2021 Unofficial Holiday Mehrican Exchange
34All right folks! We’ve gone a whole year without abusing the postal system for fun and whatever the opposite of profit is. And they’re not at all busy this time of year. After a little bit of talking, it looks like there is interest in having an exchange.
A great thank you and shouts of praise and adorations to previous exchange leaders, @studerc, @kidsandliz, and @djslack who all did a whole lot of work to collect everyone’s info, match people up, and herded all the cats.
This year, I taken the torch with help from my lovely assistant @sillyheathen
Like last year, we’ll be using a site called Elfster to handle all the address collecting and people matching instead of someone doing all that stuff by hand. This means that you’ll have to be sure to put your address in your profile at Elfster, and the site will provide you with your match’s information. As the organizers, we can see the addresses of participants, but I pinkie promise not to do anything with that information unrelated to the exchange, save it on my phone, or divulge it to anyone else. You’ll just have to trust me.
It also means that I don’t think there is an easy way to do multiple boxes, or to sign up to send without receiving. We’ll handle the heroes outside of elfster.
When you sign up, if you put your actual name, that’s what will show up. If you prefer, use your Meh username as both the name and nickname. You can put your real name in one of the address lines if you are afraid you won’t get your mail with your nickname. If you sign up with only your real name, please check your messages on elfster as we will be asking you who you are.
Also, Elfster does send quite a few emails throughout the process of an exchange. Messages, questions, and your matches will all send you emails. Some people didn’t get them last time because of spam filters. If you’re not seeing them, check your junk mail and make sure you do receive them (or check the exchange page there regularly).
This exchange isn’t limited to what you got in your IRKs. Feel free to include your own junk. Most people send a medium flat rate box, but the choice is yours. I’ve found Priority Mail regional boxes to be a little cheaper, and shipping with Pirateship.com is easy, free, and cheaper than going to the post office. USPS will ship you boxes for free as well if you are using their shipping services (even through a site like pirateship or stamps.com).
Here are the rules, such as they are. Please follow these guidelines to the best of your ability:
- Exchange participants must be an active participant of the forums. You don’t have to be a chatty Cathy but at least have shared the great IRKs you have received, lamented that you have never gotten an IRK, or whined that you got stopped by the Cptch.
- Junk doesn’t mean trash. Please don’t send broken stuff or literal garbage.
- Food is probably a bad idea. I know some sent homemade treats last year so if you want to do that, ask anonymously through Elfster if it would be welcomed and ask if there are any dietary restrictions.
- Remember to share the treasures you receive in the reveal thread. This is a big part of the fun, and if you get gifts and ghost it is hurtful.
- There is a wishlist function in Elfster. Are you missing a particular IRK bag color? Here’s the place to share it! Feel free to use it or not. Your sender may also be stalking your forum post to figure out which bits of junk you would appreciate the most. There’s also a function to ask questions of your recipient on the Elfster site.
- If you do get asked questions, please try to respond promptly.
- Everyone has their own situation. The exchange is about fun, not monetary value. I did put $5 as it wanted a price and that’s the price of an IRK. Do practice the golden rule and consider whether you would like to receive what you’re sending out.
- If you’re on the naughty list from previous exchanges, you will be removed from this exchange. No exceptions because being a ghost sucks.
- Your personal information is handled by Elfster, not me. The site will conduct the draw to match people and communicate your recipient to you the day after the RSVP deadline. Be sure to put your mailing address in your profile here (click your initial in the top right).
- Safety first. No bodily fluids. If you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, maybe sit this one out in the name of keeping your fellow Mehtizens safe.
- Have Fun! That’s what this is all about.
Sign up at the link below to participate. RSVP by 11/29. Names will be drawn and sent out by 12/1 and send your packages to arrive no later than 12/20. We look forward to exchanging crap with you!
Signup link: https://www.elfster.com/gift-exchanges/8471a11f-875f-4ffe-ac5b-3861d69d76ab/?join=odq3
It’s time to spread some of the IRK love we’ve hopefully all gotten in 2021!
- 87 comments, 146 replies
- Comment
All right! It’s been a long time since the last exchange. I’m excited to do this. Thanks @ironcheftoni and @sillyheathen for taking this on!
Brings me a lot of joy to see this tradition still alive! Godspeed!
Thanks for stepping up to the plate!!
/giphy let’s do this thing!
Yaaaaaay, so much crap, I mean, lovingly collected IRKs, to clear out of the basement! Thanks for rekindling the exchange!
Looking to play this year!
Misc things from the 4 or 5 of these that I have run:
If you plan to be out of town for some/all of the period the boxes will arrive (and do remember some senders procrastinate, have things come up and miss the send date - or if sending all the way across country, especially close to christmas as this will be it will take even longer) let your sender know so they can plan around that unless you want to risk porch pirates with something sitting on your porch for 2 weeks or whatever. Probably be wise to let the organizers know too so you don’t get hounded about why you haven’t posted yet.
