad you liked them, advicepig!! When you said rainbows, I was hoping you'd be okay with something painted by me!
posted by xingcat at 4:31 PM on December 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

erloteiel Also note the the card has a punch-out tree ornament in the shape of a Washington State Ferry! Glad you got everything!
posted by dbmcd at 5:11 PM on December 11, 2021 [1 favorite]

USPS tracking informed me that my gift, though timely sent, was significantly delayed in shipping. But that only served to heighten the sweet, sweet anticipation!

I tore right into it when it arrived today! I was delightfully gifted by the excellent brook horse! Dark chocolates and a hand made hand soap that I can't wait to try. And best of all, a wee knit herbivorous dinosaur - who is, I am pleased to report, successfully standing. She is green so I'm calling her Chiliverde. Thank you, brook horse!!
posted by rekrap at 5:37 PM on December 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

I've been frantically trying to finish painting my living room and dining room so I can put up my Christmas decorations for the first time in 5 years with no Pepto Bismol pink or pine paneling, so I'm a couple day's delayed in acknowledging lharmon's thoughtful gift of vintage mahogany carved horses and an adult achievement award for surviving these dumpster fire times. In the next couple of days when I get my knickknack shelves remounted on the walls I will find the perfect spot for their permanent homes. I love the poses the artist chose—they're very careful observed doing real horse stuff like rolling and hauling their awkward bodies back up after rolling and not just standing around looking majestic.
posted by drlith at 6:57 PM on December 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

Ahhh I've been refreshing the USPS tracking constantly rekrap, I'm glad it got to you safely! And that Chiliverde (PERFECT NAME) survived her extended squashing with no lasting balance problems!
posted by brook horse at 7:42 PM on December 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

Big Red Kitty Purrs knocked Secret Beans out of the park! They sent two really beautiful cross stitch pieces (with some sexy clean backs) and entertaining & fun needle minders.

Thank you so much!
posted by RhysPenbras at 9:52 AM on December 12, 2021 [2 favorites]

A great big thanks to Monster_Zero for the wonderful handmade things! Potholders and a bowl cozy (which will come in so much more handy than you can even imagine, given how often I eat something heated up in the microwave sitting on the couch), handmade cat toys, and an original photograph postcard. Just a lovely little bundle from Canada! I appreciate it so much.
posted by xingcat at 12:16 PM on December 12, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you for nakedmolerats for their gift! I'm the proud recipient of some cute woodland animal bag clips (already in use!), a nice Mudtools pottery rasp, and a packet of assorted animals who will be finding hopes among my potted plants shortly!
posted by astapasta24 at 12:18 PM on December 12, 2021 [3 favorites]

I got another piece of my gift today. This time candy cane measuring cups. I have loved every single piece of it. And it was so much fun for it to trickle in piece by piece.
posted by kathrynm at 2:51 PM on December 12, 2021 [1 favorite]

RhysPenbras I'm delighted you like the gifts. I promise that your backs will get sexier with each piece that you finish.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 2:58 PM on December 12, 2021 [1 favorite]

Hey folks! I've sent out a few emails to folks to confirm their gifts have arrived safely. So far, we've seen some wayward deliveries and a missing item (which was quickly and eagerly replaced), so we're just checking to make sure packages are safe in hand. If you've posted as a recipient in this thread or replied to the tracking info email already, you're all set!

If you do receive an email, there's no pressure to open gifts early. Thanks!
posted by mochapickle at 3:05 PM on December 12, 2021 [1 favorite]

Thank you, DingoMutt! You intuited a really perfect present for me; I literally always have a jigsaw puzzle going and the mushroom factor might actually get Spouse Charmedimsure involved. Since my friends and I are always trying to one-up each other for new porch speakeasy drinks, the edible drink glitter is perfect- so over the top that I am anticipating a definite win at the next meeting. :) Really impressive work on your part and it absolutely brightened my day.
posted by charmedimsure at 4:35 PM on December 12, 2021 [3 favorites]

15L06, thank you so much for your amazingly generous box of goodies! The masks are useful and pretty, the snacks and tea are delicious, and the vintage postcards are lovely and sure to be provide entertainment when I try and puzzle out the 1920’s handwriting. I’m only sorry I have Christmas gifts to be working on, so I can’t immediately start knitting things with the supplies you sent me. I’m mulling over sock patterns already and the 3mm needles will be perfect for a project in my queue right now.
posted by bettafish at 4:50 PM on December 12, 2021 [2 favorites]

(For those tracking gifts -- I have received my package!)
posted by Metasyntactic at 11:52 PM on December 12, 2021 [1 favorite]

Thank you advicepig for the amazing package! I got it this morning and opened it with glee and appreciation!

