MetaFilter Gift Swap 2022 THANK YOU!

November 14, 2022 9:14 AM

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

And I want to say THANK YOU to JiffyQ for the Fruits D'Alsace loose tea and Toblerone chocolate! I am looking forward to brewing a cup and having a piece of chocolate (or two or three) during my free time over the holidays. Thank you so much!

posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs to MetaFilter Gatherings at 9:14 AM (195 comments total)

I have received a batch of Pittsburgh-themed goodies from kara, including a bar of craft soap called "Pittsburgh Sky". It looks gorgeous and smells amazing. There is also a LOVE YINZ sticker. I looked up YINZ and can now use it properly in a sentence. Thank you, kara!
posted by rekrap at 10:05 AM on November 14, 2022 [5 favorites]

I would like to thank the lovely hansbrough who drew my name for last year's exchange. There were shipping snafus, and though we communicated privately, by the time they were resolved, the 2021 thank you thread was no longer active.

I received a beautiful Asplenium fern with accompanying ceramic planter! And what's more, though the first delivery attempt was smashed up a bit, the plant from that survived so I was ultimately gifted two now-thriving epiphytic Birds Nests, perfect for dim and rainy winters. It's cooler than recommended here but they are not only managing the temps, they're getting too big for my kitchen sill. I love them and this Spring I will enter into my first fern-repotting adventure!

Thank you so much, hansbrough, and I'm sorry you had to wait a whole year for a proper acknowledgement ♥
posted by to wound the autumnal city at 10:26 AM on November 14, 2022 [8 favorites]

Major big special thanks to adekellny for the book of Super Mario piano sheet music! I was in a coma for a week six months ago and lost a lot of my mobility as a result. I'm still working to get my movement back in order, and now that I'm feeling stronger, I'm trying to get back into playing the piano again. I'd been too weak to effectively press the keys up until recently, so it's great to have something familiar to learn while I'm working on regaining my strength. I'm 41 and the Mushroom Kingdom is still my happy place at heart.
posted by Servo5678 at 11:04 AM on November 14, 2022 [21 favorites]

By tradition, this is my favorite thread all year! YAY!
posted by mochapickle at 11:09 AM on November 14, 2022 [5 favorites]

This is so exciting! Yay!!!!
posted by okayokayigive at 12:32 PM on November 14, 2022 [3 favorites]

oh darn. i totally forgot to look out for the swap email this year. have an excellent time, all!
posted by mollymillions at 10:12 PM on November 14, 2022 [1 favorite]

Mollymillions - the card swap is still open for sign ups until the 20th!

But hooray, I love this thread!
posted by freethefeet at 12:06 AM on November 15, 2022 [2 favorites]

My gift is en route to its lovely recipient on the far flung other coast of this continent! I made a goal to get my gift on its way early since things become awfully hectic in my brain as the winter ticks on, and with a toddler thrown into the mix for this first time this year, our house is bound too be even more chaotic than usual this holiday season, so I'm proud of myself for marking this delightful item off my to-do list in plenty of time this year!! I very much enjoyed musing and hemming and hawing and trying to pick something that lands right smack dab in the middle of the Venn diagram of stuff both I and my giftee love, so I hope they enjoy it! A little sad I didn't prolong the deliciousness of choosing the perfect selection of things just a liiiiittttttlllle bit longer in order to eek out every ounce of joy from the process I could, but an early gift is a thing of beauty in itself, I suppose! And infinitely better than the alternative, which (since I have absolutely zero middle ground in anything I do) would have been an absurdly late gift.

Very excited to follow along with this thread as it is absolutely my favourite thing about Metafilter every single year.
posted by Dorinda at 11:56 AM on November 15, 2022 [4 favorites]

I have mailed my gift to a recipient on a whole separate continent. The Trackinator has been updated. HANG ON BUDDY, YOUR SECRET BEANS ARE ON THEIR WAY!!!
posted by Lawn Beaver at 7:19 AM on November 16, 2022 [4 favorites]

My gift is on the way from the EU to Great Britain, and hope very much that Brexit will not delay delivery too much. Completed the trackinator and let's hope for the best.
posted by 15L06 at 9:55 AM on November 16, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank You jillithd for the excellent truffles from Legacy Chocolates. Absolutely divine!! I'm in heaven. Some are going to be savored with a fine chianti and the others with 115 proof bourbon. (On different nights, of course, I still believe in not mixing the grape and the grain.) What a lovely way to start the holidays. THANK YOU MUCHLY!
posted by pjsky at 4:33 PM on November 16, 2022 [5 favorites]

Thank you carnival_night_zone for the parrot stationary. What a perfect gift, I have so many bird flavored letters to write!
posted by aspo at 3:37 PM on November 17, 2022 [3 favorites]

I'm not sure who sent it, but thank you for the Yawn Brew Hot Chocolate Advent calendar!! I LOVE it and I could not have come up with a more perfect gift. I may have broken out the Salted Caramel a titch early, haha. Thank you so much, merry Quonsmas!
posted by randomquestion at 7:09 PM on November 17, 2022 [1 favorite]

Yay Randomquestion that’s from me. My favorite time of year. Secret beans abound!
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 11:47 PM on November 17, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you to the lovely individual who sent me two delicious types of tea … so cozy! I’m looking forward to enjoying a steaming mug by the fireplace while I watch the snow fall. ❄️
posted by WaspEnterprises at 5:47 PM on November 18, 2022 [3 favorites]

What a surprise … another package arrived today! It was filled with what appeared to be a wide variety of local dark chocolates. Thank you for this sweetly unexpected addition!
posted by WaspEnterprises at 8:23 PM on November 18, 2022 [2 favorites]

I am delighted by the charming, personal, and thoughtful gift from PistachioRoux. Thank you my new friend! Reading and sharing with my partner (who loves zines!) ahead. Happy Beansdays!!
posted by wellred at 12:07 PM on November 19, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you to the lovely gifter who sent intensely fragrant coffee from a small-batch roaster, the most sophisticated dark chocolate Kit Kats, and toy coffee and croissants so the cats wouldn't feel left out! I didn't manage to snap photos of Kosmas using the mocha as a pillow or Gennoveus standing on his hind legs and chirping at the first whiff of croissant, but we're all enjoying a cozy, snowy weekend.
posted by yarntheory at 9:01 AM on November 20, 2022 [4 favorites]

Thanks to wellred, who gifted me with a coffee mug, button, sticker, and postcard, all from their home city of Toronto. The coffee mug is subway-station-themed, and the sticker is a raccoon in a trash can, which as a fan of both mass transit and urban wildlife I find especially delightful.
posted by box at 3:19 PM on November 21, 2022 [5 favorites]

Dearest beaning, you have outdone yourself. The bottles of Texas' finest brown liquor you sent all arrived with only one seal getting broken (and I had to drink it first, you know) and the glassware arrived just fine, and it will be put in use tonight for a drink to start the long descent into madness weekend. I'm just glad the USPS didn't give more scrutiny to the package. That's the only benefit to the postal service being a shambles lately. Sorry I didn't post earlier. After I opened the package and the card and set the card and boxes near the floor, the cat ate the damned card. I couldn't recall who sent this delightful package!

Thank you thank you thank you!
posted by deezil at 5:40 AM on November 22, 2022 [4 favorites]

the cat ate the damned card

A successful gift for the whole family, then.
posted by phunniemee at 8:06 AM on November 22, 2022 [9 favorites]

Many thanks to orange pamplemousse for the tea and the notebook! Much appreciated and they'll get good use. :)
posted by notquitejane at 9:22 AM on November 22, 2022 [3 favorites]

Hey there box, so happy you're enjoying. Hope you get to see Toronto one day!
posted by wellred at 1:23 PM on November 22, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you ellieboa for lovely the Box of Gifts which arrived today. I love the scarf, so incredibly soft, very nice biscuits and delicous tea i am just enjoying with a biscuit or three. And Mimi much appreciates the fish!
Thank you!
PS: it is nice to hear that Empress Sisi still adorns your fridge.
posted by 15L06 at 11:12 AM on November 24, 2022 [3 favorites]

Yay! Glad it arrived and that you (both!) like it!
posted by ellieBOA at 12:34 AM on November 25, 2022 [2 favorites]

I have been gifted! I noted that I like Lego minifigs. bondcliff is a talented woodworker, and made a wood maxi-fig. It's very cool and fun and came with a nice letter. Thank you, bondcliff! I might make hats for it.
posted by theora55 at 7:56 AM on November 25, 2022 [15 favorites]

Dear recipient, when you get my package please know that options one and two fell through for me and I did get you something from your list, just I had to go to Amazon to get it from my local company to get it to ship on time. With love, gentlyepigrams!
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:02 AM on November 25, 2022 [4 favorites]

Dang, that wood maxi-fig is gorgeous.
posted by box at 8:17 AM on November 25, 2022 [6 favorites]

yayyyyy yarntheory, I'm glad it arrived and you and the cats liked everything! (also I love the cat photos)
posted by aaanastasia at 12:28 PM on November 25, 2022 [4 favorites]

Thank you to obol for my box of dinosaur parts! I have two very cool little replica fossils now: a velociraptor claw and hadrosaur skin! Velociraptors are the coolest meat eaters and my favorite veggiesaurus is a hadrosaur, so I'm delighted. (Also, perfect mefi colors on the sticker from the Burke Museum! I'm now a lil salty I didn't know about this place when I was visiting the Seattle area a few months ago.)

