2014 Secret Santa received thread

pinkdagger

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A lot of exchanges I'm in are worldwide, but shipping is obscenely expensive when you go outside of your country so people get crafty and send things via local merchants. Most countries have their own big online stores that people can shop at if shipping costs are a big issue, and they tend to accept major credit cards regardless of the country it was issued in. The upside is that many of them also offer free shipping to your gift recipient! I think the biggest barrier someone might have to work around is reading Hebrew on Israeli sites to send you something back!
 

jennyr

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I have been so busy over the last week or two with the Christmas markets that I am only now catching up on this thread. As usual I am overawed at the cleverness and thoughtfulness that TCS members put into the gifts. I am not sure I would ever dare send champagne glasses through the post though! They are beautiful! I agree that postage is horrific when sending internationally, but jcat suggested to me to use a courier service instead of the regular post, and that can work out much cheaper. It was too late for this year, but I will look into it next time. Part of the joy of TCS SS is finding little things that match our recipients, so buying all from one place is not always an ideal solution.
 

MoochNNoodles

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pinkdagger

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Hahaha, that is adorable! I was actually wondering when he would show up - the anticipation from your hinting made the wait seem so long!
 

MoochNNoodles

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I have that same llama!!! But, in brown.

My BF is llama obsessed :D


I had fun with this!  I was ready to sew him an outfit when I came across the elf costume finally!  And the hat is a cat one from Petsmart!  I modified it by changing the big elastic band to hold it on to some narrow white ribbon.  Love those elf ears!!
 

nebula

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I've already told me kids they can't have him.

Getting photos was fun.  I got a few like this:


He could "SHOW UP" every year, like Elf on the Shelf and you could photograph his brat like doings every day o r week or.. yeah. Very Very cute, but he needs his own daily thread at Christmas time next year, showing what antics he has been up to. Instead of elf on the shelf, we got Llama on the Shelf! :D Super cute, I love him.
 
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MoochNNoodles

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He could "SHOW UP" every year, like Elf on the Shelf and you could photograph his brat like doings every day o r week or.. yeah. Very Very cute, but he needs his own daily thread at Christmas time next year, showing what antics he has been up to. Instead of elf on the shelf, we got Llama on the Shelf! :D Super cute, I love him.
  Oh he's here to supervise alraight!  But well have to see if he gets up to any antics or if he just keeps a quiet, but stern eye on things! 
 

jennyr

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I have received a parcel!!! Went and got it from the PO today. And it comes from a very long way away from here, in a very beautiful place on the coast that I have visited twice in my life. I am going to try and keep it intact until Christmas eve, when my daughter arrives, and we can open it over a bottle of wine. Meanwhile it is on the coffee table while the cats take turns at sitting on it.
 
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betsygee

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  Oh he's here to supervise alraight!  But well have to see if he gets up to any antics or if he just keeps a quiet, but stern eye on things! 
He's too cute to be TOO stern!  
 
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betsygee

Just what part of meow don't you understand.
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I have received a parcel!!! Went and got it from the PO today. And it comes from a very long way away from here, in a very beautiful place on the coast that I have visited twice in my life. I am going to try and keep it intact until Christmas eve, when my daughter arrives, and we can open it over a bottle of wine. Meanwhile it is on the coffee table while the cats take turns at sitting on it.
   
  How fun.
 

pinkdagger

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My parcel just arrived today! The declaration form is a giveaway for who my Santa is, but that's okay.

"Tier ici" on the box. I'm glad I understood that much.
Smells good, huh, Mo!? I opened the box and WHOOSH! This pleasant aroma came pouring out!





Okay, so I can't contain my excitement when the first thing I pull out is CHOCOLATE. And spoilers, but you don't need to be a world traveler to know that European chocolate is leaps and bounds better than North American.




I just had one of these too - I don't think I mentioned it, but I LOVE chocolate oranges. I am so excited to eat these!


Mo got super excited and had to run off and kick a wrapping paper tube before he came back to investigate more.




A scarf!


What is this?


Pencils and supplies in an adorable case with a mini case for eraser and sharpener!