First, some delightful pins from a local black-owned business. Then your lovely handmade cards with narwhals and schooling fish - I love them! Lastly, secondhand books from local bookstores, absolutely my jammmmm (I love to keep books in circulation). I haven't read Gideon the Ninth but have been wanting to, and my local library doesn't have it, so that is great. Also, I've never read Ha Jin but am now looking forward to the short stories.

Thank you a million times! I loved the wrapping paper, I loved the reused box, I love everyone in this bar! Secret Beans is the best time of the year.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 7:27 AM on December 13, 2021 [4 favorites]

darsh, thank you! I love my thoughtful and cool presents! I was aware of Pyle's comics, but having them in a handy 'hard copy' format makes them more real. They bring me joy, thank you!
posted by signal at 7:33 AM on December 13, 2021 [1 favorite]

Oh, and the autographed CD booklet is *chef's kiss*!
posted by signal at 8:12 AM on December 13, 2021 [1 favorite]

Y'all need to understand how cool lord_wolf is, because the answer is: incredibly, fabulously cool. They sent me a big box with cat stickers, a fun Vermont pillow in absolutely delightful colors, an adorable cat picture, and a zine about how bears have a much better model for work/life balance! I could not be happier - thank you so much, lord_wolf!

Also receiving this package got me to get mine in the mail (late, but it's in the mail) so I hope my giftee will receive it soon.
posted by bile and syntax at 8:44 AM on December 13, 2021 [4 favorites]

Thank you so much for the soaps bettafish! I’m excited to try them out tonight!
posted by LizBoBiz at 8:55 AM on December 13, 2021 [2 favorites]

Bettafish, i am really glad you like it. I had fun putting it together!
posted by 15L06 at 2:12 PM on December 13, 2021 [2 favorites]

my SECRET beans arrived today from the left coast, and I am absolutely delighted with the extravaganza of all things pencil-related (most made in Germany and Japan) from JetPens (uh oh. now i know this supplier exists…) seriously, I am in love with all of it, especially the dual sharpener❤️ thank-you, secret sender - you chose perfectly💐
posted by mollymillions at 5:24 PM on December 13, 2021 [1 favorite]

Signal, I'm so glad you liked the comics and the CD cover (that last was my husbands brainwave) and i'm so sorry it took almost 2 years to get to you!
posted by darsh at 7:12 AM on December 14, 2021 [2 favorites]

I've sent a dm to miles per flower already but just wanted to give him another shoutout here for a very thoughtful gift package and letter that really touched my heart <3
posted by monologish at 11:10 AM on December 14, 2021 [2 favorites]

I’ve received a very cute bear hugging an awesome state (California) and a candle that smells of flowers and greenery! Thank you!
posted by sciencegeek at 2:09 PM on December 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Thank you, secret gifter, for the Topogato chocolates! This maker is brand new to me and I’m excited to try the different flavors. : )
posted by SisterHavana at 7:50 PM on December 14, 2021 [3 favorites]

I received a package from the Toronto area! I am saving to open it later this month.

I am ever so excited for my gift. Thank you to my sender and to mochapickle and curious nu for handling all of my correspondence. 😊
posted by jillithd at 5:41 AM on December 15, 2021 [3 favorites]

Thank you to the mysterious benefactor who sent me a box stuffed with different Australian herbs and spices! I'm excited to find out what all of them taste like!
posted by yarntheory at 10:12 AM on December 15, 2021 [1 favorite]

The lovely initapplette surprised me with not one, but two lovely boxes. Every year I send a long, rambling missive in the hopes that whatever person draws my name has a less difficult time settling on a secret gift. It more or less boils down to: "Here are my current nerdy interests and I really, really, really love regional snacks."

