I started it off last year so I figured might as well this year too.

[Jayman]

Hello, this thread was just pointed out to me, guess I missed it.

 

Yeah, if you will all have me again, I will gladly host the 2009 CGC Holiday Gift Exchange.

 

Details, rules forthcoming.

 

 

I was waiting till the boards official "Father Christmas" chimed in!

I'm in again too!

[Black Lantern]

, I have a stack of comics to donate to the raffle, but frankly the discussion about $40 overseas shipping is a bit disturbing. No offense to those overseas, but that's a lot of money

 

1. if you ship only 1-3 books it will never cost $40

2. what about the foreign members like me? we also have to ship the same distance to the USA.

 

like i said before, if everyone states waht he/she is willing to do before this get's started, there should be no problem. if there will remain some foreign board members in the end without somebody to ship to their country, then they can't participate. i think this won't be a problem. personally, i think it's fun to do but i won't have a problem if i can't participate. i volunteer to be one of those poor foreign board members who will be left over if there is no other choice

seriously, if i can't participate i won't be angry. i understand that it is also a question of costs and nobody should be forced to do something he can't afford. the fun always comes first!

[Shark]

Is there any way to setup the rules to where international boardies (outside of the US and Canada) would pick each other instead of having to ship items all the way to the US or Canada? I realize they could still ship from Malaysia to Europe or something like that but wouldn't it still be cheaper for them (and us)?

 

BTW, unless you're shipping a krapload of comics, up to 5 or 6 boarded comics will fit nicely into a Flat Rate Priority International envelope for something like $12.00.

 

Shark

[silverage12c]

Is there any way to setup the rules to where international boardies (outside of the US and Canada) would pick each other instead of having to ship items all the way to the US or Canada?

 

This seems like the best idea (thumbs u Whenever possible, have the Europeans members send to others on their side of the pond, etc. :shrug:

[Anfield Fox]

i'm in too, if it's no problem that i'm from europe.

 

Uh oh. Just be careful.

 

No, seriously i have dealt with a hundred different people on these boards, most were great in regards to living abroad and up until supapimp none even made an issue of it. I wouldn't worry about it (thumbs u

 

I had a lot of fun with it last year, and I'd love to do it again. Not that I don't understand you being upset, but I think the problem was, with the raffle, not the Secret Santa, because Kenny was very careful about that, he asked everyone (Great job Kenny! ) .

Some people donated raffle prizes and that was what he didn't want to ship, no? He said he couldn't afford it.

 

Maybe someone will donate shipping as a prize this year, I do understand it gets expensive if you have to use a flat rate box overseas. There are a lot of people here, who love participating, but just can't afford an extra $40 for shipping, and with these economic times, I can understand that..

 

If someone reminds me, I'll volunteer to cover one overseas shipping in case it happens again, maybe someone else could also be a backup.

 

Not only did i offer to pay the shipping, i also said if that was too much hassle sending to the UK he could just send it to my brother who lives in DC. I know that queuing for an international package can take a while but what is the excuse to not send it to DC?

 

The PM's were read, no response. At least he had the courtesy to post a rude message on the thread last year. Sorry i don't know why you are sticking up for this guy. Maybe he didn't want a national treasure like New Mutants 98 in CGC 9.6 leaving North America.

 

Anyway, im over it. I also don't want to take away from the great work that Kenny did and how everyone else donated and don't want to come across as a grumpy so and so. Just had to vent.

[skypinkblu]

i'm in too, if it's no problem that i'm from europe.

 

Uh oh. Just be careful.

 

No, seriously i have dealt with a hundred different people on these boards, most were great in regards to living abroad and up until supapimp none even made an issue of it. I wouldn't worry about it (thumbs u

 

I had a lot of fun with it last year, and I'd love to do it again. Not that I don't understand you being upset, but I think the problem was, with the raffle, not the Secret Santa, because Kenny was very careful about that, he asked everyone (Great job Kenny! ) .

Some people donated raffle prizes and that was what he didn't want to ship, no? He said he couldn't afford it.

 

Maybe someone will donate shipping as a prize this year, I do understand it gets expensive if you have to use a flat rate box overseas. There are a lot of people here, who love participating, but just can't afford an extra $40 for shipping, and with these economic times, I can understand that..

 

If someone reminds me, I'll volunteer to cover one overseas shipping in case it happens again, maybe someone else could also be a backup.

 

Not only did i offer to pay the shipping, i also said if that was too much hassle sending to the UK he could just send it to my brother who lives in DC. I know that queuing for an international package can take a while but what is the excuse to not send it to DC?

 

The PM's were read, no response. At least he had the courtesy to post a rude message on the thread last year. Sorry i don't know why you are sticking up for this guy. Maybe he didn't want a national treasure like New Mutants 98 in CGC 9.6 leaving North America.

 

Anyway, im over it. I also don't want to take away from the great work that Kenny did and how everyone else donated and don't want to come across as a grumpy so and so. Just had to vent.