Anyway, they both have a home now in my not organized but always accruing dinosaur cabinet, adding some much needed academic grounding. Thanks, obol! Your calligraphy on the card was so pretty.

p.s. As a bonus, the box this came in fits the gift I'm sending to MY beansee just about perfectly, saving me the final step of having to box craft a smaller box from other too-large boxes 🙏
posted by phunniemee at 11:50 AM on November 26, 2022 [5 favorites]

Many thanks to jet_pack_in_a_can for the delicious coffee from Blanchard's in Richmond, VA! I hope to visit Richmond in the future and check out the food there.
posted by jason6 at 7:26 AM on November 27, 2022 [4 favorites]

Thank you, to wound the autumnal city, for the beautiful liverwort prints and magnets! The plant and science nerd in me is delighted! The print is getting framed soon and can bring a much needed splash of color to the bare walls of my small windowless office.
posted by astapasta24 at 10:46 AM on November 27, 2022 [5 favorites]

Thank you jilloftrades for the lovely package. I love midori stationery but I have not tried their notebooks; I'm looking forward to using the corgi planner this year and wearing the pin (and hopefully not putting it through the wash); and my dog is enjoying the snack you sent. Thanks for brightening my day.
posted by Tesseractive at 7:41 PM on November 27, 2022 [4 favorites]

Early on in this thread I grinned at Dorinda's gleeful description of finding & shipping gifties, which captured the giddy fun of the gift swap I feel every year--and the gifts they were shipping turned out to be for me! THANK YOU DORINDA for the assortment of west coast goodies that were the perfect blend of sweet, salty, crunchy, earthy, and handsomely designed. Somehow I did not know about kari kari sauce before. How on earth is the garlic so crunchy when it's soaking in spicy oil?? (You know what, please don't tell me, it'll be chemistry I don't understand or sorcery best left hidden, or vice versa.)

I've had a rough stretch this last month, I'm worn out and stressed out, and the arrival of this care package was a lovely nudge toward needed joy. Hooray for all this, as always.
posted by miles per flower at 10:15 AM on November 28, 2022 [4 favorites]

Mine arrived tonight! My gifter sent me handmade, natural bar soaps from the UK. English tea, chai, and frankincense & myrrh, for that wintery scent! The package smelled heavenly and I cannot wait to try them out. Thank you :)
posted by lesser weasel at 2:24 AM on November 29, 2022 [4 favorites]

Hi Honey! I'm Home!

Just got back from traveling to find I had been sent some lovely honey (brought inside by my other honey, Mr. Nat) by my swapper. 4 different varieties, from Honeyrun in Central Ohio. Big thank you to my swapper!

I look forward to getting to try it, but confess to holding off a little longer since my own gift is not yet headed to my swappee. It's still under preparation (it needs a hanging method which I am still brainstorming -- I have another day to figure it out)...
posted by nat at 10:18 AM on November 29, 2022 [3 favorites]

I have been quonsed beansed! craven_morhead, thank you SO much for my gifts!! I am a game fanatic, as you clearly deduced, and I cannot wait to play Guillotine, which I have never played before! And the chocolate - *chef's kiss*. Thank you so very much; it is truly one of the highlights of the holiday season to receive something from this place. Yay!!!

... which is why it pains me to say that I have not yet been able to send off my gift! I have one item but am waiting on another, and I probably will not be able to send it until this weekend. Despite having no HR background, I am the new interim head of HR at my company as of a week ago, and I have been working around the clock, basically literally. But it will be sent! Sorry again!!
posted by widdershins at 12:10 PM on November 30, 2022 [4 favorites]

I just received a box from the wonderful SunPower, containing my favorite tea, a hat-shaped knitting gauge measurement tool, soft Pima cotton yarn in a pretty teal color, and a coconut-scented, pineapple-shaped fidget toy! The card with its sparkly pink writing was lovely, too, and everything was so nicely wrapped! I've been in a bit of a funk lately, but today I am very happy. Thank you!
posted by jet_pack_in_a_can at 1:14 PM on November 30, 2022 [4 favorites]

Gtrwolf sent me an amazing artisan small farm set of mint chocolates and they are such a delight. Thanks for making my day! It’s going to be difficult to not eat them all in 24hr time!
posted by kthxbi at 6:07 PM on November 30, 2022 [4 favorites]

I got my gift today, which is coincidentally the same day I sent mine off.

From joseph_elmhurst, a first-time Gift Swap participant, I got a delightful package of Oregonian treats (lip balm, salty caramels and a chocolate bar), along with a cassette tape made up by a local dj and some lovely notebooks to add to my collection. Here is a picture of everything.

For being a first-timer, they knocked it out of the park! I just tried (like, literally still chewing on) one of the caramels and they are so salty and buttery and delicious. Thank you so much, j_e !

I also really appreciate that through this I got to connect to a Mefite I hadn't crossed paths with previously! My recipient is someone I "know" (ie follow on social media) off the site, which is a first for me, and I feel like I'm getting the best of both worlds. Yaaaaay Metafilter Gift Swap season! 🥰
posted by Sparky Buttons at 6:10 PM on November 30, 2022 [9 favorites]

I haven’t gotten my gift yet, and my recipient has already thanked me privately, but I wanted to share the beansmas thing I’ve been doing for the past few years.

Back in 2020, the guidance I received included my recipient saying they like “order out of chaos.” Now, I am a biased fiber artist who likes finding excuses to make things, but I saw that and thought “what is knitting if not order out of chaos?” I don’t know how I specifically got the idea to make vegetables, but somehow I hit on that and made a tiny knitted eggplant and broccoli, which went over very well.

My next year’s recipient reported liking “tiny cute things.” You know one thing that’s tiny and cute? Little knitted vegetables. I made a carrot.

This year my recipient’s guidance included nothing that directly screamed “make me a vegetable,”, but at this point tradition is tradition. Butternut squash it was, based solely on the colors I had immediately available.

Anyway, here’s my beansmas veggie collection. Next year this could be you.
posted by ActionPopulated at 7:22 PM on November 30, 2022 [16 favorites]

Glad you like it aspo! This is my first year participating in the gift swap, and I definitely had a fun time picking out the gift!
posted by carnival_night_zone at 6:10 AM on December 1, 2022 [4 favorites]

Just a heads-up to the organizers that I sent you an email with a question about the trackinator. (To my match: I'm so sorry, I live clear on the other side of the world and I only got organized enough to get it to you this week! You should get a tracking number from the organizers though.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:35 AM on December 1, 2022 [1 favorite]

Last night, I came home quite late after a pretty difficult day at the office and a loooooong musical performance (not be me -- by the Metropolitan Opera) to find a lovely package from internet of pillows. Inside was a panettone from Eataly, with orange cream and chocolate chips. It was too late to try it last night, but I had some for breakfast this morning and it was fabulous. I may or not let my husband have any; that's as yet undetermined. Right now I'm trying not to eat it all at once. Thank you, internet of pillows!
posted by holborne at 11:11 AM on December 1, 2022 [2 favorites]

holborne I gasped at the panettone with orange cream and chocolate chips. That sounds stupid good, especially for breakfast.

My gift is making its way to its recipient. I was able to get a little bit crafty again this year, although I was slowed down (and had to scale down) due to my inflamed shoulder and wrist.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 1:03 PM on December 1, 2022 [2 favorites]

I got excellent mail today - a Card Club card from winesong, an issue of the Journal for Weavers, Spinners, and Dyers, AND my secret beans gift from miles per flower. Miles very thoughtfully sent me a bottle of snazzy olive oil, a cute notebook, some stickers, and a set of post-it notes printed with radial coordinates for WHO KNOWS WHAT MISCHIEF. All wrapped in the most exuberant and colorful wrapping paper of show posters/like flyers on a telephone pole. Thanks miles per flower!
posted by janell at 6:37 PM on December 1, 2022 [4 favorites]

I ordered my recipient’s gift today - nothing like waiting til the last minute! It’s expected to arrive no later than 12/13 and I’ll add the tracking number to the Trackinator once I get it. : )
posted by SisterHavana at 9:45 PM on December 1, 2022 [2 favorites]

Just received my gift from lesser weasel from across the ocean! I made many giddy sounds as I opened the package and read the card, and welp, it's the second year the mefi gift has made me tear up. Mugs have picked up somewhat of a metaphorical role in my life this year, so it is just perfect you selected this very special mug and teas for me as I welcome in a new year. Thank you so much. Wishing you all the best.
posted by monologish at 8:46 AM on December 2, 2022 [5 favorites]

I got my gift a couple of days ago and opened it today! It was a delightful cornucopia of Michigan-based gourmet treats from yarntheory! Delicious dried cherries -- the note said that they were included because Michigan grows the best cherries; what yarntheory didn't know is that cherries are absolutely 100% my favourite fruit! 🍒Super-fancy multi-colour artisanal pasta! 🍝An intoxicating and absolutely unique syrup made from the white pody part of the cocoa fruit! 🍫 Thank you so much for the wonderful gift! (The box it came in is now on the way to my secret gift recipient...♻)
posted by Superilla at 11:28 AM on December 2, 2022 [4 favorites]

Thank you, Rubydooby, for the hockey themed hot chocolate present! I shared a pix of everything with my sis and she was all "this is so perfect for you!" Now off to pretend I'm Robo from the Dallas Stars and put 22 marshmallow goals in the mug of hot chocolate. Then I'll pretend I'm the other team and drink my "sorrows." Happy hockeydays to you too!
posted by beaning at 11:42 AM on December 2, 2022 [3 favorites]

We were in Canuckistan last week and just picked up our packages from our next door neighbor.

thomas j wise sent a beautiful black walnut serving tray and it was waiting for us. I understand it was made locally to them, which is very cool.