A fancy box from Stonewall Kitchen showed up on my doorstep first. I recognize this brand from my trip to Boston too many years ago. So exciting! I can smell it already as I'm ripping open the wrapping -- citrusy and spicy. Inside, there's gingerbread butter, a fancy spicy-sweet Cayman-inspired spice rub, and the prettiest pinecone-printed tea towel.

My first time in an airplane was to the Cayman Islands, so that spice rub amuses me greatly. It was also definitely the thing that I could smell from the inside of the box, so I am definitely, definitely excited about it. I did not resist the urge to eat the gingerbread butter with a spoon. I absolutely, totally had to try it. So I did it, and it was worth it. It's spicy, sweet, and very bright -- the ginger is strong with that stuff. I look forward to stopping myself from eating the rest of it with a spoon. I feel like it needs to be made into a bundt cake. Or put on pancakes. Or mixed in with tea and a strong shot of whiskey.

Also, thank you for the other box, that contained maple syrup in lovely little bottles! It smelled wonderful, and I like keeping unique bottles and such. I'll make a spot for them on the shelf once the syrup's gone elsewhere.

Thank you again, so much! It was such a wonderful gift, and I can't wait to try the rest of it.
posted by PearlRose at 2:40 PM on December 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

Very excited for my collection of West Coast themed magnets, soap, and a card. Pretty much the closest I have come to getting out of my house this year. I am definitely inspired to get out West if and when I can ever get boosted and do it safely. Thank you to my gifter!
Also no word from my giftee but I remain hopeful my package will make it around the world and arrive safely.
posted by sgrass at 4:18 PM on December 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

@yarntheory — that was from me! I'm glad it arrived safely. I was a bit worried about shipping this year!
posted by robcorr at 4:37 PM on December 15, 2021

I was BEYOND delighted to receive the coolest little puzzle box and two cat stickers today, along with an incredibly sweet card! Thank you secret gifter! I don’t know your handle but I love it!
posted by itsamermaid at 4:59 PM on December 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

So glad you liked your presents, charmedimsure - nakedmolerats and I enjoyed ridiculously sparkly drinks all summer, so I was excited to have a chance to share the over-the-top goodness with someone else - keeping my fingers crossed for a big win for you! And I hope you and Spouse charmedimsure both have fun putting together some colorful mushrooms. Happy holidays!
posted by DingoMutt at 1:59 PM on December 16, 2021 [1 favorite]

Pretty Good Talker, you totally win the gift swap - this is what my wife said when I opened that second box from you last night, and I 100% agree! I am amazed at how many of my favorite things you were able to hit between this shipment and the last - adorable otter and bat stickers that will soon be gracing my laptop, delicious Geeky tea I am enjoying as I type this, and an AMAZING non-binary Untitled Goose pin that I don't think I'll ever let out of my sight. And all this on top of the awesome whittling kit which has already proven to be a whole lot of fun - thank you SO much, you've truly knocked it out of the park!
posted by DingoMutt at 2:04 PM on December 16, 2021 [4 favorites]

A present! A present! A lovely Seattleite whose MeFi name I don't know sent me Kira Jane Buxton's Hollow Kingdom, a fantastic-sounding apocalyptic novel set in Seattle, purchased from a Seattle bookstore, and she included a lovely note written on a card created in Seattle. Her summary of the book: "A potty-mouthed crow teams up with the dim-witted family dog to survive a zombie apocalypse." I can't wait, this is what I'll be reading during my week off. Thank you so much, B.!
posted by dywypi at 6:44 PM on December 16, 2021 [1 favorite]

I received a delightful assortment of Canadian treats from Superilla!

I was very intrigued when the customs list on the package included "1 pamphlet", which to my further delight was a "Field Guide to the Identification of Pebbles", an entertaining and educational little guide to figuring out what kind of rocks small rocks are. I expect it will get a lot of use on rock climbing trips!
posted by jedicus at 12:18 PM on December 17, 2021 [4 favorites]

