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It is time to start signing up for the 2024 SI Christmas Card Exchange! Details and the sign up form are posted here. Any questions/comments can be addressed on this thread. Deadline for participation is Thursday, October 31st.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do we sign up to participate?

A: Please use the online sign-up form if you wish to participate.

Q: But what if I want to remain anonymous?

A: Everyone will remain anonymous. Only MangledHeart and the SI Elves will see the names on the mailing labels. All other participants will only see your username or however you decide to sign your Christmas cards.

Q: How do we handle postage?

A: A list of participants will be posted after the October 31st sign-up deadline which will include the cost of the postage to apply to each participants' envelope. Postage rates are based on USPS first class standard size envelopes for the current rate.

Q: Who applies the postage to the envelopes?

A: All members are required to add their own postage on the envelopes for each recipient.

Q: What about International members sending cards to the United States?

A: Please enclose the correct amount of USD currency you will need for postage in your package and we will purchase the postage on your behalf and apply them to your cards. the Elves will apply them to your cards during their toy making breaks.

Q: What is the record amount of envelopes sent/received?

A: Our record was 2013 with a staggering 5082 cards!!!

Q: What is the "Real Name" used for on the Christmas Card Exchange form?

A: It's up to you how you want your envelopes labeled. Just specify the name as you would like your postmaster to see it when they deliver your cards. Some members use their real name, some only use their first names and some only use their SI name. It's entirely up to you.

Q: If our spouses/partners are also members here, do they need to sign up as well?

A: No. Only one member needs to sign up on behalf of all family participants. Just make sure to include their username and/or real name on the Christmas Card Exchange form.

We would like to express our deep appreciation to the volunteer Elves that have come to the SI Santa's Workshop to help make all of this possible!! We look forward to the tradition continuing this year. They are wonderful and generous with their time and love for all of you.

Christmas Card Sign-up Form

I feel kind of daft saying this, but I don’t get it. How does this work? We sign up and choose others we would like to send cards to, but they only get them if they sign up to? Sorry, feeling kind of slow.

Also, still sharing a house with STBXW, so would anything that comes in the mail be obvious that it’s from SI?

After the sign-up deadline we compile a list of all participants (by username) with the postage cost for each participants' cards. All participants must include cards for each of the other participants. Complete your cards, write usernames on the front of each envelope, apply appropriate postage, bundle them and send them to SI's mailbox. We will label the envelopes and mail them out. This process allows everyone to remain anonymous.

We do not apply return address labels so the cards/envelopes will not have anything related to SI.

Thank you, that makes sense.

So this thing grows exponentially with each person that signs up?! Sounds like a big job for Santa 🎅🏻

Woot Woot to the wootin! My favorite time of year to connect with old timers and new joiners. I've been doing the exchange since I found SI back in 2012 and can't tell you how amazing it was to open a bundle of glittery joy that first Christmas alone. And now it's a tradition I look forward to each year.

I still take a quiet moment on Christmas Eve to spin some tunes, inspect each card carefully, collect the glitter in a bowl, and know there are others out there who just get it. If you're willing to hop on the fabulous two-way train to both SEND and RECEIVE some colorful wonder this season, hope you'll join in!

PS to old timers (you know who you are): Look Out. Age has not softened my ability to one-up you on envelope surprises.

PPS to MH the OG Elf: You are the bestest best for keeping this tradition going for all of us in DS's honor. Big cheers and so many thanks.

Chili

I guess I'm an old timer...

The envelope surprises are the best. I shall be named Queen this year bwahahaha.

I've always looked forward to this event.

I have done this for quite a while and it always makes me smile.

I was hesitant to sign up this year, as I now live in an apartment and don’t want the mail person to hate me! 😂

I don’t know if it’s allowed to ask for no glitter, if so I’d appreciate it, if not I understand.

I wait until summer to open mine, and it brings me such big smiles! 🙂

Are we talking like Mark Rober levels of glitter here? (If you don’t know what that means, look up Mark Rober glitter and get ready to giggle).

Mark Robler is a heroic genius 😈 his videos are great.

And let’s just say, open the cards over a bowl :-)

still2suspicious

I promise my card to you will not be a glittery mess! No need to wait to open it

Thank you to MH and the Elf Brigade! It's my first time to sign up and I sincerely hope my registration went through...had a massive glitch just as I was posting it.

I do hope a few more people join in this year!!!

Not the biggest crowd we've ever had, but super duper excited to carry on this tradition with everyone. Remember to get your cards to the North Pole by December 1st! (click on the Rules/FAQ for more info if you haven't found it yet). I've already started messing with mine. Squee.

Very small group this year. I wonder if it's the
smallest.

I'm very happy to be apart of this. It brings so much joy to receive cards. Then again I just heard Canada post workers may strike. That sucks. I mat not get cards until the new year.

I'll get my cards sent this week to hopefully avoid them being stuck here.

This is the smallest list of participants we've ever had.

Here are the numbers from the last 5 years:

2019: 50
2020: 51
2021: 30
2022: 26
2023: 21

The final list of participants with postage has been posted.

Thank you Dragnheart.

I don’t want the mail person to tattle on me 🤣🤣

Ya know, technology is great and all except for sending mail! It used to be I just wrote the address on the envelope and away it went.

Now, however, it's a royal headache. The address is put into the computer and the person always complains that it never comes up...thus they have to enter it manually....

Then there's a slew of questions.

Is that really the name you want to send it to?

Is that really the zip code? What's the extra numbers?

Is Woodlands a city?

Grrrrr. Just send the damn package! It always gets there with that address...

P.S. despite trying to contain the glitter I spilt it. I am now all sparkly ✨️

No worries still2suspicious. Your card is good.

I still have my cards from 2016, unopened. Not sure why I haven't opened them.

My cards are on their way for the December 1 deadline! Should be there on the 29th! 🎄

Sand and I weren't able to participate this year due to just being too damn busy. It's the first time we've not been able to participate since 2012 and it was a bit of a disappointment. To give just a little back, over the years I've posted my SI Christmas Tree(tm) that I've been decorating with bulbs of glitter saved from cards and trinkets that people would send. It's been really cool to see the little tree grow with decorations over the year! Last year I was remiss in posting the annual photo, and was properly chastised by Chili and WOES. So here is the 2023 SI Christmas Tree(tm) since I won't be having one this year. Make no mistake, the tree is up! But it won't have all the wonderful cards under it this year.