Thanks again and happy holidays!
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:48 PM on December 2, 2022 [4 favorites]

My Beansmas present is here! Daisyace sent me some local goodies: a jar of maple cream and a black raspberry & vanilla sugar scrub. Plus she constructed a personalized crossword puzzle for me! Thanks so much, Daisyace, and Happy Beansmas to you!
posted by SisterHavana at 4:09 PM on December 2, 2022 [3 favorites]

I got my package into the clutches of USPS Priority Mail today..."only" one day late is pretty good for this disorganized yob, and tracking has been entered into the trackinator. USPS sez it will be there Monday, so fingers crossed.
posted by maxwelton at 4:55 PM on December 2, 2022 [2 favorites]

I'm so glad you liked it, monologish! ♥ Wishing you many cozy tea times!
posted by lesser weasel at 6:15 PM on December 2, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thanks so much, Daisyace, and Happy Beansmas to you!

And to you, SisterHavana! Constructing crosswords is my current obsession. I hope you enjoy the presents!
posted by daisyace at 8:36 AM on December 3, 2022 [3 favorites]

My gift is out for delivery today. Hope you enjoy it, dear recipient!
posted by gentlyepigrams at 9:08 AM on December 3, 2022 [2 favorites]

I managed to drop off my gift at the post office today and the trackinator has my info, so now I can finally breathe easy. I hope you like it, beansee!
posted by widdershins at 11:16 AM on December 3, 2022 [2 favorites]

OMG my gift from Glinn is one of the more fabulous gifts I've ever received. Honestly... it brought me to tears.

Beautiful dia de los muertos calavera artwork that is something I would TOTALLY buy for myself except it was made for me by the amazing Glinn. I can't get over how perfect it is. You are so skilled, this is amazing. It's going up in my home. Plus a book to doodle in, art pens and some delicious chocolates. All of it wrapped lovingly in beautiful paper with a badass card and an extra card to boot.

Honestly, I've had close family members that haven't reached this level of gift giving awesomeness. Thank you so much Glinn. You really made my holiday season as a somewhat newly fully single person much much much happier. This felt like a gift that was truly intended just for me and I'm just so grateful.
posted by mulkey at 11:59 AM on December 3, 2022 [9 favorites]

I just arrived home to a gift from ThePinkSuperhero! Some delicious chocolate and an adorable cat toy :)
Thank you!
posted by cozenedindigo at 2:37 PM on December 3, 2022 [4 favorites]

Mail carrier just delivered my gift.Thank you NorthernLite for the amazing book and some dark chocolates. Really appreciate the selection. All I need is some coffee to go with the book and dark chocolate (perfect for a rainy day)😊
posted by SunPower at 2:56 PM on December 3, 2022 [3 favorites]

I received the most delightful package from kthxbi, containing everything I need to make some adorable needle felted animals. I can't wait to get started! Thank you so much, and I wish you and yours the very merriest of festive seasons.
posted by bunnysquirrel at 3:09 PM on December 3, 2022 [2 favorites]

Huge thank you to Seed Stitch for my lovely gift that arrived today! The book is perfect (the graphic novel adaptation of The Parable of the Sower) and I am SO EXCITED to try the fancy chocolates!!! You absolutely nailed it, thank you!!!
posted by meggan at 5:53 PM on December 3, 2022 [4 favorites]

Yay and thank you to Vespabelle! Who leaned into the goofy a little - Vespabelle apologized for her gift being a "bit of a grab bag", but that just made for a bounty. I'd mentioned I was interested in bakeware that would work for single-serving cakes, and got three teeny baking pans in "fun" shapes, including one in the shape of a foot. Hee!

And there were also three things for my Purple Garden Plot - including purple basil which was the one thing I hadn't gotten yet. And also a purple kneeling pad (and my bad knee is very happy about that). Thank you!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:32 AM on December 4, 2022 [2 favorites]

Huge thanks to kbar1 for the Cats of Star Trek (TOS) mug and kitty-themed comfy socks—these are some of my favorite things! It's currently snowing where I live (a sort of rarity) and the mug is about to be filled with hot chai. LLAP, kbar1!
posted by joseph_elmhurst at 10:09 AM on December 4, 2022 [2 favorites]

I finally opened my package from pjsky… sorry it took so long! I had to wait until I sent my own package off, and then I was out of town for a few days, but I have finally opened it and wow! Amazing, wonderful, giant tin of Laura’s Hemp Chocolates - Dark Chocolate Bark. It is awesome! Thank you so much for supporting a vegan vendor on my behalf, and it is delicious and also dark enough that I won’t eat them all in one sitting. Huzzah and Happy Beans!
posted by Glinn at 11:54 AM on December 4, 2022 [3 favorites]

I’ve been Beansed with a box of Kate Weiser artisan chocolates - and Reader, they are handpainted! 15 delightful orbs that look positively celestial. Thank you so much to my Secret Beanser; you have provided a key ingredient for a luxurious holiday.
posted by initapplette at 12:44 PM on December 4, 2022 [3 favorites]

thank you to the gifter who sent me the cool lamp! I love it!!
posted by aaanastasia at 1:42 PM on December 4, 2022 [3 favorites]

initapplette, I am your Beanser! I tried to get them directly through the shop but the shipping system was busted, so I went through Amazon. I'm glad you're happy with them! They are delicious and local to Dallas so I hoped they would meet your Beansing needs.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 1:46 PM on December 4, 2022 [3 favorites]

I opened my Secret Beans gift to be met with the most wonderful aroma! Captain_Science sent me the best goodies scented with fun soaps (Slovakian Christmas and Pyrohy on a Rope!) and a pierogi bathbomb that I can’t stop chuckling at.

In my guidance I said I love baking and spices. As true as that is, I’ve never let myself splurge on Penzey’s. Well now I can be fancy with my new Cupcake gift box. It contains vanilla sugar, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. So perfect for this time of year! Between baking sessions I can work on the craft kit I received. It’s an LED light-up frame that I can beautify with alcohol inks. I’m going to put the finished product on my desk at work to brighten up the space!

Lastly there’s a beautiful enamel pin reminding me to embrace love and that hope is everything. That perfectly captures the spirit of the swap!
posted by erloteiel at 3:34 PM on December 4, 2022 [5 favorites]

I received my gift on Friday and every single item in it was absolutely perfect for me. The wonderful oomny sent me two handmade handwarmers (my hands are always cold! My regular microwave heating pads are too big!), two local chocolate bars that are absolutely delicious, a painting she made on a sassafras leaf of a tufted titmouse and a printed card with a dark-eyed junco (no joke, juncos are my favorite birds and I'm watching a tufted titmouse at my bird feeder right now), and a print of the moon (my eternal fave). Honestly, every single item in this most excellent box fits just right and brought me a lot of joy. Thank you so much, oomny!
posted by SeedStitch at 6:17 AM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]

Glad you liked everything Seedstitch!

I received my package in the mail today from Sparky Buttons, and it had a little of everything that I like in it: a donation to my local park, an embroidered bird, cat toys and treats, and homemade foraged grape jelly and apple butter! Truly delightful! Really hit the mark! ♥️
posted by oomny at 9:49 AM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]

Many thanks to kimberussell who was given a strange and open-ended set of ideas and came through magnificently!
- A cheery pair of colorful knit socks for warmth: I did go on about socks as "just as an example!" but truly I was paging through very plain socks on the Internet last night, so these are wonderfully timed :D
- A terrifically handy and compactible brilliant-green utility bag: just as my daily grocery carry is ripping through.
- And a beautiful mini-painting of woods, meadow, and mountain. As an alternative to [socks] lol, I asked for art that could travel: not only can I encompass this easily in one hand, it's protected by a wee, solid frame with a stand. I love it sooo much. It reminds me of places I treasure and I've set the frame up so I'll see it first thing upon waking.