My favorite mug arrived today all the way from Canada! Thank you, multicellular exothermic for this beautiful gift with Norval Morrisseau's artwork! And if that wasn't enough - the package also contained locally-made soaps (everyone needs a nice-smelling soap!), art supplies to practice my drawing and, of course, MAPLE CANDY! Btw, does it make a complete rube to delight in the fact that everything had French labels in addition to the English ones? Thank you again for the beautiful gifts! Happy holidays.
posted by Dotty at 1:00 PM on December 17, 2021 [2 favorites]

jedicus, I'm glad you found the various+sundry treats and pebble field guide interesting. I figured it might be useful on the way to a climb. I had a hard day today, and hearing I was able to brighten someone else's day brightened my own day substantially. (the magic of the holidays!)
posted by Superilla at 3:57 PM on December 17, 2021 [4 favorites]

Thank you to my secret gifter for the ammonite disc! Its on my desk right now and absolutely beautiful, I'm going to enjoy it being part of my fossil collection!
posted by lepus at 1:44 PM on December 18, 2021 [1 favorite]

Astapasta24 sent me a lovely note and some great regional food to try. Just what I wanted! Thanks!
posted by obol at 2:05 PM on December 18, 2021 [1 favorite]

Happy gift giving time, everyone! My giftee has received their box from me (hurrah!) and is waiting to open it. I hope you like your present! I'm still awaiting for mine, but I know it's out there, resting before its trip to the post office or what have you. No worries if it's late; this time of year can be zany.
posted by but no cigar at 12:38 PM on December 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

Thanks so much, PearlRose! (And sorry it took me so long to post in the thank you thread - it's been a particularly difficult year and I've been even more executive-functionless than usual.

I'm truly touched by the inclusion of a stone from your childhood collection - I promise I'll steward it with care.
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 3:46 PM on December 20, 2021 [2 favorites]

I forgot to complete the thank you! We opened the little wrapped packages, and they contained Moon Pies - which I haven't had since I was a kid and forgot were so delicious - and a pair of delightful unicorn socks that gave my kiddo a big grin. Thank you, The Wrong Kind of Cheese!
posted by centrifugal at 8:30 PM on December 20, 2021 [2 favorites]

thank you to Go Banana for the gift and also the nice note! With today being the official start of winter, I'll be using the scarf a lot :)
posted by aaanastasia at 6:27 PM on December 21, 2021 [1 favorite]

My secret gift swap person sent me a second package with some lovely stickers, one of which is already adorning my laptop. It's the most gifterful time of the year!
posted by box at 5:36 AM on December 22, 2021 [3 favorites]

Thanks jadepearl for the awesome set of Aston Villa themed beer mats. Great designs, useful and really thoughtful - happy holidays!
posted by brilliantmistake at 3:02 PM on December 22, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you to my gifter, penguin pie, for the lovely tokens of Scotland! I loved the scarf and self-published book, but most of all, the thoughtful letter! It was a wonderful gift and I have already scarfed down the caramel biscuit. Thank you, thank you!
posted by sit for a spell at 6:34 PM on December 22, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you so much, gifter in Cornwall (only have your name but you know who you are) for the lovely chocolate bars and mince pie fudge and penguin (?) magnet! It was delivered just minutes ago. And especially for sending a second gift when the first one was lost.
Lets blame Boris for that. Unfortunately delivery from UK to Austria has become quite difficult since brexit.
Thank you, and mochapickle and curious nu, for persisting.
Warmest regards from Vienna.
posted by 15L06 at 1:23 AM on December 23, 2021 [2 favorites]

I like the idea of blaming Boris. Thanks from me too, to you and mochapickle for bearing with me. I had a particularly useless go at secret gift business this year. Let me know if the other package turns up in March! (It had a supposedly lucky Cornish Piskey in it, so maybe you dodged a bullet, it doesn't seem to have worked.)

I thought puffin rather than penguin but your guess is as good as mine, it wasn't labelled.
posted by biffa at 4:04 AM on December 23, 2021 [2 favorites]

Glad it arrived in time for Christmas, sit for a spell! And happy that you liked it :)
posted by penguin pie at 4:46 AM on December 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

Hey biffa, your incoming gift is still incoming! La Poste is just being particularly sleepy about the address change. We still have about a dozen or so gifts still in transit, many of them international.

The marmosets are continuing to monitor all packages faithfully, while sipping from tiny steaming mugs of pumpkin nog with marshmallows.
posted by mochapickle at 6:47 AM on December 23, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thanks mochapickle. I will keep an eye out.
posted by biffa at 8:57 AM on December 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

People, for the second time in three Secret Beanses, I got the coolest, most thoughtful present from amelliferae, who really pays attention to what I like. It's a pillow/case with a kayaking theme! I have just the spot for it.