If you are wondering what was sent in the past, go look at previous reveal threads (I don’t have time to hunt them down at the moment) remembering that some folks go overboard and some stick to the medium priority box. You do not have to go overboard. Also remember that the financial resources differ between people. It is the care and thoughtfulness that matters.
Stalking your receiver on meh and related websites (eg morningsave, sidedeal - scroll to the bottom of this page to see them) may give you ideas. Also some people use the same user names on woot. If you see your recipient is, for example, a rabid sports fan of a specific team if you have access to something dirt cheap from that team they’d probably be in 7th heaven. BUT you do NOT have to, nor are you expected to, buy anything (well other than postage).
Hunt through your avalanching meh stash, other stuff you have around the house that someone might want. Key thing here is “might want”. A bunch of broken trackers that you got in an IRK probably isn’t in that category. If you, for example, have a kid DVD that your kids have “outgrown” and you know your recipient has a kid that might be a good thing to throw into the box…
SENDERS: DO NOT FORGET TO PUT YOUR MEH USER NAME IN THE BOX SOMEWHERE so that your receiver, when they post, can tag you. I had to look up a number of them and post them under the reveal so the sender would be tagged, when I ran the exchange.
SENDERS: If something has come up such that you will miss the sending date and be late let the people running this know and your receiver. That will save you being nagged and the receiver wondering if they have been ghosted.
RECEIVERS: Same thing as above. If something prevents you from posting in a timely manner, including the photo, let people know. Also to post photos using your phone turn it landscape and then click on the mountain with moon icon. Then you can upload your photos.
Have fun!
I am tired, but I swear this said You rein and wondered why they spelled reign incorrectly!!
and if they didn’t spell it in correctly, what is the strap I am holding attached to?
@ironcheftoni Is there an about me spot on elfster that I can update if I signed up last year? Just to say who I am what I like, besides my wishlist that’s full of things for plants? Bc I’m more than just a plant person.
@Star2236 I don’t think so. I would just do some write ins for the wish list. That’s what I did.
@Star2236 I thought everything was saved on your profile and follows you from exchange to exchange but it appears not.
Also there’s a part of the wish list that is freeform verses tagging particular companies so you can list likes there.
@ironcheftoni @Star2236 my wishlist was saved from last year. Did you make sure to sign in instead of filling out all the info again?
@ironcheftoni @RiotDemon
Yup, I just wanted to update it and it wouldn’t let me.
Wish lists - just remember that some folks may not have the money to buy you things on your wish lists and are sending things they already own (what the expectations have been in the past except for maybe something home made or cheap that fits a particular interest - like making meh ping pong balls with sharpies for someone who wished meh sold those, along with buy a cheap sports team item for a fanatic). Of course sorting through the things they already have may be assisted by the wish list.
Sending things you already have kicking around the house, in the past, has been around 98% of what has been in people’s boxes. In the past there was no wish lists (as didn’t use elfster), however there was a comment area where you could say, please don’t send food, or kid’s stuff or I am a female or male with no one to give opposite sex stuff to…). You could also use the free form comment area to make comments in the “please don’t send” category too.
If you are new to this, don’t set your expectations too high here.
@Kidsandliz
I looked, but could not find a “free form comment area”, just a way to add a short free-form item to the Wish List - and even that was a bit buried. Mostly, they seem to be built around the “shop via our links and let our merchants take care of the grunt work” paradigm.
@werehatrack I was just going by what someone else said. On the free form item list just put no kids or something.
Edit: then I’d hope you wouldn’t get kids or kid items.
Yay!! Its back!!
WooHoo! I’m so glad we’re doing it again!
Gonna be OOT Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks, but will make sure I get this done!
And I can attest to the efficacy and cost savings of Pirateship.
@chienfou +1 on pirateship. Not sure who on meh turned me on to them, but I’m a big fan.
Boom! I was just wondering about this…and here it is! Can’t wait!
Last year was my first Meh exchange and I am ready to do it again!
Ohhh I love me some mehtizen exchange! Signing up now!
Woohoo can’t wait! This is the perfect happy kind of distraction I can really get into right now. AND… I have a whole room full of stuff just waiting to be packed up to go sit on someone else’s shelf! I’m excited!
Thanks for offering to do this! I had so much fun last year, can’t wait to do it again!
Erm. Well…
I generally don’t do this season. There’s personal history, you want to really not have to hear about it.
That said, I might decide to pitch in on this, because my expectations are automatically low, I have a stockroom full of somewhat snarky t-shirts that I can pillage for sendable loot, and I already have USPS shipping stuff that the local Post Office doesn’t keep on hand. (Hellooo, Regional Rate Box B! You are often my friend!) And there are Other Possibilities in-house as well. (I’ve been a dealer at cons for mumblety years.)
So. You have been Advised. May Anoia have mercy upon your soles.