Thank you so much ♥
posted by to wound the autumnal city at 10:02 AM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]

Many thanks to the wrong kind of cheese for the minis and the cute marquee, which will go in my department office!
posted by thomas j wise at 10:36 AM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]

I just got a very heavy box delivered from the USPS with a return address in Wisconsin. It is from Twicketface and it contained five individually wrapped packages. I immediately unwrapped them all and found SO MANY SNACKS, all of them made in the great state of Wisconsin! What the photo does not convey is just how heavy those blocks of cheese are.

In my swap suggestions I usually ask for things made locally and he came through in spades

Thank you so much, Twicketface! My family and I will very much enjoy stuffing these items into our faces. om nom nom.
posted by bondcliff at 11:14 AM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]

Thank you so much to centrifugal! My favorite form of this gift swap is when someone finds just the right thing by digging through someone's site history, and that's what centrifugal did for me! She found a question I'd posted about native trees for our yard, and lydhre's answer about a place around here called Nasami Farm, and my reply saying I'd go check it out. Now I have even more reason to do just that with the gift card to Nasami Farm that centrifugal sent me! I can't wait to pick out a new native for the garden -- thank you!
posted by daisyace at 11:50 AM on December 5, 2022 [6 favorites]

miles per flower, I'm so glad your gift arrived safe! Karikari is something of a Seattle institution (or so the Seattle cool kids tell me, I'm a newbie here), so now you can be an evangelist for it on the Eastern seaboard and spread the spicy crispy love across the continent!


I, too, have now been beansed, and I'm delighted by the two very fragrant coffees gifted to me by kingdead! Very much looking forward to trying them both. Thank you, kingdead!
posted by Dorinda at 12:26 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]

I've already recycled the box, and I know my gifter's first name but not MeFi username...so, Mystery Person who likes LePen pens, thank you very much! The rooster teacup is lovely and the Salvador Dali chocolate mint tea tasty AND wrapped in the most entertaining tea packets ever. My grandpa worked for a company named Bantam, so he and my grandma had rooster plates, pictures, etc. from the 1960s and the mug reminds me of those (only classier). I also love the flamingo-in-fancy-bonnet note! Happiest of holidays to you and yours, too!
posted by homelystar at 12:45 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you nat for the lovely ornaments! They look awesome on my tree.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:12 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you rebeccabeagle for the thoughtful package that arrived today. What coziness and joy! I am wearing the fingerless mittens now and am looking forward to the hot chocolate and minty marshmallows. The bookmarks and stickers are lovely and perfect. Happy holidays!!
posted by jilloftrades at 3:27 PM on December 5, 2022 [2 favorites]

Glad they got there safely, ThePinkSuperhero. It looks like you and me and cozenedindigo had a little gifting triangle! I am delighted to be in such colorful company.
posted by nat at 3:54 PM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]

Glad you liked it aaanastasia! Hope it gives some moments of fun and light :)
posted by recklessbrother at 4:16 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]

Dear maxwelton, thank you so much for the lovely box of gifts! I look forward to wearing the pickle tee, to sharing the kitty toys with Mr Alfonso and Miss Berry, to using the llama dice at our next D&D game, and to finally beginning my journey to Discworld, which my husband has literally been waiting two decades for me to decide to try! Truly your Beans have made everyone in the house happy!
posted by gentlyepigrams at 6:34 PM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]

My pleasure, gentlyepigrams, glad the items hit the spot. Merry beansmas!
posted by maxwelton at 6:51 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you so much to someone (no ID) for the delightful North Carolina honey sampler from King Cobra Apiary!! It shall be enjoyed in much tea and on biscuits over this winter.
posted by tangaroo at 8:52 PM on December 5, 2022 [2 favorites]

My dog went all kinds of crazy at about 5:15 this morning making noises that mean 'there is actually something happening this time' so I got up to check it out and the commotion was the delivery of a box from janell who sent an amazing Nordic Baking book. I've leafed through it already and it's an amazingly dense book full of exactly the kinds of breads and treats I like to make. My mom's family is very Norwegian and my aunt lived in Sweden for a while so they will appreciate the new things I'll find in the book to bring to holidays this year. Mrs. Wreckage is equally excited - she's 'afraid of yeast' though she's a very good cook and has already picked out several things for me to make from the book.

There was a bonus of the most simplistic and accurate description of Minnesota on the card. It has me laughing at how we look to people from the outside. janell - you were pretty close to spot on in your description of our fine state and the imagery in the description was very funny.
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 5:57 AM on December 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

Hi Tangeroo! I'm your Beanser. I'm glad the honey got to you!

I'd been trying to catch the apiary people at my local farmer's market but they sold out before I could get to them so online order it was!
posted by astapasta24 at 6:20 AM on December 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

I’m so glad you like it, Clinging To The Wreckage! Enjoy!
posted by janell at 8:05 AM on December 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

I came home last night to a lovely package from Gail in VA (didn’t see a username) filled with some delicious Trader Joe’s treats she had correctly ascertained were unavailable (and missed by me!) in my current location, a beautiful Shenandoah tea towel and local-to-her pasta. Thank you! I had a chocolate cup for breakfast and am excited to refresh our Chanukah chocolate gelt with some that might be worth tasting. :)
posted by charmedimsure at 8:50 AM on December 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

The demon that lives in the air thank you so much for the package! The dishcloths are adorable, I love honey sticks, and that tea is wonderful. I started heating the kettle roughly .5 seconds after I opened the bag and if it wasn't the afternoon I'd be on my second or third cup. Can't wait to have more tomorrow morning!
posted by lepus at 3:51 PM on December 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

Many thanks to deezil who sent some Kentucky goodies my way. We sampled the modjeskas after dinner last night (delish) and I’m eager to try one of the recipes in the Tim Farmer cookbook! My son loved receiving his own good luck horseshoe! Best wishes
posted by pingzing at 4:19 PM on December 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thanks bunnysquirrel for the Zeke's coffee beans! They smell sooo good and will activate my brain tomorrow.
posted by esoterrica at 4:30 PM on December 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

Daisyace, hooray, I’m so glad my guess that that was still relevant was right! There’s another bit of something on its way to you from Seattle, mailed today, too!
posted by centrifugal at 7:51 PM on December 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

A big thank you to taffeta, darling! for the joyful card and package! I immediately made a cup of the TJ's Winter Wake Up tea, and now have a whole lovely collection of Trader Joe's snacks to nosh on. Thank you, too, for the local Texas Bluebonnet soap, which smells terrific, and the book, Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth. I visited the Alamo some years ago when I was at a conference in San Antonio, and (as a history major in the Days of Yore), I enjoy digging into the thorny reality of historical events rather than the version fed to us in school. Much appreciated!
posted by apartment dweller at 10:38 PM on December 6, 2022 [4 favorites]

Thank you to PingZing for your gift to me and bees! I love that you conducted research and found that Arizona is ranked first in a category I can be proud of – the most diversity of bee species in the US. I will do my best to help keep us in 1st place with my new bee home.
posted by kbar1 at 11:52 PM on December 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

I *think* I got my swap gift? It's an incredible root beer kit to make homemade root beer! My son and I are thrilled we get to play scientist. The note enclosed only said it was from "the Internet" so not sure who to thank but it really is a great gift that we'll enjoy!
posted by Twicketface at 5:16 AM on December 7, 2022 [4 favorites]

Thank you ilicet!

I was baffled by the mystery tag from FedEx on Monday, but they dropped the package off yesterday and I was delighted by the goodies!

I've already fidgeted with the fidget toy while on hold, though I'm making myself save the exciting Mango Chili chocolate for a winter solstice treat. The stickers and bookmark are both beautiful, and best of all, the card is hanging on my fridge =)
posted by Metasyntactic at 10:11 AM on December 7, 2022 [3 favorites]

I love lemons and all things that are lemony, and the wonderful Stynxno sent me the most delightful local lemony things! There's an absolutely HEAVENLY lemony gingery hand-poured candle that smells like sunlight and happiness in a jar. And a LEMON(!) lip balm that I am so looking forward to trying out, as Colorado is especially dry this year and you go through balms so quickly! Everything's really lovely and so very thoughtful.

It's a perfect box of sunshine to last me the winter! Thank you, Stynxno, and happiest holidays to you!
posted by mochapickle at 10:43 AM on December 7, 2022 [1 favorite]

I've mailed my package (sorry for the delay) and I'm delighted that it's going to someone who was among the first people I interacted with after joining MetaFilter. Doing the Hampster Dance just thinking about it!
posted by initapplette at 2:47 PM on December 7, 2022 [2 favorites]

I had just come home after a long day of work, when suddenly I spotted a mysterious package at my front door. Intrigued, I brought the package inside, opened it, and proceeded to peruse its contents.

Lo and behold, a truly generous holiday treat awaited me: journals, stickers and fancy tape, Gelly roll pens, mini dinosaur creatures...and stars. So many stars.

Also, a lightsaber bookmark that goes perfectly with the Star Wars book that I just borrowed from my local library.

Thank you so much phunniemee. Happy Beans!