Thank you, danke, merci, spasibo, tak, & all the other languages' "thanks"!!!
posted by NorthernLite at 12:51 PM on December 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

Biffa, No such thing as useless when it comes to chocolate. And actually i see now it is a puffin.
I just looked up Cornish piskey, and i really hope it (she? he?) will still arrive.
Warm greetings from Vienna,
posted by 15L06 at 1:56 PM on December 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

To my anonymous Iowan gifter, thank you! I received the excitingly heavy package (and preliminary postcard) weeks ago, and waited until xmas to open it. So many treats! Some handsome-smelling coffee; hot honey, which is right up my alley and which will shortly be part of my secondy breakfast (we got up... early); a calendar filled with Dad jokes; Kōbō Abe's Woman in the Dunes, which I've seen but somehow have never read; and a package of beautiful, beautiful Rancho Gordo beans (vaquero) that I am going to admire for a while before cooking. Dear secret giftswap gifter, you hit all the notes of silly, spicy, weird, enlivening, and beansish I could have hoped for. Thanks and merry everything back to you!
posted by miles per flower at 6:42 AM on December 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

Oh also: Inspired by a note earlier in this thread, I got my kids Otamatones for xmas, and they've been an absolute hit! Right now it's the Imperial March as played by drunk and farting ducks. No one could be happier except possibly our neighbors. Thank you sleeping bear and your gifter!
posted by miles per flower at 6:44 AM on December 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

I opened the rest of my gift from sweetmarie today -- a wonderful selection of pencils, a pencil case, a notebook and multi-tool for biking! I love it all! Thank you so very much!
posted by chiefthe at 7:09 AM on December 25, 2021 [2 favorites]

Thank you thank you But No Cigar! I eagerly opened your package this Happy Christmas morning to find your beautifully wrapped gift - wrapped in paper with birds on it (your first spidey sense moment, as I love birds) and found inside the amazing bamboo salt storage box along with a bag of pure sea salt flakes. This is your second spidey sense moment as I love sea salt but only have the hokey manufacturer storage containers that I hide away in the spice cupboard. I will love love love keeping this out on the table. Then to top off this perfectly perfect gift, you added a bag of treats for my hounds! Abigail and Ruby send wet kisses to you. May your new year bring happiness and all good things.
posted by Rubydooby at 10:17 AM on December 25, 2021 [2 favorites]

A big thank you to Shepherd for the lovely array of local gifts. You can see them here! Three jars of local plant-based caramel from Knifey Spooney (imma eat these so fast), two bottles of gin (one was sacrificed to the postal gods, but the other is intact to be consumed soon by me!), a cute illustrated desk calendar, and a lovely felted birch tree card. So thoughtful and perfect! Thank you so much! 🥰🥰🥰
posted by jillithd at 11:04 AM on December 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

Rubydooby, I'm thrilled you like your gifts; it was super fun to choose things for you! I also love birds, and reserve that paper for special occasions. I hope you, Abigail, and Ruby have a wonderful rest of the day, and a delightfully adventurous 2022!
posted by but no cigar at 11:33 AM on December 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

Glad you liked your pillow NorthernLite! It was really fun to pick out - and I liked the image so much I got myself a postcard of it. Happy Secret Beansmas!

I opened my secret beans gift this morning and my secret beans gifter really hit it out of the park for me. First a book of short stories which I will be digging into tonight as well as a bunch of Drag Race winner ornaments for my tree! Thank you so much anonymous gifter, and to the secret beans elves for making this all happen!
posted by amelliferae at 12:03 PM on December 25, 2021 [2 favorites]

Friends, I have been gifted a box of fabulous and delicious items by the amazing amelliferae! It's like they read my gift swap profile, and then delved ever deeper to discover what I really, REALLY wanted. As I type, my lips are enveloped in the most excellently emollient mint lip balm. It's so smooth and refreshing! Ahhh. They also send me a huge bottle of Yellowbird habanero sauce, which I put on a tortilla chip and ate with glee as soon as I opened it. I adore habanero peppers and this sauce is incredible! So citrusy and so hot. I promise, generous though this amount is, it won't last long! And steeping next to me in my favorite Powell's bookstore mug is hot cinnamon spice tea, by Harney & Sons. Hoo boy is it delicious! I wish there was a way I could share the scent with you all; it's intoxicating! The tin is also so pretty. It's all perfect and so thoughtful. Many thanks amelliferae and all the best wishes for a grand new year!
posted by but no cigar at 12:11 PM on December 25, 2021 [2 favorites]