@werehatrack
And since the Elfster site’s freeform comment area was hard to find (as in, I couldn’t), here’s the Additional Info that somebody may need…
For the benefit of any potential poor soul who has to try to figure out what to foist off on me, These are some of the essential guidelines:
– Things with perfume in them are a bad idea.
– I am the AntiCheeseus. (There are no room-temp-shippable cheese products that I like.)
– My pronouns are she/her but it wasn’t always thus, and I haven’t changed, I just finally stopped rowing upstream against DeNial. (I still do my own car repairs and woodworking and such.)
– I probably already got one. It might not be verra nize. (But I’ve managed to never get any TrackRs due to being an abject failure at getting IRKs nearly all of the time.)(That is not a hint, just an observation.)
Good luck!
@werehatrack Since these exchanges have more with irks (except no broken crap or trash) and random boxes (some people have them packed well before exchanges are even announced), I am reasonably sure you will get some trackers if your sender has some - oh wait no broken stuff allowed… but wait… someone found an app that still works…
And just in case that doesn’t happen… paging @koolhandkids I am sure he can put some aside for you were you to ever get an irk again. Maybe you will get lucky and someone will at leasat send you an irk bag.
@werehatrack PS Once pairings have been made usually there is a new thread where people talk about whatever between the pairings and the reveal thread so might want to repost that there when that thread is made later.
@Kidsandliz
I haven’t been entirely IRKless, I’ve managed to buy one once. OTOH I have a long history of packratting…
@werehatrack in your wishlist you can do write in items.
@werehatrack My mother called packratting - the just in case there is a depression again plan ahead have extra stuff plan. There. Justified it for you. You are welcome.
@Kidsandliz
My packratting has similar roots, aggravated by the fact that I often really can fix that nice broken thing I’ve replaced because I didn’t have time to get to it right now but I could still use if I had to… (That’s another of the many rationales behind mine, along with the tendency to stock up on sale items at 15% off when they haven’t been out of availability in a century, etc.) (But some of it is also driven by the imperative to always stock up on the New Perfect Thing That You Just Found because when the first one wears out, they will have discontinued them and you’ll never find another one.) (Etc.)
@RiotDemon about the write-anything Wish List option -
Yes, that’s the one I finally found, but the text box doesn’t word-wrap, and the string length is not terribly long.
@werehatrack I do that with shoes that fit perfectly and I like a lot. I’ll buy a second pair for when the first pair wears out. A couple of times I wished I had bought a third pair. LOL
@Kidsandliz
When Payless was shutting down, I grabbed all of the 13W flats I could, because I figured they would be next to nonexistent after that. I was not wrong.
@Kidsandliz
Who dat?
@Kidsandliz @werehatrack
EXACTLY!!! Or they change it just a bit, but enough that it’s just not as good anymore.
@Kyeh LOL I sure can’t spell can I. @koolhandjoe you were paged by the wrong name 10 messages up because I was in a hurry and, well, if you go up there you will see the results
@Kidsandliz @Kyeh @werehatrack
If it is trackRs one wants… I do indeed know a guy… lol… and I have recently found a new term for packratting (my grandma also called it that term)… but for those of us adults with severe ADHD… It’s called Doom Boxing.
@werehatrack thats a hint. Trakerz will be respectable for you than. Eye got you covered on that if your on my send to list. Agreed with no apparel as well got so much eye don’t wear. Surprisingly enough bought a shirt mystery bundle from meh and actually got my size atleast.
Hooray! Last year was my first year and it was great! Excited to see what happens this year!
Yeah, lets do it!
Signed up! Thanks for doing this
I am So Very Happy that you are doing this again! Last year was my first time. I enjoyed it a LOT! I also have collected a lot of “Goodies” & a IRK to share!
I had fun doing one before. Count me in!
Missed last year but I’m game this time.
We (My husband & I) haven’t been active in the forums lately but this sounds like so much fun! We are excited to join the fun!
I’m in this year!
My next IRK comes tomorrow…some lucky person may get some factory fresh regret in their box.
@jchizmar mmmmmmm fresh regret!
@jchizmar @sillyheathen
Tasty, tender, juicy regret, raw and wriggling!
Thank you to everyone that has signed up thus far. Most of you I have figured out your meh name. If not; check your spam in case there is a message from me via elfster asking for it. If I don’t get meh user names by draw time next week, sadly I will have to remove you from the exchange and no one wants that!
@ironcheftoni Thank you for your hard work on this. We are excited to join for the first time.
There’s a space at Elfster for a nickname; that seems like the logical place for the Meh username.
@werehatrack I also added it after my first name just so it was easy to see.
@sillyheathen @werehatrack and I put my nickname as my name cuz I don’t need everyone to know my name.
I’m in again!
I have a ton of fresh items from IRKs over the past year.
Hoping my Santa doesn’t ghost me again!