 

I wasn't sticking up for him, I felt sorry for both of you. I just thought he was embarrassed, and I try to give people the benefit of the doubt.

 

At the time, I had donated some fairly heavy books, and when I saw his hesitation, I watched, because I realized that if someone from Europe picked those hard covered books (worth maybe $40?) it was going to cost me that much in shipping and I realized, it was not something I had thought of before, and that perhaps other people had not either.

 

He was wrong, in either case, I just thought maybe he was embarrassed. Sorry you had to go through that and I'm sorry if you thought I was being adversarial there, towards you, I was not.

[hesdeadjim]

Is there any way to setup the rules to where international boardies (outside of the US and Canada) would pick each other instead of having to ship items all the way to the US or Canada?

 

This seems like the best idea (thumbs u Whenever possible, have the Europeans members send to others on their side of the pond, etc. :shrug:

 

Are you serious???

[Anfield Fox]

No problem Sky, thanks for clarifying and i know that shipping can be a nightmare sometimes!

[Shootydog]

I would be interested to know the actual numbers of US participants compared to European . If there is a disparity than just take volunteers of those willing to ship across the water.

 

Personally I don't have a problem with shipping but it cant hurt to limit the expense for everyone. More money for books that way. The fact that the shipping could easily equal more than the value of the gift just seems wrong to me.

 

Anfield, I hear what your saying. If you dont intend to participate fully and money is going to be tight than don't participate at all. You will save everyone and yourself a whole lot of grief and frustration.

 

Maybe we can brainstorm in a thread for gift ideas that dont cost a bundle to ship or other alternatives.

 

p.s. I have my raffle prize all ready to go!!

[skypinkblu]

No problem Sky, thanks for clarifying and i know that shipping can be a nightmare sometimes!

 

I think it's fun to have people out of the US included. I like the fact that we have friends overseas. The Post Office here, made some big changes last year, and it was kind of a shock. I was serious about donating one shipping fee, I'll donate the cost of one flat rate priority box, if someone DOES donate and has trouble paying the shipping, as well. I think that will just be my gift. Just in case, someone else forgets to look at the weight of what they donate, like I did.

 

This is not going to be an easy year for some people, but I hope everyone can still join in.

[Reno McCoy]

Can someone please explain the raffle idea? I think I get the key points of the secret santa, but what's this raffle all about?

[Black Lantern]

but isn't it the easiest way to wait who you will draw and then decide, which book(s) to ship? if you pick someone outside the USA it doesn't have to be 10 books or something heavy. it can also be only one book with the same value as 10 books. for example:

 

value of 10 books $30, shipping in USA $5 = $35

value of 2 books $20, shipping to europe $15 = $35

 

no package will be of same value, so i think this discussion isn't really necessary.

 

personaly i don't care what the gift will be or if it's high value. i'm doing it for the fun, that's what the spirit of this should be.

[skypinkblu]

Can someone please explain the raffle idea? I think I get the key points of the secret santa, but what's this raffle all about?

 

The Raffle consisted of a group of items that were donated as prizes. The winners got to pick from the group, depending on what number they drew.

 

For overseas stuff, the Secret Santa is a piece of cake, It was the raffle, that Anfield Fox was talking about, having a problem getting his prize.

[Reno McCoy]

Ah, I see. So there's a secret Santa in which we somehow draw names. For the raffle, there's a list of items that we donated, if you donated you draw a number, and when it's your turn, you pick from the list.

 

Yeah, I can dig this. Can't wait 'til Christmas now. Giddiup.

[He11blazer]

but isn't it the easiest way to wait who you will draw and then decide, which book(s) to ship? if you pick someone outside the USA it doesn't have to be 10 books or something heavy. it can also be only one book with the same value as 10 books. for example:

 

value of 10 books $30, shipping in USA $5 = $35

value of 2 books $20, shipping to europe $15 = $35

 

no package will be of same value, so i think this discussion isn't really necessary.

 

personaly i don't care what the gift will be or if it's high value. i'm doing it for the fun, that's what the spirit of this should be.

 

 

Agree completely (thumbs u

[hesdeadjim]

Alright, why don't we all wait for Ze to post THE THREAD and see what he has to say about the US vs the rest of the world situation? It seems to have worked out pretty well (with one sad exception) last year, so I don't really see any reason for major adjustments this time...

 

...but I could be wrong. All I can say for certain right now is: stay off the booze, kids!!!

[cd4ever]

I'm in again! Maybe this year I'll actually receive a gift!

 

But giving is certainly what it's all about.

[comicdonna]

Count me in Kenny! (thumbs u

[alecholland]

I'm in again! Maybe this year I'll actually receive a gift!

 

But giving is certainly what it's all about.

 

Seriously? You never got anything?

Man, I feel bad that I didn't know about that, I would've happily sent something to you John. Seriously.

 

Oh yeah, I'm in.

[DiceX]

Something I've never had to announce before...

"I'm in"