And another huge Thank you to homelystar for the awesome stuff and especially the otter glass!! Thank you so much!!
posted by The otter lady at 1:15 PM on December 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

I opened my gift today. Thank you sleepingbear for the ear wraps. The color is great and they fit perfectly.
posted by buildmyworld at 5:22 PM on December 25, 2021 [3 favorites]

Many thanks to my mystery gifted for the chocolate (mmmm) and tie-dye kit with SO MANY colors! My kids and I have been way into tie-dye this year and now we will quite literally be able to expand our palette!
posted by rebeccabeagle at 10:36 AM on December 26, 2021 [1 favorite]

I have opened my gift and it was fantastic! When I spotted the hand-drawn comic explaining the contents, I realized that I needed to stop and savor unwrapping this one. I loved the thoughtfulness of your choices! I curled up to read and eat the chocolates, and my father is currently using the throw with a cat on his lap (I didn’t have enough blankets in the apartment, so that was perfect timing!)
posted by Metasyntactic at 5:05 PM on December 26, 2021 [2 favorites]

Glad you liked it all, Metasyntactic! (I can’t remember if I used my username or my real name in the card, so in case I didn’t say it there, that was me!) I had fun putting together things for you :)
posted by daisyace at 7:41 PM on December 26, 2021 [2 favorites]

I opened my box on the 24th and thank you to my mystery gifter! the critter socks are cozying up my feet as I type, and the mug was put to good use yesterday for a hot chocolate after a cold but welcome walk. I couldnt make out the name on the lovely note, but you found items that were perfect, thank you!
posted by darsh at 7:48 AM on December 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

Thank you to Catherine, who sent me a nice veggie hot pot and a large assortment of teas and drinks. Also a beautiful fox card (with a playlist included!)
posted by Hardcore Poser at 6:18 PM on December 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

Gabe! Sorry it's taken so long for me to open, but thank you so much for my lovely snuggly hoody - which fits perfectly and which I'm wearing as I type. And I'm always happy with some new snacks to try - tucking in to some of the bbq crisps/chips right now too - mm mmm.

It's cold and dark out where I am, so I'll imagine I've just picked up the hoodie on a visit to get my (fictional) yacht seen to in the middle of a Maine summer, rather than being wrapped in blankets on the sofa in the middle of a Scottish winter! Thank you.
posted by penguin pie at 10:15 AM on December 28, 2021 [2 favorites]

After a long and dangerous (based on the condition of the box when it arrived) journey, there was a package from brilliantine waiting for me at the post office today! Thank you so much for the reese's pieces, tea, marshmallow santa (I nearly cried with the nostalgia of it), super cute stickers, and the absolutely amazing handmade junimo and junimo hut. I am impressed with its detail! Again, thank you so much!
posted by emmling at 1:01 AM on December 29, 2021 [3 favorites]

Bettafish, you sent me 2 gifts? That’s so nice of you, the bath stuff for me and the goodies for my cat! What a nice surprise! Thank you!
posted by LizBoBiz at 1:16 AM on December 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

Woohoo, my gift from ellieboa got to me*, a 3d model of the Eiffel tower! We will be putting that together with our nieces this weekend. I always ask for some sort of object that represents the sender's location and this is another interpretation of that which I love.

*albeit with a little discussion of what the correct address was, because on top of not tracking my gift going out, I got my own address wrong. So additional thanks to ellieboa for chasing this, I hope it didn't add too much hassle, I do appreciate it. Thanks to mochapickle again, for patience in the face of hopelessness.
posted by biffa at 4:12 AM on December 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

Yay! So glad it made its way to you! Have fun putting it together with them.
posted by ellieBOA at 2:13 PM on December 29, 2021 [2 favorites]

....and the marmosets cheer! pumpkin shells everywhere!
posted by mochapickle at 2:46 PM on December 29, 2021 [3 favorites]

I finally made it home and could pick up my gift from erloteiel! Thank you for the Texas musicians colouring book with all the fun facts, and for the "Bibliophile" sticker (perfect for an English prof)! Now I just need to get my hands on some colouring equipment so I can start de-stressing.
posted by ilana at 3:59 PM on December 30, 2021 [2 favorites]

arrived in Novander, but only finally opening for NYE: unbelievable dark chocolate barks from my Quonsar!!!

oh wait, lol, I'd forgotten the part where MeFi is evan moar antiquated than Fark...!

okie, heres!

