Confused by all the holiday beans

December 18, 2024 7:01 AM

I didn't participate in the Holiday Gift Swap but I enjoy reading about all of the Gift Swap Arrivals - each posting is happy little burst of joy. However, I'm baffled by the constant references to beans and beansters. I'm familiar with things that aren't worth a hill of beans and with bean counting and even the more MetaFilter specific beanplating but this one has me baffled.

ps - if this doesn't belong in MetaTalk, please let me know

posted by metahawk to MetaFilter-Related at 7:01 AM (11 comments total)

They are references to the longstanding MeFi meme: I could overthink a plate of beans.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:09 AM on December 18 [2 favorites]

Also, the program used to be named after a MeFite, but they aren't active any more: https://mefiwiki.com/wiki/Secret_Quonsar

So the "beans" thing in the name is a later addition, so to speak.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:07 AM on December 18

Fun song here, if it helps.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:20 AM on December 18

I always like to point out that "beanplating" spawned from MY OP! I have never been so proud.
posted by tristeza at 10:00 AM on December 18 [13 favorites]

There was a thread about renaming the gift swap, where a strong candidate was "Secret Beans". It persists in the vernacular, although the name was not officially adopted.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 11:55 AM on December 18 [2 favorites]

It's woke Quonsmas.
posted by biffa at 12:50 PM on December 18 [1 favorite]

It's woke Quonsmas.

Was this really necessary?
posted by kimberussell at 2:04 PM on December 18

There was a thread about renaming the gift swap, where a strong candidate was "Secret Beans". It persists in the vernacular, although the name was not officially adopted.

Yes, we had someone reach out to us that they were beans-averse, and I remember lot of folks chimed in that we shouldn't perpetuate in-jokes -- just make it obvious what it is to welcome newcomers. Glad to see it's still ticking along!
posted by curious nu at 3:09 PM on December 18 [1 favorite]

"I mean, you go to the mall and -- what -- apparently it's illegal to say Merry Quonsmas now? Do they not want my business??"

(or that's what I figured biffa was reaching for, as a bit)
posted by nobody at 5:38 PM on December 18 [2 favorites]

Yes I think of the holiday swap as secret beans and call it that, whether it is official or not. I do not recall the thing about the beans-averse person, but it’s difficult to keep up with everything.
posted by Glinn at 7:05 PM on December 18

I've been waiting for the right post to mention that I am baffled and delighted that the film side of the internet independently coined the term "corn-plating" to mean almost the exact same thing that bean-plating means on Metafilter. Linguistic parallel evolution for the extremely online.
posted by lampoil at 8:25 AM on December 20 [4 favorites]