P.S. Your wrapping skills are truly legendary!
posted by carnival_night_zone at 3:26 PM on December 7, 2022 [3 favorites]

Whoever sent me the delightful cocktail herbs grow kit from Uncommon Goods, thank you! I don’t know who you are, but you made my day better. (Unless this is a surprise from someone in my non-MF life, in which case they did…)
posted by centrifugal at 3:49 PM on December 7, 2022 [3 favorites]

Big thanks to theora55 for the hand tie-dyed napkins and tin of pure maple syrup. Can't wait to pour it on pancakes tomorrow morning and wipe my huge grin with the napkins!
posted by obol at 4:18 PM on December 7, 2022 [4 favorites]

I know they didn't, but I swear that knownassociate had to have contacted okayokayigive for input because they absolutely nailed my beanmas gifts!

A book about rowing (a relatively new obsession), "Taskmaster: The Card Game" (one of our favorite shows), a REALLY cool old school AirMail envelope (I've fallen into the paper ephemera obsession), a wonderful card, AND a lovely, decorated envelope from their toddler.

THANK YOU THANK YOU! <3
posted by RhysPenbras at 6:16 AM on December 8, 2022 [3 favorites]

I received a wonderful box of stationary and a Korean papermaking kit today from my gift giver (whose username I didn't see, but initials are JS). I am very excited to start using both -- and those we get letters from me may notice a fun change in stationary this year!

Thank you very much!
posted by chiefthe at 11:58 AM on December 8, 2022 [2 favorites]

Thank you delight for the Charley Harper puzzle!!! You could not have picked a better one for me (I’m sitting in front of a Charley Harper poster as I write this).

(It also felt serendipitous to peek at the tracking info and see that it was shipped from a town I used to live in!)
posted by rebeccabeagle at 3:39 PM on December 8, 2022 [2 favorites]

A box of deliciousness arrived yesterday from chara - hand-crafted, beautifully packaged tea and a mug to go with it, in addition to Kansas honey and barbeque sauce, which I cannot wait to try! Attached note explained that all items were created by someone with connection to chara, which makes the gift particularly delightful.

Thank you very much, chara, and thank you, rhyspenbras and okayokayigive for organizing!
posted by Dotty at 7:49 AM on December 9, 2022 [2 favorites]

Many thanks to holborne for my favorite candy in the whole wide world and some great looking tea! So excited to try it!
posted by craven_morhead at 8:01 AM on December 9, 2022 [2 favorites]

Thank you to mandolin conspiracy for a great-idea-for-a-puzzle. I received a puzzle that is a map of the Great Lakes region. What is genius about this, is that I can GOOGLE where each piece goes!! Anyway, it arrived a couple of days ago and I delayed saying thank you because I thought I'd assemble it first. But I was only able to work on it one evening and now probably won't get to do any until Sunday and that seemed too long to delay a thank you. Anyway, it's half done and I will post a picture when it's finished.

oh, and also a Cat Came Back NFB pin, which is super-cute and I'll wear it to my work holiday party next week even though it's not really holiday-themed it's a great little icebreaker piece.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:39 AM on December 9, 2022 [3 favorites]

Received a nicely worded shirt from Dirty Old Town - thank you!
posted by sciencegeek at 10:41 AM on December 9, 2022 [3 favorites]

If only I had a penguin..., yay! I'm glad you like the puzzle!

I couldn't resist the pin (context for anyone wondering what the cat in question looks like).
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 10:54 AM on December 9, 2022 [2 favorites]

I was finally able to mail my gift yesterday (the day before? time is a circle. And no worries, I asked the amazing organizers to nofity my giftee of the slight delay). My giftee is in my customs zone, but I dared to buy one item that was handmade and not from our customs zone. OOPS, but worth the wait! (I think). It will be there soon, "waitee"!
posted by atomicstone at 1:57 PM on December 9, 2022 [2 favorites]

More beans! I'd already gotten such a nice present from centrifugal, and was extra-psyched when she posted above that there was more to come. The rest arrived today, and has compounded my beansy cheer :) A particularly lovely card accompanied a super-nice birch-leaf mug made by centrifugal herself! And when I opened the box, it smelled all wintery and festive because of the greenery she included for our woodstove -- which she also knew about from my posting history. Centrifugal, this was all so great to receive -- thank you very, very much!
posted by daisyace at 2:37 PM on December 9, 2022 [3 favorites]

I just received the most delightful assortment of various beans that I believe to be from my match here. Their identity remains a mystery to me, but if you're out there, friend, please know I am THRILLED with your gift of snacky goodness and beautiful seasonal fruits! Your timing is impeccable as I had a medical procedure this morning that means I'll be laid up for a bit, and I truly was just thinking how much I wish I had some nice fresh fruit when I woke up from my drugs-induced nap... then my partner strolled in and let me know this gift had arrived. Thank you again for brightening today and my whole season! :)

Look how lovely!
posted by hansbrough at 3:20 PM on December 9, 2022 [2 favorites]

OneSmartMonkey sent an incredible box of PNW goodies plus homemade chocolates and other confections! I am excited to try all of it! I have no doubt my pepperhead friends will especially enjoy some dishes served with the Secret Aardvark sauce and the Beaver jalapeño mustard.

Thank you so much!
posted by jedicus at 3:44 PM on December 9, 2022 [3 favorites]

My secret beans contained actual beans! Specifically, rancho gordo super lucky black-eyed peas. I am extra thrilled by this not just because it's clever and seasonal, but because I keep almost breaking down and ordering beans from rancho gordo, and now the decision has been made for me.

skycrashes down also sent me some very cute stickers (which were clearly chosen in response to some of the items on my list), a delicious-looking peppermint crunch chocolate bar that I cannot wait to eat, a catnip banana for my cat (who has already chased it all around the apartment), and a very interesting-looking cd that I'm looking forward to listening to!

Such a wonderful gift! Thank you so much, skycrashesdown!!
posted by dizziest at 4:19 PM on December 9, 2022 [4 favorites]

I am tardy in sending my thanks! I received an amazing little package from obloquy!

Thank you so much! I loved how creatively everything was wrapped! As I dug down into the box, more surprises kept coming: stickers, mini tarot, MF sticker, lucky fish, an ornament, and postcards and stamps (because we are both in card club!)

Thanks so much!!!
posted by vespabelle at 5:49 PM on December 9, 2022 [3 favorites]

vespabelle, you're welcome—it's always fun to make things for you.
P.S. cute video! : )
posted by obloquy at 6:43 PM on December 9, 2022 [2 favorites]

Thank you, brilliantmistake, for the lovely paper goods made by MeFi’s own Sweetie Darling! I’ve admired her craftwork before, but I rarely buy pretty paper things for myself, so this is a treat for me. I finally got a tree put up and decorated this week, just in time for me to stash this pretty parcel under it for re-opening in a few weeks. After that, some participants in the MeFi Card Club can look forward to getting some beautiful handmade cards in the mail.
Have a sparkling bean season, brilliantmistake—and again, thanks so much for the delightful gifts!
posted by obloquy at 6:47 PM on December 9, 2022 [3 favorites]

I came home (after a very long day) to a lovely package from erloteiel! They somehow managed to distill all my guidance into a little package which had me grinning from delight. I can't wait to use the stickers and the washi tape, and the chocolate will be excellent motivation for me to finish grading faster. (I was also very impressed with the color coordination of all the items!) Thank you so much for spreading the festive, merry, Secret Beans spirit! 🎉
posted by invokeuse at 7:57 PM on December 9, 2022 [3 favorites]

Omggggg I am SO thankful to my secret Canadian beanser! They bestowed upon me the cutest raccoon-sleeping-on-top-of-a-bus pin and TONS of stationary! Y'all, I love note cards with local art - my beanser went HAM. Such a lovely collection, which includes depictions of their two favorite landmarks!

I will admire the mini works of art for a time on my corkboard before they fulfill their purpose in carrying messages to loved ones. THANK YOU. It is water to my soul.
posted by idealist at 12:18 AM on December 10, 2022 [3 favorites]

Holy Farnsworth Museum journal! What an absolute delight to crack open the (usually empty or relatively depressing) mailbox and find a most splendid journal and shiny, glittery metallic pencils from Sit for a Spell!

