The Syndicate

Quick link to Holiday Goodie Exchange 2016 edition

Years back, on the Lostpedia forums, we had a Christmas Candy Exchange. We drew names from the people that signed up, and sent them some local flavor for the holidays. The year I did it, I got a box full of English chocolate from a young lady in the UK, and I sent her a box of Montana Huckleberry Candies & Cowboy Chocolates. Then, after the holidays, we went back to the thread and showed off our loot

I am gauging interest in a concept like that for this group. If we have enough interest it might be fun And it does not have to be candy; it can be any locally made food (that travels well, of course) that you think your person may like. For instance, i have an awesome loose leaf tea shop near my house, with a helpful proprietress, and I know a few people might like a gift like that. Or perhaps you have an amazing home town hot sauce, or local wildflower honey, or an amazing coffee roaster, or whatever else.

If I get enough interest in this, we can get this going with a target mailing date around the US Thanksgiving, which is November 27 this year.

This would, of course, involve revealing your address and real name to someone else (only the person you are exchanging with; names will be picked via the ever popular Random.org ) So make sure you are comfortable before signing up for this.

We could kind of agree on a $$ limit so no one feels pressured. I was thinking $10-$20 US (not sure how that translates)

It was a lot of fun, especially if you get people from a wide range of places. We don't have as far flung a crowd as we did there, but we are all over North America, with a smattering further afield.

Maybe someone sells a chocolate Lincoln Memorial?

I don't live in Montana anymore~ I am on Long Island. I don't think anyone would like it if I sent them a Bluefish, so I won't. Otherwise we're just famous for being Jersey Shore Lite. I will come up with something

No, we want YOUR candy, too

fingersplints wrote:I likely won't be home until December 3rd at the earliest or else I could send some fun British candy. I don't think Rochester has anything fun people would want lol

Thanksgiving is a generic date, I am sure an extra few weeks is no issue. And there are tons of NYS things.

I changed the thread title to "Holiday Goodie Exchange" since that is actually more accurate since it isn't just candy.

About Mid November I will send out names, so we have until then to recruit. The more the merrier

I was going to send a PM to everyone who voted/posted in about 10 days to verify who is in and who is not. Then the names

And I bet it is.

The Names are going out this weekend

I have a couple of PM confirmations I am waiting on, I will have the list ready otherwise, and should have it and the PMs out in the AM

I am still waiting on an answer. If I don't hear back from that one person by the end of the night, I will send out the list.

OK, here is the list. If any of the "maybes" change their mind and want in, let me know. We have always have a "Part Deux". The person you are paired up with is your partner. Get in touch with each other and then post here when you get the goods

We are aiming for about $20 TO $25 or so, although it is my belief that an Eloh cake is priceless, so congrats TH on the cake, but also on the pressure to match it

Bea & Sabie
Nutella & Ninjajujube
Elohcin & Turnip Head
SVS & Splints
Metalmarsh & Bass
Hedge & BWT
Roxy & Epi
MP & Mongoose

Thanks for your patience, I would say aim to have your packages out by the mid to end of December, but earlier is good too. Hopefully this is a success

I wish I had known that when you came up. I know at least two 4th rate gigolos, maybe three if you count my cousin Paulie.

That looks great Niju!!

fingersplints wrote:

bea wrote:awesome!!!!! I need to go shopping yet, but I have good ideas! I'm excited to put it all together. Now to get my darling husband to take me shopping.

I'm still working on SVS's. I'm glad I am not the only one behind
Can't wait to see what everyone else got though

Yours is going to go out after New Years; no rush Life has been nuts for us both

But for me, seeing what other people sent & received is really the best part.

OMG that is beautiful

I would be happy to do it again. Maybe a post Christmas gift would be even better

We're posting pictures again, right?

Having been on break a while, I am out of the loop on the new home. Congrats! Same town? Bigger & better?

Oh good, I am glad you liked it! I was going to send a bottle of wine (Long Island, while not really known outside of the immediate area, has a pretty robust group of wineries) but I was mailing it when we had a big cold snap in the teens, and you live in a cold place, and wine can pop corks even if it may not freeze through, so you wound up with trail mix instead, lol.

I got a package from Australia today



It came with a really lovely cut out pop up card.



And it had two of my favorite food groups (Glorfindel, how did you know?? I could LIVE on mustard and honey, and these all look so wonderful!)





I am having Christmas this year, and was trying to decide what to make, and this has opened up some interesting possibilities for me

Thank you so much, Matty, my friend I feel like I won the Christmas Secret Santa lottery. I got a package from a foreign land, and it had things I love in it!

Well, he IS an Elven Lord. Maybe he has special powers.

Glorfindel wrote:

S~V~S wrote:Well, he IS an Elven Lord. Maybe he has special powers.

I am beyond thrilled that you liked my gift, my friend I hope you have the most awesome Christmas. Sadly, my special powers don't extend to the US postal service - I was beginning to doubt it would ever reach you...

I think that is a special power no one has!

And tbh, I was so thrilled to get a package from across the world, I didn't think I could be happier until I opened it.

Thanks again! I really have not stopped smiling since I got home.

This is fun, seeing all of your gifts and all of the hand made cards.

Roxy’s herbs are the best! An awesome gift.