Bastards! I mean that in the most loving way…I have sworn off IRKS, because once the decision to move became official, I looked around and realized exactly how screwed I am. But now, hopefully I will get matched up with a fellow serial crafter.
I’ve never done this before and am super excited!!
Always in for a good time, count me in!!!
fun! and yay @sillyheathen co-hosting.
@mehhhhname I see you!!!
So glad this is happening again! Really enjoyed the last time, hooray!
This is so amazing, and as a former Reddit gifts exchanger (including the year we set a Guinness World Record, anyone else?) It seems like so much fun! For me as an adult without family, it was often times the only Christmas gifts that I got during some years. I look forward to seeing what everyone receives!
@ChompyGator i too am a former reddit gifts participant.
@ChompyGator me too!
Just remember folks the mehrican exchange is not a Secret Santa, even though we are using the site. It is more like an irk except no broken junk, unusable white elephants (although usable ones are fine), trash, etc. You are filling the box with junk you, for the most part, already have. Yes buying or making something specific for your recipient is something SOME BUT NOT ALL people do. Just don’t confuse this with a Secret Santa situation.
I’ve seen what Meh provides in an IRK. Time to see if the rest of you are also getting the same crap.
@pkducky Think of it as a decent irk - more like a fuku from years ago.
I’m excited! Also secretly enjoy seeing people try and join not knowing what an IRK is, or posting sob stories. This will be my second go-around!
I am so excited! My first exchange with meh! No IRK even received, but I always try!
I did this a couple of times and have blurry memories of mixed results.
I think one of my recipients ghosted, and did I receive someone else’s package? We’ve lived ten years in the last two.
But I’m in.
Also, it occurs to me: should we put sizes/ gender in the wishlist? Reviewing IRKs, I’ve noticed a lot of sized items which might be of interest to a person they fit.
Count me in. Joined Elfster and so excited to be giving off some of these mixed boxes some even holiday themed. The majority of regret and crap eye receive is just not suitable for me. I’m sure it will make those on a budget very happy or proud to receive.
In there like swimwear…my first time!
This is perfect timing. My partner and I are in the midst of clearing out a hoarding situation over the holidays. Yay. But I’m getting a kick out of finding things that someone might enjoy and putting them aside for my Meh exchange. It’s putting a little pleasure in an unpleasant situation. I’ll also start next year’s exchange box. And maybe the next.
I checked out a few reveal threads and am getting excited! Should we be wrapping items, since it’s for the holidays? Or are we just going full on IRK and throwing them in the box, with wrapping only being to protect fragile items?
@mehhhhname I’m going to make my match a few nice things. Those I will wrap. I think will everything else going on I will make the rest like that of a true IRK.
@mehhhhname you can do whatever tickles your fancy!! If it makes you smile, have fun and wrap anything and everything!!
@mehhhhname @mikibell Didn’t even think about gift wrapping. Eye personally was just thinking about making a giant mystery box. Yet now with wrapping thrown into the picture eye might end up wrapping a few of the more precious items my recipient will really enjoy discovering were from Santa himself.
@mehhhhname @whomeyesu the different ways people customize their packages are awesome… I go the big box of “meh” route personally
other people decorate the outside of the box… Me… I have no artistic talent…not a drop!
POPSOCKETS! SPROCKETS! DAVY CROCKETT! AWESOME!
@mehhhhname @mikibell @whomeyesu
Wait a minute…
Isn’t this the person who created those adorable Elf-on-a-Shelf outfits?
Thank you Mikibell
I seem to remember plenty of other inspired crafting displays as well.
Thank you all! Maybe I’ll wait to see who my match is to decide how to theme it all
@mikibell You still know how to design or the knowledge of how to design such nice work. So that counts if you ask me.
@compunaut @whomeyesu I am just the macine operator…
I buy the designs and replicate. Working on learning how to design and create, but the people who do deserve amazing respect… They have mad skills!!
@compunaut @whomeyesu. I should clarify that I am creative… But people like @lisaviolet and @alcraig … THEY are artistic. Lisa’s color blending and texture additions are amazing and the way alcraig can turn boxes and circles into a Cristmas tree pooping presents… That is wayyyy beyond my skill set.
@compunaut @mikibell @whomeyesu Oh, please, you’re not artistic?
Off the top of my head I remember some super awesome wedding invites you made…
What I do doesn’t hold a candle to your talent.
But thank you!
FOOLS! TOOLS! JEWELS! AWESOME!
@mediocrebot Oh, shut it, bot.
Can’t wait for the draw tomorrow!
Wait… tomorrow is last day to rsvp… what day is matching day?
@mbersiam as ironcheftoni said above “Names will be drawn and sent out by 12/1”
@mbersiam @whomeyesu Yes… give us a couple of days to recover from the holiday weekend, go through the list and check it that all are upstanding mehtizens. Some did not include their meh name so having to track those down.