I was in such desperate need for a new journal and it's one of those things I don't like to treat myself to, so MANY MANY Vermont thanks and hugs if you want them!!
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 5:37 AM on December 10, 2022 [2 favorites]

craven_morhead, I’m glad you liked them! When I was a teenager, I used to buy Andes Mints as presents for my friends, so getting them for you brought back memories. I also got a box for myself, but my husband wound up eating most of them. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
posted by holborne at 5:47 AM on December 10, 2022 [2 favorites]

Hi centrifugal, your gift was from me. Glad you liked it! : )
posted by SisterHavana at 7:17 AM on December 10, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you Lesium for my thoughtful gift of chocolate spoons. Excited to use them in my coffee!
posted by bookworm4125 at 9:12 AM on December 10, 2022 [2 favorites]

SisterHavana, thank you!! I assume you were also the sender of the bar of lovely citrusy-smelling soap, so thank you for that too!
posted by centrifugal at 10:29 AM on December 10, 2022 [3 favorites]

Yay! I just received my gift from If only I had a penguin and it's so cool and my family and I love it. What a rad solar system model. Mx
posted by PistachioRoux at 3:51 PM on December 10, 2022 [3 favorites]

I'm late giving thanks but I want to give a whole lot of them to clinging to the wreckage, who sent a beautiful assortment of textiles from Malawi, jam from the UK, and Nut Goodies and Nut Rolls from Pearson's Candy Company in St. Paul, Minnesota. The only problem is that I am now addicted to these candies and am going to end up either paying shipping costs or having to travel back to St. Paul... such hardship.
posted by kingdead at 4:25 PM on December 10, 2022 [2 favorites]

Thank you Jedicus for the amazing hand crafted gifts!! I love getting gifts that represent the person who’s sending them and you did not disappoint, with a beautiful handcrafted maple and walnut box and butter knife carved from a limb from your very own peach tree! As if that wasn’t enough, you also included published law articles you co-authored (that my attorney husband has already gone over), a book you wrote and a piece of the Swiss Alps from one of your rock climbing adventures! So thoughtful and neat - thank you, thank you for sharing!
posted by sit for a spell at 4:29 PM on December 10, 2022 [4 favorites]

After receiving my gift from xingcat, I remain absolutely convinced that this is the best place on the internet! Thank you xingcat, for the awesome mini paintings (beautiful!), the Spatula City sticker (wow!) and the puzzle (so fun!). There were many exclamations of joy while I opened everything. Thank you for filling my heart with joy! And thank you to the organizers for keeping the magic of this gift exchange going!
posted by andree at 6:20 AM on December 11, 2022 [4 favorites]

Dysk, thank you so much for the box of goodies! I was a little nervous trying the tea because I’ve disliked Earl Grey in the past, but this blend is really tasty. Finally I understand what Captain Picard’s deal is! I regret to say that I’m already 2/3rds of the way through the vegan chocolate — the pralines are especially tasty. Probably should have saved a couple for when my brother gets here for the holidays, but eh ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Thanks to the organizers for running the exchange! It’s one of my favorite parts of the holiday season.
posted by bettafish at 1:03 PM on December 11, 2022 [2 favorites]

Thank you so much to my mysterious gifter! I received a cornucopia of delights - Market Spice tea, English breakfast tea, and market spice seasoning, which are all so delicious! I also received chukar cherries, which are a new favorite, as well as some sweet washi tape and stickers. And a delightful card! I waited as long as I could to open this gift, and it was such a warm surprise. Thank you thank you thank you!
posted by rocketing at 1:54 PM on December 11, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you to my anonymous gifter for the amazing book of short fiction. This is absolutely right up my alley and I can't wait to dive in!
posted by okayokayigive at 4:14 PM on December 11, 2022 [2 favorites]

I'm so glad you liked it kingdead! I'm glad you liked the textiles. Mrs. Wreckage bought a lot of it on her last trip to Malawi and it's really neat stuff - and supports great people who make it. You just can't ever go wrong with Pearson's Candy!
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 4:34 PM on December 11, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you so much, RhysPenbras for the lovely box of gifts from Buffalo! I was out of town last week, so I'm not exactly sure when it arrived, but I opened it yesterday to find seeds from your garden, plant stakes (one that says "Not Dead Yet," thank you for nailing my particular approach to the garden...) a tea towel, a magnet, and a Baphomet-themed card full of good cheer and warm wishes. Thank you thank you! I feel extra lucky that my beanser was one of this year's organizers, thank you both for all the hard work.

I'm not sure whether my international giftee has received any beans yet, so I'll be watching this thread still and rolling in the second-hand vibes as everyone opens their packages.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 9:23 AM on December 12, 2022 [2 favorites]

Ahhhh I got my package from Superilla and it is a collection of delights. Four excellent postcard prints of geometric typewriter art by Kevin Stebner (this is probably going to turn into a MetaFilter post shortly), a gorgeous looking quilt-centric issue of an art/craft magazine called UPPERCASE that I wasn't aware of previously, some grade-A Canadian road snacks (I never find All Dressed chips except on my rare visits to Vancouver or visiting friends in Maine some summers), and, rounding it all out perfectly, some scratch-and-sniff donut stickers. Just tremendous stuff, thank you so much Superilla, and thank you for the nice card as well.
posted by cortex (retired) at 10:41 AM on December 12, 2022 [3 favorites]

Also thank you again to the organizers for making this happen, past and present; it's always such a nice thing for a bunch of people here and your work to facilitate it is why it's possible. And apologies to my anonymous bean-ee for the wait; yours is in the mail finally and should get to you in a couple days. Love you, MeFi.
posted by cortex (retired) at 10:43 AM on December 12, 2022 [7 favorites]

i'm finally over jetlag and the related international travel mind fog (meaning, i'm pretty sure what day it is where i am), so i decided to open the present that was waiting here for me when i arrived! i received a very nice pedicure set and a thin bar of soap from grace and miss mouse soaps in vermont! i'm looking forward to using it when i need to relax after a busy day at work. unfortunately, i couldn't find a name for my gifter so i can't thank them by name, but thank you!
posted by emmling at 11:33 AM on December 12, 2022 [3 favorites]

Fuck yeah, bendy gave me a coelacanth pin.

It is going on the bag of pins as soon as I figure out the perfect spot.

(It is already on Fuck Yeah Coelacanths, natch.)
posted by Katemonkey at 11:49 AM on December 12, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you robcorr for the beautiful and fancy soba noodle salad set! Love the furoshiki, love Cibi, love surprises! This bought me so much joy after a really rough year. Beyond delighted.
posted by t0astie at 12:19 PM on December 12, 2022 [2 favorites]

I got a wonderful box of gifts from someone in Georgia. I don't see a MetaFilter ID, so I hope they are reading this thread. I have a book, Prohibition in Atlanta, signed by the authors which looks fascinating and it is accompanied by a coaster on which I can rest my illicit liquor. Also included was some southern barbecue seasoning, peach cobbler jam, and maple roasted pecans. Thank you so much, and thanks to the volunteer organizers. This is one of the highlights of the season for me.
posted by maurice at 4:01 PM on December 12, 2022 [2 favorites]

Except insects gave me such a thoughtful, perfect gift. Merino wool socks ( I just bought my mom wool socks for the holidays,) delicious hot chocolate (I just gifted some to a friend) and homemade versions of Dorie Greeespan's World Peace Cookies. (I just listened to her on the Good Food Podcast)

I had a really bad few weeks. The world has felt pretty big and scary. And this really nice box reminded me it's closer to my heart than I realized. I'm grateful for this community.
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 9:39 PM on December 12, 2022 [5 favorites]

After two false starts earlier this month (unexpected packages that turned out to be things I'd not known I won), I had a hefty package in my mailbox today that I'm 99% is my MetaFilter gift swap.

So thank you in advance — the name on return address appears to be a real name, not a MetaFilter name, so I don't want to risk outing someone, but it's from Maryland — and I'm going to try to hold out until the start of Hanukkah so I'll have something to open on Sunday night.

Also, thomas j wise, I'm delighted your gifts made it safely to you. Enjoy!
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 11:42 PM on December 12, 2022 [3 favorites]

A belated "you're very welcome!" to Meggan! Including a link to your GoodReads list was brilliant and I'm really glad the book was a good fit. Enjoy the chocolates, they're my favorites!
posted by SeedStitch at 5:19 AM on December 13, 2022 [4 favorites]

Just got a great set of chocolates and hot sauce and kitty toys, plus an amazing glow in the dark zombie hand! Tis a great year for a gift exchange. Thanks for a great surprise!
posted by Nackt at 5:36 AM on December 13, 2022 [4 favorites]

Hey Emmling! Miss Mouse Soaps are right by where I live and it's where I want to be buried when I die. The smells are intoxicating and the products are so delicious. Enjoy!!
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 10:16 AM on December 13, 2022 [3 favorites]

I don't see a MeFi handle, but a big thank you to my secret gifter! I opened my package to find a lovely stationery extravaganza—letter set (what cool geometric patterns!), message cards, ✨ washi tape ✨, and an incredibly cute matchbox note paper set omg. Excited to use these! :D
posted by ilicet at 10:28 AM on December 13, 2022 [2 favorites]

Ilicet, that was from me! Glad you liked it and apologies it took longer than I expected to ship. I was so excited to order it that I forgot to put in a gift message...
posted by Tesseractive at 11:59 AM on December 13, 2022 [3 favorites]

Greetings! I am pleased to share the lovely giftie I received in the mail. The name on the box was an actual name on it, so I don't want to dox, but if you are my Secret Beanser from Seattle, THANK YOU for the delightful book - it's Less by Andrew Sean Greer. The protagonist is about to turn 50 which ... hmm..you are quite observant! I have been in a reading slump and this looks like just the thing to get me out.

And our scampy Murphy received a stuffed string of lights(dropbox share link, ignore if it prompts you to log in, you can click past that) and he loves it to bits and is VERY good at whacking us with it.

