Thought I'd share what I do! And BEG a favor from you all!
The Secret Santa is 3 months of a labor of love for me each year.
After hand writing my lists and adding to them with each person that signs up....
I have records going back years of who gave to who.
I have each person on 4 lists. One with name, addy, email, One of their forum name & where they're willing to mail a gift to (countries) One of all the forum names and where they are from (country)and One with who they've given to in the past.
US means willing to only sent to US. CA is only within Canada. US/CA is either. ANY means to anywhere even over seas.
Check this out!
I compile ALL the emails everyone sent me, with all their info and gift hints etc...into ONE email.
To match names up:
I look through the gift hints. If I see a thing they ask for that I know someone else likes to give, I see if I can match them up. Then I see where the person lives, where the Santa is willing to mail to. If that checks out, then I go to the 4th list that has who sent to who in the past. Make sure it isn't a repeat! If someone always says CA/US or ANY, and they sent far away last year, I give them one closer to them to give them a postage break this time. I do not just toss names together. I give HOURS of thought into them, trying hard to give each person the best Santa for them.
To send out the name emails, I have to see who I've matched up with who. Scroll down the long list to find Santa's email addy (copy & paste onto my NAME email), then scroll to find the "person" & copy & paste their name-addy-info etc into that email. Click send.
I had asked people to put their emailaddys at the bottom of their sign up to save me a ton of work, but many didn't.
After I've done that (above) for each person that has signed up, then I have to wait for each one to reply that they got it, so I know they'll be shopping!
If someone emails and asks me to ask their person a question, I don't know who they are! I need your forum name! So I have to look down a list to find out who is askings email addy to know who they are (forum name) then look on another list to see who they gave to. Then look on the other list to find their email, email them to ask the question. Wait....if they reply, (copy the answer to the question) Then I have to look through the list to see who they are (forum name) then the other list to see who their Santa is, then the other list to find Santa's email, then email the Santa and paste the question reply for them & send!
Try doing that a whole bunch of times!!!!
I love to help! I don't mind the questions! But I beg that if you have a question for me to ask your person, to PLEASE tell me YOUR forum name and the forum name of your person to save me a TON of work! Pretty please?
Then the stress comes! LOL My hubby just rolls his eyes at me each year and thinks I'm nuts!
Why do I do this year after year? Because I love you all!
Come Sept I start bouncing & eager to get the party started once again! (Just ask Mary Lou!)
All my hard work pays off!
People say hey! We have such & such in common! Hey how did you know I liked this or that? Friendships get formed from Santa matches! I just sit back and smile. Makes me so happy when people post their gifts and I see all the fun!
I work hard at this and nothing makes me happier than seeing
100% get a nice gift!
I'm starting match ups now and will be sending names soon!!
I'M SO EXCITED!!!