@ironcheftoni @whomeyesu no worries. I was just looking all iver elfster and misread
i should have known to come here. I feel like elfster has changed its layout too. I’ve been using it for about 6 years now and it feels harder to use than in the past, but maybe it’s just my age getting to me
@ironcheftoni
Thanks for all your work on this.
My first Meh exchange! Giddiness all over I feel!
@ShandaSunshine Never have high expectations. Although, my expectations and your expectations could differ quite a bit. So, giddiness If you must. Personally eye feel blessed to be able to be forced into clearing out some space. Hopefully not for more stuff eye really never bought myself…well actually it was priced accordingly. Hording is an obsession not an addiction.
This is so awesome, this will be my first exchange. I managed to get a FUKOBUKURO 10: FUKU IS DEAD. LONG LIVE FUKO, back in May of 2016! I don’t even remember what I got. I think there was a wall clock, maybe some socks.
POPSOCKETS! SPROCKETS! DAVY CROCKETT! AWESOME!
/giphy so excited!!!
OK. I’m in! #83
(Wow… I hit the RSVP button, went to check/update my profile, and when I came back I couldn’t find that I had actually been registered! Glad I double checked… )
@chienfou me too!!! Really happy you’re joining.
Just a quick update.
There are about 14 mehitzens that have not provided their meh name. This is needed in order to bust ghosts hopefully before they occur.
There is one that has not provided their mailing address. Even carrier pigeons need to know where to go and so does the postal service so please make sure that your snail mail address is on elfster
There is one that provided an invalid email address on elfster. They also did not provide a meh name. So no way for me to contact them. So, if your initials are “AK”, whisper to me and update your profile please.
Another note when using Pirate ship. They added UPS as an option. So when you are putting in the address, they will default to the cheapest option which is not alway USPS. So click carefully. Especially since UPS will not accept a USPS printed box to my knowledge.
Hopefully the next time you hear from me is name drawing time!
@ironcheftoni
– Shipping via UPS must go to a street address, not a P.O. Box, APO, or FPO address. The UPS interface generally will catch these errors.
– Shipping via FedEx, either Express or ground, requires a valid street address and a contact phone number.
Both of those are things to keep in mind when selecting a carrier.
Also, be aware that if you decide to use USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate shipping, the item MUST be shipped in the corresponding official USPS box or envelope. Those boxes and envelopes are usually in stock at most Post Office locations, but not always. USPS Priority Mail Regional Rate exists, but almost none of the Post Office locations have the mandatory shipping boxes that allow using that rate, regardless of whether Pirate Ship or other service providers make the rate available; do not buy a label for a service that you do not have packaging to use!
(I ship lots of stuff at times.)
@ironcheftoni @werehatrack I have also read that the large regional boxes have changed in size recently and if you use the older boxes, they will get returned. (That was from a vendor that I regularly purchase from, but I cannot confirm how true it is. Just a warning to check the boxes.)
@mikibell @werehatrack The “C” regional rate box rate was retired several years ago. The box should be accepted at the normal weight and distance rate.
Plan, pack, weigh and measure your box before printing! Flat rate is not always the cheapest! Use one of the postal calculators and see what it shows. Or ask
@ironcheftoni
/giphy who you gonna call???
Okay, true to form, I’m in at the very last minute or so. I certainly have plenty of stuff I could send, I just have this little procrastination problem.
@Kyeh I’d suggest you look at it like my nephew when he was a young teen. He viewed it as a strength as he practiced it a lot. He once sent me a thank you note about 2 mo late (for a birthday or christmas present - I no longer remember which) and said, “Dear aunt X, Thank you for X. I am sorry this note is late, procrastination is my best skill. I practice it a lot.”. The value in procrastination is that then some things finally go away and you don’t have to do them after all… although sending at the exchange… um well… maybe not.
OK FINE I’M IN. There was a period at the begining of the month when I thought we’d maybe have to move before the end of the year and I wouldn’t have an address yet, but that didn’t happen so I’M IN. I will be moving fairly soon, so naturally only very heavy and fragile things that I’ll definitely want to keep forever should be sent to me.
Hope everybody’s prepared for WEIRD!
@mossygreen If your my pick eye might send you some skulls that eye did pay to much for amongst other stuff of course.
@mossygreen hope your package got there ok
@lc1976 It was you! I didn’t see a username and was deciding how to proceed (obviously, I should have posted IMMEDIATELY, I know). I can’t believe how much stuff you packed into a medium flat rate box! I will spread it all out and take a photo tomorrow. Thanks!
@mossygreen yeah, I didn’t realize that I didn’t put my username in package until I was reading a lot of these posts! This is my first time with the exchange and Elfster, Next year I’ll be better at it! Good luck with your upcoming move, We did that in March. Mehry Christmas
@lc1976 I’ve done a bunch and I’m not sure if I ever remembered to include my username. I’d better do it this time…
Eye could use one of those KoolhandJoe dolls that those bots bought all up months back. Didn’t have a chance. NE state claimed nearly most of dem damn things. Think it was NY.