Thank you so much, Seattle MeFite, for making my day brighter! I LOVE THE YEARLY GIFT SWAP!!
posted by kimberussell at 3:43 PM on December 13, 2022 [3 favorites]

Yesterday really needed to work hard for redemption after five and a half (!!) hours of mandatory work training, during which I learned maybe one thing that is actually relevant to my day to day job. Luckily, redemption came in the form of a festive package from an anonymous sender. In it, I found an assortment of cat toys for my best buddy Oscar and some photos of my beansee’s cats.(Nuisance and Nonsense! I love those as cat names!). He is still deciding how he feels about the crinkly balls and the springs, but the purr-peller is a huge hit.

I have no indication yet as to who my beansee is, but there was also a card with my package indicating that there is more to come, so maybe I will receive my answer soon. In any case, Oscar and I thank you wherever you are and look forward to what’s ahead!
posted by ActionPopulated at 5:51 PM on December 13, 2022 [2 favorites]

Many thanks to randomquestion who sent me a lovely cooperative board game (my favorite kind) in time for me to take it to thanksgiving and play it with my family!
posted by exceptinsects at 10:34 PM on December 13, 2022 [2 favorites]

Some mystery gifter sent me a really cool "make your own macrame" kit and I am psyched to....make my own macrame! Thanks, mystery gifter (I really am psyched!)!
posted by atomicstone at 3:15 PM on December 14, 2022 [3 favorites]

Wait! In very very tiny tiny print, it does say it's from sleeping bear! Thanks, sleeping bear!
posted by atomicstone at 3:19 PM on December 14, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you all so much for participating! Here are some fun stats as of yesterday:
- 92% of all gifts are confirmed as having shipped
- 66% of all gifts are confirmed as having been received

Love to see it!
posted by okayokayigive at 6:04 AM on December 15, 2022 [8 favorites]

I just received my gifts from V: The Buried Soul: How Humans Invented Death and Death to Dust: What Happens to Dead Bodies. The note from V : "This started out as a combination of a dessert book and a book about amateur dentistry, but for some reason I couldn't ship those to Australia.." I LOVE THESE BOOKS! I got plenty of cookbooks and already have a dentistry book for the post-Apocalypse. The mechanisms of the shipping universe needs me have death books. Yeah!
posted by jadepearl at 11:30 PM on December 15, 2022 [2 favorites]

Hello and thank you so much to introp, whose beautiful package I got just before I was befallen with a terrible flu and so had not yet posted. I received some delicious chocolate, coffee, sourwood honey, and a Petoskey stone. It was so welcome and such a surprise despite me expecting something. :) My own giftee asked for a letter which is belated due to my being struck down by the plague but as I'm healing now and my brain is working better I shall finish it soon.
posted by fairlynearlyready at 4:23 PM on December 16, 2022 [3 favorites]

Huge props to a non mouse, a cow heard for the witchy Galveston goodies! I grew up in Houston and visited Galveston a lot as a kid, so it feels like a bit of childhood. I LOVE the Witchery t shirt. The tote bag and coaster will be so useful, and the evil eye will ward spirits away from my home office.

Thank you for such a thoughtful and fun set of gifts!
posted by jeoc at 5:54 PM on December 16, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you Aniola for the wonderful card game! My family loves to play games together and we can’t wait to add this to the rotation! (I’ve had this for a while, sorry it took me to long to open)
posted by sleeping bear at 9:20 AM on December 17, 2022 [2 favorites]

Thank you, Dotty, for an amazing gift box. The guitar pedal is firmly placed on my board and already inspiring new sounds. The comics look great and guitar strings are always welcome. Seriously cool gifts, thank you!
posted by signal at 3:43 PM on December 17, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thank you rocketing! I opened your package this morning to get three unique flavored chocolate bars from Raaka Chocolate. I'm particularly interested in the strawberry flavor, since I like fruit/chocolate combinations. rocketing also made a donation to a local charity doing social change work through ultimate frisbee, weightlifting, and other athletic programs. Thanks for helping out my community - I live around some of the areas benefited by the charity!
posted by saeculorum at 6:57 PM on December 17, 2022 [4 favorites]

Thank you, atomicstone, for my excellent bounty of Coffee Crisp. I was just complaining to someone that I miss home (which hasn't been "home" in decades) most for the food at the Canada-adjacency. My mouth is very happy.

And I don't know where the heck you found a Coffee Crisp zippered pouch, but I can't wait to show it off! It took me a split second when I unwrapped it to understand what I was actually seeing, and then I couldn't start giggling. To start, I'm going to put a Coffee Crisp in the Coffee Crisp zippered pouch so I always have one (and only one at a time) in my purse!

You've made me very happy! Thank you!
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 5:32 PM on December 18, 2022 [3 favorites]

How does the trackinator work? Is it a mod-only tool?

No real issue with/about it, but I am a curious.
posted by maxwelton at 1:06 AM on December 19, 2022 [1 favorite]

Thanks to t0astie for the gorgeous LEAKPROOF (I filled it with whiskey and turned it upside down to check) keep cup. It is rainbows and purple and fits perfectly in my car cupholders!
posted by ngaiotonga at 1:46 AM on December 19, 2022 [3 favorites]

I received my gift on Friday and it was just the thing I needed after a few weeks of work hell. Candles, a cute tea towel, a reusable straw (how did you know I needed one?), and all sorts of other goodies wrapped in the cutest packaging possible. I headed out of town the next day for travel and I already forgot the lovely user who sent this, so I can't tag them! Thank you so much! :D
posted by lucy.jakobs at 6:35 AM on December 19, 2022 [2 favorites]

Thank you thank you cortex for my very own linoleum plate! "Mefi's own darsh" has such a nice ring to it, I look forward to making my mark on all sorts of things around the house!
posted by darsh at 12:11 PM on December 19, 2022 [4 favorites]

Thank you so much, The Big Red Kitty Purrs! Enjoying a delightful cup of local tea now brewed in the cutest infuser. The cross stitch will adorn my freshly painted office wall, and the card is adorable. I don’t know where the first box ended up, but really appreciate you sending this one! Happy Beans indeed to you and the organizers for making sure I got something!
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 7:25 PM on December 19, 2022 [2 favorites]

OneSmartMonkey I am so happy the second box made it to you and I’m really curious about where the first one ended up. I hope you enjoy the tea, it comes from one of my favorite shops in Pittsburgh.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 2:48 AM on December 20, 2022 [1 favorite]

@maxwelton - the trackinator is available to the current year's swap organizers only (this year that's me and rhyspenbras). Happy to answer any questions about it, either here or via email ([e-mail])!
posted by okayokayigive at 6:20 AM on December 20, 2022 [2 favorites]

Thank you so much biffa for the lovely gifts from Cornwall, two wooden postcards, a pasty fridge magnet/bottle opener, and some lovely scented tea lights. This was delivered a while ago but has been waiting for me to get to England to avoid shipping issues to continental Europe.
posted by ellieBOA at 4:35 AM on December 21, 2022 [2 favorites]

I'm so glad you loved your presents, jeoc! My partner and I had a blast shopping for them. As soon as I read what you wanted, I knew Witchery was the perfect place. A fave store of mine on the island. The nostalgia bump is just icing on the cake.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 2:19 PM on December 21, 2022 [2 favorites]

I'll be honest, The Wrong Kind of Cheese, you had a (rightfully) LONG list of ideas (and anti-ideas). But, I ADORE COFFEE CRISP as a technical Canadian (I'm a US born dual through my Dad). The zip bag was made by an Etsy person! Glad you're thrilled!
posted by atomicstone at 3:39 PM on December 21, 2022 [1 favorite]

Ooh, I also received my gift and forgot to mention b/c.... life. I received a delightful cowbell (which now sits upon my home office desk with a newly acquired barrel of monkeys and a very old dancing t-rex I also received for the season a long time ago), a pair of dice from the gifter's own store and a lovely postcard.

Sadly, didn't see a name anywhere, so thank you mystery gifter! You're definitely making my office finally feel cozy.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 6:59 AM on December 22, 2022 [1 favorite]

a non mouse, a cow herd - that was me! I realized after I wrote all about the cowbell I didn't put my name anywhere.

Thank you to mochapickle for the book bag and tea! With the freezing weather of late I expect a lot of tea drinking in the next few days.
posted by fiercekitten at 6:56 PM on December 22, 2022 [2 favorites]

ellioBOA: great, glad it got there ok.
posted by biffa at 7:57 AM on December 23, 2022 [2 favorites]

Thank you Secret Bean! I don't want to open your nicely wrapped gift until Christmas. (So update to follow, I guess?) But it got here safe and sound and right on time.

The shape looks interesting... But I must wait!
posted by Kevin Street at 1:55 PM on December 24, 2022 [2 favorites]

I'd told widdershins I was putting off opening my packages till the holiday. Now open, and I received a sign about cats and books, two of my favorite things, plus chocolate (a 3rd fave :)).
And in honor of my username, some very warm (& red, my fave color!) socks from Scandinavia. :) :)

"Takk" and "tack," widdershins.
posted by NorthernLite at 3:10 PM on December 24, 2022 [1 favorite]

Happy Christmas and a mega Thank You! To Maurice for the GORGEOUS art tiles. I love birds, and these will display beautifully in my library. So thankful and happy this holiday morning.
posted by Rubydooby at 8:48 AM on December 25, 2022 [2 favorites]

My gift arrived a couple weeks ago, but I saved it for today to open. I only know the giver's real name. What a delightful package of Nova Scotian goodies! I am extra excited to try the dark chocolate with wild Nova Scotian blueberries! And here are the dogs checking out their new tug toy!