/also a lovely handwritten card still in need of decipherements
posted by dorian at 8:30 PM on December 31, 2021 [1 favorite]

@brilliantmistake So happy you got enjoyment out of the beer mats. I had mini heart attacks with various vendors refusing to deliver to the UK. I tracked down a local gift that combined your love of football and beer. I went with those themes because I suffered extreme choice paralysis with your other two favorite things: Doctor Who and tabletop RPGs.
posted by jadepearl at 10:18 PM on January 2, 2022 [1 favorite]

@ActionPopulated that was me! I'm sorry I forgot to put my username in - I'm a newbie at this metafilter gift swap stuff :) Super glad you liked it!

I got an absolutely wonderful gift but I'm afraid I've lost the username of my gifter! (see above, newbie). A lovely citrus sented sachet, some AMAZING Totoro coasters(?) (I'm not actually 100% sure what they are but I'm using them as coasters!!), and a beautiful little book of french love poems. I had read exactly 0 of the french love poems before and they are sooo good! But my favourite was the little hand drawn postcard with a picture of Shetland and Texas!

I really hope my gifter sees this message and knows how apprichiative I am. This whole gift swap experience has been a shiny light of loveliness in an extremely weird year. Thank you so much to the organisers too!
posted by mmmmmmm at 1:34 AM on January 3, 2022 [2 favorites]

mmmmmmm, that was from me! i think i also forgot to put down my username. so glad it made it over there! i was afraid it'd get lost on its very long journey. so happy you like it!
posted by monologish at 1:57 PM on January 3, 2022 [1 favorite]

Just a quick note to say that we're about to wrap this up for the year! We've still got a couple of gifts that are in the wind and keeping an eye on, but we'll be doing the usual clearing-of-the-personal-data here at the end of the month for everyone else.

I know I've been kicking these off for the last few years, but mochapickle has been doing 99% of the work for the last two, and this would not be going nearly as well without her efforts. If you emailed us it was likely her you've been interacting with, she's updated our tracker info, and really just gone all-out to make sure we know what's going on and where all the gifts are. The fact that she has kept all of this running in the middle of a global pandemic is nothing short of astounding.

So, public applauding and throwing of flowers to mochapickle for keeping this tradition of ours going. :)
posted by curious nu at 6:17 PM on January 24, 2022 [8 favorites]

Thank you, mochapickle and curious nu! The Gift Swap is one of the things I look forward to the most each year, and y'all have done an admirable job shepherding a bunch of cats.

Wishing you both much coziness and warm fuzzies as you wrap up your work for this season.
posted by invokeuse at 12:02 AM on January 25, 2022 [3 favorites]

I finally opened my gift from jet_pack_in_a_can, inside was a narrow serrated gardening trowel. This is going to be perfect for the church garden that I'm managing; I had been trying to figure out a way to dig deep, narrow holes in very clay soil to place some 1x2s; this is going to make the job easy.

Thank you!
posted by lharmon at 9:48 AM on January 30, 2022 [2 favorites]

I finally was able to go get my gift—it arrived in early February but I was on vacation—and it's an amazing guitar strap and t-shirt, both with a great backstory. The strap is already on my telecaster replacing a frankly embarrassing fake-rattlesnake one. Thanks to my gifter!
posted by signal at 10:42 AM on February 22, 2022 [2 favorites]

OMG I got my gift from *Rubydooby* yesterday and it made me squeal with glee!
Beautiful rat heart shirt (perfect colour!) and toys for my rats.
They are so exited to get something new to explore.
Christmas in February! <3 thanks Rubydooby for the lovely note too. And mochapickle of course! ❤️🐀
posted by Zumbador at 3:39 AM on February 25, 2022 [2 favorites]