Hmm @compunaut seems you have 2 bigger not so much lap dogs. What else are you into? Sports, wife, kids, anything I could use to start to figure out what this box should contain. What size are you as well. Thanks in advance. Happy Holidays!
Is there any way to determine what our giftee’s Meh username is, other than specifically asking them?
@gt0163c use the question thing. It sends them a question and doesn’t reveal who you are.
@gt0163c @RiotDemon just make sure it says anonymous.
I’ve looked all over, I can’t figure this out. If I do have my giftee’s Meh name, how can I look them up and see what they might like?
@marylynne7 Some people included items in their Elfster Wishlist. You can ask them questions using the “Ask a Question” button. Or you can search for their Meh username in these forums and commence stalking them (but for good. Don’t use your powers for evil!).
@gt0163c Yes, that’s the part I weirdly can’t figure out. How do you search for a Meh username? Is there a master place, or search each forum?
@marylynne7 Click on the username to see if profile is public. Use the search. I am using mobile and it is the top right bubbles icon. Bottom forum option you can enter the name.
@marylynne7 we are assigning matches for people in the exchange today. We’re trying to get everyone to make sure their meh user name is visible. If you’re signed up, you’ll receive notification today of who you are matched with. Then you want to start an anonymous chat with them to ask them questions about things they like if you want to tailor their box more to them.
@gt0163c @marylynne7 Put their meh username where mine is:
https://meh.com/@RiotDemon
I kept telling myself to sign up for this because I really want to do it and then suddenly last night I realized that was the last night to sign up! I was so worried I had missed the deadline to sign up lol I too have procrastination in my vines. But I’m so excited to get my assignment and start filling a box for them
If you have any questions about making sure your meh name is showing up in Elfster or any other Elfster questions in general, feel free to hit me up!
I got my Elfster email telling me who I’m shipping to, now I just have to pick, pack & schlep. Part of that will be mañana. I have a full schedule today, commencing as soon as I have the shop warmed up.
Yayyyy draw day
@mehhhhname feel free to send me ALL your extra HP stuff when you get me as your match!
Please try to send an anonymous message to your match today! If you click on view your match’s wishlist it will take you to their main page where you should see an option to send them an anonymous message. Then you can keep tabs on that conversation from the massages section.
@sillyheathen
@sillyheathen
@sillyheathen
Trying to take shots and keep my match anonymous.
Okay I think this should help so people can send anonymously.
@sillyheathen
@sillyheathen
Make sure you tick the anonymous box!
@sillyheathen Actually, if you choose the “Ask a question” rather than the “Send a message” it’s automatically anonymous.
Everyone hold tight! It looks like we had a glitch. @ironcheftoni was still finalizing the removal of the ghosts etc when elfster drew names. We thought it was set to manual draw but it looks like Elfster had other plans. SO! You may get a new match. Just hang tight for a little bit while we iron out some creases!
@sillyheathen Should I cancel my order of 300 pounds of pasta then?
My pre-prepared box was actually pretty spot on for the Mehster I was given. I can roll with the changes though 
@capnjb @sillyheathen oh no! My match was perfect before lol. Here’s hoping fir a good round 2
@sillyheathen Thank you!! I’m relieved…I think. lol
@sillyheathen elfster messaged me hours ago. Guess it’s good I waited.
@sillyheathen ahh thanks for this update, didn’t even notice the undraw!
@capnjb @sillyheathen mine was too! Yay for a new adventure.
@RiotDemon I was SO hoping you’d be my recipient. lol dammit
@Pony oh no!! That would have probably been easy since we are on the same wavelength, lol.
@RiotDemon Exactly! hehe
@Pony @RiotDemon I was truly hoping to get one of you!
@Pony @RiotDemon @sillyheathen i sad… No one wanted ME??
@mikibell
/giphy don’t be sad
@mikibell @Pony @RiotDemon of course we did! Though I won’t be upset if you have me.
/giphy here we go!!!
/giphy you may fire when ready
And for what it’s worth, thank you @ironcheftoni for all the effort you are putting in. What might seem like an easy task, aligning one hundred internet donks is a great undertaking, no matter the simplicity of the situation. And speaking of Iron Chefs, my wife and I just celebrated 21 years at Morimoto’s in Philadelphia. It turned out to be his 20th anniversary of opening in first restaurant in the US. He was onsite and spent a good bit of time chatting with us during our 10 course omakase dinner. He is a funny guy… best dinner of my life.
@capnjb color me SUPER jealous!!! I love him to bits!
@sillyheathen He was so cool. Can’t believe he is 66. He is so spry and energetic. When I called him Masaharu (his first name) he gravitated to our table and we had such random conversation. So fun
@capnjb @sillyheathen super awe-some! I went to his place at Disney Springs a few years ago. My bestie that lives in the area that I had not seen in over 15 years was with me. They make complimentary photos of all the diners. My friend talked them into giving us two copies.