Thank you so much!
posted by jillithd at 12:28 PM on December 25, 2022 [3 favorites]

Woohoo! I got secret gift swap treats! Many thanks to hansbrough for the lovely box of California-sourced goodies (and in a really pretty box!). :) Apologies for them being already-opened in the picture because, honestly, we dove into them before remembering we should take a picture. :D They're all delicious and a pleasant reminder of my wife's old stomping grounds.
posted by introp at 8:02 AM on December 26, 2022 [2 favorites]

My secret giver wasn't able to get anything in the mail to me but, yanno, some times are just LIKE THAT and I'm not mad, just disappointed LOL. I did manage to get mine out to my recipient, but am still looking for the perfect "cheesy postcard" to accompany so there'll be another in the mail eventually!
posted by cyndigo at 11:46 AM on December 26, 2022

Thank you to my Secret Bean, okayokayigive!

She sent a pottery sculpture with forest-like character that would be a great hangout for some air plants, a print she made herself which looks like a lake sunset, and Buffalo sponge candy, which I have a vague memory of from childhood (although not the Buffalo part). I like the card a lot, too! It's a print of the Darwin D. Martin House in Buffalo, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

And thank you to okayokayigive and RhysPenbras for their stellar organizing of the swap this year! I hope the two of you are okayokay in Buffalo! Please check in.
posted by jgirl at 3:58 PM on December 26, 2022 [3 favorites]

Hey all! We know there are probably questions in the gift swap email and we are definitely behind on this thread (cyndigo I will circle back and make sure you get hooked up with a second chancer!) but as jgirl noted, both rhyspenbras and I are in Buffalo so response times may be a bit delayed :) We are safe and warm - and I encourage everyone to check out the post on the blue about the positive stories coming out of this devastating storm!
posted by okayokayigive at 10:31 AM on December 27, 2022 [3 favorites]

Don't worry about it! One of my favorite ex-boyfriend's has been working at Mercy (and stuck there) all week ... be safe in Buffalo!
posted by cyndigo at 11:36 AM on December 27, 2022 [1 favorite]

I believe I got my gift, unless someone else in my life has taken to mailing me items unexpectedly, but there is no name I can see. So thank you Secret Bean for my travel cat bag. I now have a winter project, slowly training the cat into sitting near, on, then hopefully in an adventure bag.
posted by sgrass at 3:54 PM on December 27, 2022 [2 favorites]

After over a month held in customs, my parcel arrived unexpectedly this morning, full of Austrian treats! Chocolate, tea, wafers, biscuits, even a scarf! Thank you so much 15L06, I'm really looking forward to digging in :D
posted by Dysk at 1:55 AM on December 29, 2022 [2 favorites]

It came a few days before Christmas but vert thankful for the lovely book from EmpressCallipygos!
posted by FakePalindrome at 5:06 PM on December 30, 2022

Oh WHEW it got there yay! You're very welcome!

*I think I said to try the "bean confit", the thing where you take beans and add chopped olives and paprika and then smother it in olive oil and bake it....that thing is BLOWING UP the Rancho Gordo bean group, so there's about 10K very enthusiastic recommendations for that recipe!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:10 PM on December 30, 2022

I am a bad giftee, because I received my lovely gift a few weeks ago and have been terrible about remembering to update here. When I was growing up, my mom loved Christmas. We aren’t a religious family, but she loved baking, decorating, choosing the perfect presents and wrapping them, getting the tree, etc. Dad never gave a damn about Christmas but he never wanted anything more than to make mom happy so he cheerfully went along with all of it. Mom died a particularly ugly death from cancer last winter, not long before Christmas, and dad said he’s fine with never really doing Christmas again.

All of which is a particularly long winded way to say that this was not a banner holiday season for me, and I primarily dealt with Christmas by ignoring it. But! One of the few bright spots this year was the delivery of a lovely package with a beautiful print, some nice magnets, and a new cross stitch kit that I’m very excited to start in the new year. I didn’t see the sender’s MF name on/in the package anywhere, so I can only hope they see my very belated thank you here. I love Metafilter and this annual tradition very much, and for the last two rotten holidays in particular it has made a crappy time better for me.
posted by skycrashesdown at 10:50 AM on December 31, 2022 [2 favorites]

Thanks to The Elusive Architeuthis for the 'Have A Bleedin Guess: The Story of Hex Enduction Hour' book (got caught up in "International Shipping" limbo for a bit, but it finally came) as well as the earlier toffee and Dickens ephemera! Happy 2023 to ya!
posted by gtrwolf at 10:14 PM on January 2, 2023

Oh skycrashesdown, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your mom, and so glad that you liked the gift. I *did* hunt for a cheesy Denver postcard but haven't found one yet ... when I do it will be in the mail!
posted by cyndigo at 11:03 AM on January 3, 2023 [1 favorite]

The Bean Gods sent me a note earlier today saying according to my sender a package was being held for me at the post office. (Normally, this would have meant a card left in my box telling me to hoof it to the counter, but no such memo had arrived.) So I stopped by the PO and found that, indeed, they did have a secret box for me. (Turns out no one who got packages that day was left with any clue they arrived, busy day, apparently.)

I just got home and opened it to find a delightful puzzle illustrating Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I love national park ephemera, and puzzles, so this was worth the (short) wait. Thank you, anonymous gift giver!
posted by maxwelton at 4:58 PM on January 5, 2023 [1 favorite]

Hurray! UK customs has finally cleared my gift from Switzerland for entry and it was a nice surprise this morning. Took me a moment of two to come to the happy conclusion as to what the package was. bettafish picked out some lovely objects for me to follow a swiss army knife a while back (which I still carry). A lovely wooden bookmark, especially useful as I'm shifting back to real books at bed time, plus some arty objects that will make it on to my office shelf of lovely things. Many thanks bettafish!
posted by biffa at 4:12 AM on January 6, 2023 [1 favorite]

I just got back from picking my gift up from the post office, and oh my goodness! Emmling has sent an absolutely delightful collection of Japanese candy, a beautiful notebook and pen, Shogun coffee, and an intriguing syrup mixture that adds ginger flavour to one's beer! And Emmling has included a card with each item that introduces each gift, written in adorable hand writing.

I can't express how grateful I am to receive such a thoughtful, delightful gift at the end of an otherwise not-that-great week. Big thank you to Emmling, and a big thank you again to RhysPenbras and okayokayigive for organising!
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 4:22 PM on January 6, 2023 [1 favorite]

I am finally back in the country and came home to a beautiful gift from unreasonable. I was away for an extended time because of family complications abroad, making the holidays pretty rough. Coming home to a thoughtful, beautiful, kind, and meaningful gift from a stranger was honestly overwhelming. An 11 hour flight, followed by two hours of waiting for luggage, and then another hour to get home, only to open the door to an uplifting group of handmade, local, and just perfect gifts, together with a charming card. Believe me, there were tears and then some ceremonial eating of chocolate. Thank you, thank you, thank you unreasonable from the bottom of my heart.
posted by recklessbrother at 6:51 PM on January 9, 2023

Just grabbed the mail, and lo and behold there was a padded envelope from the U.S. in there...

...and it was a lovely postcard (featuring the Gamble House, home of Doc Brown in Back to the Future) and set of cool, local fridge magnets from Apathy Girl!

Thank you!

I have a collection of fridge magnets on the go, and these are great additions - one is a Route 66 made with real California Redwood veneer, and the other features a bunch of cool local stuff like the Mt. Wilson Observatory and Pacific Asia Museum.

These are awesome, and they're now up on the fridge!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:10 PM on January 11, 2023

Greetings from (one of) your gift swap organizers! I wanted to pop in to say thank you to everyone for participating, and a particular shout-out to all of the very, very patient people who waited (and are in some cases still waiting) for their gifts to make their way through various shipping challenges.

We're in the "tying up loose ends" stage for the 2022 swap, and are continuing to reach out via both email and MeMail to anyone who a) we don't have confirmed shipment from and/or b) anyone where the tracking information shows it was delivered but they haven't otherwise confirmed receipt. Thankfully group a is very small, and we have second-chancers standing by if we don't hear back very soon. So please, check your email/MeMail if you think you might be in one of those two groups!

As always, please reach out to me or RhysPenbras via MeMail, or to [e-mail], if you have any questions or concerns. :)
posted by okayokayigive at 3:17 PM on January 12, 2023 [2 favorites]

Everybody needs a mug, and I got a much-appreciated Official Metafilter one! Thanks so much, bunnysquirrel!
posted by drlith at 6:52 AM on January 28, 2023 [1 favorite]