I couldn't resist.. I already ate one of these. Heaven!


How cute is this?!


Bonjour!


Chocolate incense!


Oh boy...


The source of the amazing smell?!


Chocolate Euros!


Cat bell, puff, and a bangle!


So I tossed two of those Whiskas treats Kismet's way, and she hoovered them right up.


"More?"



Mo hoovers everything right up. I had to call him from his wet food to try one, haha!

Just an addendum, and I didn't have my camera for this, but I heard some ruffling outside the door to the bird room. When I stepped out there, Mo had dragged the Whiskas container to the other side of the apartment, the lid was off, and two teeth holes were in the foil cap. I've no idea how many they got out, but they're safely stashed in the cabinet now! Kismet was standing beside him as an accomplice just waiting for him to dig some treats out for her to steal. It is hands down the most cooperative I have ever seen our cats. Kismet was going nuts for the catnip too, so I gave them some. They're still going insane.

Merci beaucoup "mere" noel!
 
 
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sivyaleah

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Wow, someone sent clementines oversees via mail?  Isn't that illegal? 


I'd never do such a thing (says the person who sent a couple of supposed illegal items to my SS last year 
)
 

stewball

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A lot of exchanges I'm in are worldwide, but
shipping is obscenely expensive when you go outside of your country so people get crafty and send things via local merchants. Most countries have thei
own big online stores that people can
shop at if shipping costs are a big issue, and they tend to accept major credit cards regardless of the country it was
issued in. The upside is that many of them also offer free shipping to your gift
recipient! I think the biggest barrier someone might have to work around is reading Hebrew on Israeli sites to send
you something back! :bigwink:
free shipping? Lol
What Israeli sites wouldyou need Hebrew for, for example?
 

pinkdagger

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I'm not sure, I tried to Google a couple and they were written in Hebrew. I'm sure if I actually received a match in another part of the world where other languages were prevalent, I would do a more thorough search of reliable and safe stores that could ship to my recipient for less than those obscene postage costs! I sent three Secret Santa gifts via Amazon with free shipping, and another via Drs. Fosters and Smith with $5.99 shipping - considering I paid $22 to send a package within my own city, sending directly from a merchant works out to be a pretty good deal!
 

MoochNNoodles

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How cute is this?!

Wow!  I love the kitty, the cup and those chocolates look goooood!  What a pretty card too!

And I'm 
at your treat bandit Mo! 

 
Wow, someone sent clementines oversees via mail?  Isn't that illegal? 


I'd never do such a thing (says the person who sent a couple of supposed illegal items to my SS last year 
)
I think they are chocolates.  I'd love to try those!  I always do the big chocolate oranges you "whack" on the counter.  Yummy!

What a great day for Secret Santa!  Just one package to arrive by my count! 
 

pinkdagger

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Yep, deliciousness! Terry's Chocolate Oranges are my favourite too, and I try so hard to savour them.. but it's too difficult. These littler ones will serve me well as long as I don't keep them at my desk to pop in my mouth like Tic Tacs!


Psst.. It's not illegal if you don't declare it, hahaha! Just don't give customs any reason to open the box and no problems here, sir.


I've already eaten a bunch of chocolate... I told my boyfriend there's European chocolate waiting for him at home. I hope it lasts long enough for him to get home from work or he's going to come home to one huge girlfriend.
 

MoochNNoodles

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Yep, deliciousness! Terry's Chocolate Oranges are my favourite too, and I try so hard to savour them.. but it's too difficult. These littler ones will serve me well as long as I don't keep them at my desk to pop in my mouth like Tic Tacs!


Psst.. It's not illegal if you don't declare it, hahaha! Just don't give customs any reason to open the box and no problems here, sir.


I've already eaten a bunch of chocolate... I told my boyfriend there's European chocolate waiting for him at home. I hope it lasts long enough for him to get home from work or he's going to come home to one huge girlfriend.
Yes!  That's the brand!  I try to get DH and I each one of the Milk Chocolate and one of the Dark Chocolate.  
 
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