Thank you for everyone’s patience.
Ghosts have been removed. Those that requested not to be matched with particulars have been done. (thank you @sillyheathen !) Not that they don’t like you, they just want to give to someone they have not exchanged with before. Names have been redrawn and emails sent by Elfster. I’ll blame the goat for elfster jumping the gun and drawing early. Elfster must be a boomer sooner from Oklahoma! 
Now! Let the regret begin and have fun!!
Just a couple of reminders:
please add the tracking number in elfster so the recipient knows when to expect their package.
come back here and show off your loot in the reveal thread
any questions, just whisper myself or @sillyheathen
@ironcheftoni Doh, I already stalked, made some purchases, and may have started making something for my original person.
@ironcheftoni @lichme right? Me too, was stoked because i knew my first person from the forum.
@ironcheftoni @lichme Over achieving will get you nowhere!
@capnjb Now you’ll never know what I had planned for you, Seahawks fan who enjoys cooking
@capnjb @lichme I think you mean saints fan who enjoys cooking.
@lichme GOD F’ING DAMMIT!!!
@lichme Let me know if you’re up for a SideDeal™ (dotcom). I’ve got plenty for two boxes
Slide into my DMs (is that what kids say? I’m 50 and totally faking it) 
@ironcheftoni I always get someone who doesn’t fill out any info or wish lists. Sigh.
@capnjb I’ll get back to you once I fulfill my new obligation.
@lichme I assure you I am much more interesting.
@ironcheftoni @Pony Prod them with questions!
@ironcheftoni I was so confused. Like, where…did my giftee go?
Too many places to catch up on the action.
@brainmist @ironcheftoni Yeah, I sent a few questions. We’ll see.
@ironcheftoni I will take whom ever you have, I got my neighbor…LOL
@ironcheftoni @wifeduck
No drum set, then?
@ironcheftoni @Pony I think you’re just trying to throw me off the trail!
@wifeduck At least that saves on postage costs! Next exchange, you can let us know if there is anyone that you don’t want to exchange with, ie close friends, family members or in your case neighbors.
I’ll keep my person. I can’t wait to see what I am going to get!
@ironcheftoni LOL exactly, will just walk it down…oh wait, she already pillages my IRKs…well, we each pillage each other’s IRKs.
Side note…I would never exclude anyone, your job is hard enough as it is, and I for 1, appreciate it!
@ironcheftoni
So the name I got at 1pm eastern time is my real match?
@ironcheftoni @Star2236 whomever Elfster is showing as your current match is correct. I can check and whisper to you if you would like!
@ironcheftoni @sillyheathen can you tell me the meh id of my person, please?
@ironcheftoni @Pony You got me? Eye will go do that wish list stuff now even if you do not
@ironcheftoni @sillyheathen
I know who mine is, just wanted to confirm it was right.
@capnjb Okay, I’m in if you are
@lichme Challenge accepted!
I’ll whisper you my info. (That sounds creepy 
)
@capnjb It’s officially been dropped off (to the post office)
Can someone splain to me how to add a text wishlist rather than links and such?
@mikibell go to wishlist. Add wish. Then more ways to wish. Write in wish.
@RiotDemon thank you… I wasnt sure I was in the right spot…
I’d just like to say as far as the wishlists go, I have a bunch. I’ve done lots of exchanges with another forum and most of my lists are from that. I also like to use them as a visual collage for things that I like more so than needing specific items. I know there are lots of things in my lists I would never expect anyone to buy. I add them so that people can get an idea of who I am and the things that I like. I’m not saying it’s what everyone needs to do. I just like to think of the wishlists as more of a guideline than anything. This is about fun and not spending tons of money! Go crazy or don’t. Just make sure you send a box that you would very much like to receive but very much in the meh spirit!
@sillyheathen
/giphy well said
@sillyheathen
That’s what I started doing with mine.
How does one take a picture and upload it onto this here site?
Eye turn phone sideways and screen does not turn for the sake of it. Eye can not get the screen to turn. Checked display settings…well actually all settings and nope not happening.
@whomeyesu seriously, already, or is that the outgoing?
@wifeduck Outgoing…up and away it went today. Really hoping nothing coming to be honest except my 1st side deal regret for some reason eye could not resist temptation and a order of Bang a kind of tang eye have not tried yet. Something different on the side gets one in trouble.
Everyone - Please check your Elfster messages/questions so we know your Meh user name…don’t make us bother the organizers with these questions. Otherwise you risk getting a more generic package if we are not able to hunt you down…er…research your likes and dislikes. Thanx!
Can’t get to Elfster at the moment. Have the names been drawn yet?
@chienfou yes they have.
@cbilyak @chienfou yes names were drawn and some glorious holiday spirit was already sent.
Frankly eye did not go and view how this previously went. Eye did however know how some of my regret is and never thought it actually follows a specific theme or such. Most so bad it gets opened and than piled on top of another. That said eye really could not give that to someone else especially with good intent. Eye chose to…eye said to much.
Tis better to give than to receive! With a house full of Carrots the only limitation is in the size of the box that UPS is willing to pick up. Well that and the $s I am willing to shell out on said shipping. Almost ready to go
Shipped mine today…happy trails to somebody in SD
@kykazaa wow that is awesome!I haven’t even gotten a question on Elfster and I honestly haven’t had time to add stuff to our wishlist and don’t know what I would put on it. LOL Go you for being on top of things!
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!
@kykazaa My elf shipped today but it was not you. I need to finish packing and get mine on the road - hopefully Monday.
@kykazaa @miscreant I too haven’t gotten any questions on elfster, altough someone did start following my list. Not sure if that was my elf, or my side elf though.
I have so many things to put in the box. I am waiting on my recipient to answer some of the anonymous questions so that I can customize the rest.
Received side dealing. Not much different than those prior to this one. All items eye personally would not intentionally go and buy. Even another case of bang would have been like wow eye was not expecting such greatness. Eye will not be cross dressing anytime soon well actually never. Therefore the blue shoulder bag, blue purse, blue eye liner and blue lip gloss will make blue jeans. The blue iPhone 6 case is so much in style that my Note 20 was jealous. Eye have not seen any of it since as eye was blue balled.
I have messaged my giftee a few times and not gotten a reply. I looked all over his profile, nothing that looks like a meh user name. Nothing on the wish lists. Is there a way to find out his meh user name so I can do a little fine-tuning before I send off the box?
@marylynne7 I think @sillyheathen can possibly help?
@marylynne7 Sot tight! I’ve emailed them and am awaiting a response. Truly hope it’s not a ghost. I know @ironcheftoni was really good about weeding them out but who knows. My guess is they’re not super active on the forum and may not be familiar with Elfster.
@ironcheftoni @sillyheathen thank you!!!
@marylynne7 have sent 2 messages/questions to my person with no response…I am just generic gifting at this point. Oh well.
@cbilyak @marylynne7 I can message your match if you’d like.
@marylynne7 @sillyheathen Appreciate the offer, but if they cannot respond then they do not deserve personalization in my book. Was trying not to burden the organizers of this…we are all adults.
@cbilyak @marylynne7 @sillyheathen Although, sum of us act like children…so me.
@marylynne7 I don’t think you are talking about me but I do have an empty wish list. Apologies to my match. As a kid, I was blessed to always have had what I needed and was taught to work for what I wanted. As an adult, I’m happy that my family has everything they need and these days I want for naught. To be honest, wish lists make me uncomfortable. I understand how that might complicate exchanges like this, but I revel in the spontaneity of the moment. If I had to make a wish list it would have one item. “Surprise me”
@capnjb I understand! My wishlist consisted of “Really anything is fine“ and “I am delighted with unusual things“ and “here is my gender and Age if that helps at all.” I had such a pile of stuff to pick from was going to fine-tune if possible, but it’s all good!
I came to say I was packing up and getting ready to ship and noticed people saying they left messages for people. I’m one of the idiots that didn’t know there was an inbox, or a wish list but all good because idc what’s in my box anyway. It’s all just for fun!! Can’t wait to see what comes and sorry if I caused anyone any headache!
Reveals should start as early as later today. I confirmed with my match that they received theirs yesterday, and another one just landed in town sent on the side for my amusement. As a first time participant, this is super fun/exciting. Only thing better would be watching your recipient open it live.
Can you please send a whisper to me or @ironcheftoni if you haven’t heard from your mehefl yet? Thanks a mil!
@sillyheathen opps… I missed that I was supposed to communicate with my receivee… I suck at following directions. I am on it…
I was about to drop mine off at the post office today, but just got an email that I have been re-drawn and given a new gift recipient. I’m glad I have not sent it yet. Just double checking, is this legit? I should Send to the name I just got?
@marylynne7 Did that just come in, or was that a week or so ago? There was a redraw. If you log in, it should show you your current, and actual assigned person
@lichme just now got it within the last few minutes, but got another message explaining. They had to redraw just a couple of us because they were ghosts involved. It’s all sorted now
@lichme @marylynne7 we had three people that were removed from the exchange because we’re pretty sure they’re ghosts. @ironcheftoni sent an email out alerting the people that were affected but you may not have seen it.
@marylynne7 yes, just a select few got redrawn this afternoon. @sillyheathen and I discovered a few ghosts hiding in the exchange so we removed them. We didn’t want those people getting the benefit of a nifty package from an honest mehtizen and then ghosting someone.
to my dear elf, please accept my deepest apologies on not answering the last question in a timely manner. My email was full and I didn’t know it,
so I was not getting any more elfster notifications.