Is anyone organsing a Christmas exchange? With it already being September and it takes some time to get a list of participants together...putting a package together and posting it in time to reach people for Xmas I thought I would ask.

I wouldn't mind organising it myself but I don't want to step on any toes....

Danes is usually organizing Boxing Day Exchange every year. However I don't know if she's aiming to continue tradition :shrug:

We generally have a Boxing Day exchange... but it might be nice to have one where we get the packages before our winter holidays so we can send holiday-related goodies, like we're doing with the Halloween Exchange.

Although, Hanukkah is kinda early this year (December 4 start)

For me it's the same. We don't celebrate Halloween nor Boxing Day and my Christmas is 7th January :rolleyes:

I think Jan. 7th sounds good. :D

Why not make it a New Year exchange? All of us get a 2008! :P

I am down for an exchange on any date for any holiday or whether its one I celebrate or not. You just tell me when. I'm even down with let's have an exchange because it'll be Tuesday and someone wants to exchange then.

Okay! Well let's have an exchange! As I said I don't mind organising it and would actually be happy to 'give something back' after already taking part in some lovely exchanges already.

So I was thinking more about Christmas...the mail gets very hectic here over Xmas and I am sure it is the same in most places in the world. I don't want people who take part getting worried about their packages getting lost or not arriving on time.

Soooo....Here we have 'Nikolas' day on the 6th of December. How would that work for everyone? A pre-Christmas package to get you in the mood for the real thing?

That is a great idea...although I doubt I will be around much during the holidays as we usually go away to the country where internet is not yet needed :wacko:

I would certainly take part in one if someone wanted to do one...I was thinking more Christmassy though :bananadance:

6th Dec sounds little early for me. Namely it would be slightly over only one month after Halloween Exchange and I'm more for bigger gap and bigger anticipation. I hope that makes sense. I'm afraid if we organize exchanges that often it would be something very ordinary... just look at swaps! They aren't what they've been two years ago. Or is it just me?
My first secret exchange was Halloween and it was first exchange after 6 months (I think someone said). We had 70 thrilled participants. That excitement (and number) we never had again.

We typically have a New Book for a New Year swap every year. Opening day is Jan 1 and you get only one book. No extras. The catch is that you get a book from your partner that is not in your typical genre or something that you would choose for yourself to read. You are then encouraged to read the book within a certain time frame. I have really enjoyed these swaps in the past, but can't remember who normally organizes.


As for the Christmas exchange, a pre Christmas one where we can send our partners Christmas items that they will be able to use for the holiday sounds great to me. I would most certainly participate. But you probably should find out about that Boxing Day exchange and rather there are any plans to hold that one this year or not.

I would e-mail Danes and find out what her plans are first

I love the idea of a pre-Christmas Christmas-themed exchange where we can send Christmas-related items! I'm definitely going to participate in whatever December exchange is offered.

The New Year New Book for A New Year sounds like fun, too! I'll have time and would be willing to organize it unless someone else was planning on it.

:huh: :blink: anyone noticing how we are putting wish list book ("the ONLY requirement" in each secret exchange) in second plan and actually enforcing extras ("which are NOT necessary and no one should feel uncomfortable if don't include them")???

I DON'T like this new trend (contradictory) we are slowly adopting! As we know many people are not participating because they feel bad if they don't include extras (or even not enough extras) and then everyone say "oh don't feel bad!What is ONLY necessary is one wish list book". But look at us now? What a hell we are doing??? :angry:

I guess it doesn't seem that way to me.

What I meant by my comment (and what I assumed others meant as well) was that it would be nice to have opening day before the related holiday so that if we choose to send holiday-related goodies, they don't have to wait a year to use them.

That's it.

I probably won't send Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/New Years/Solstice/other Winter Holiday-related goodies. I'm probably not going to send Halloween related goodies in the Halloween exchange. I'm not into the little "holiday only" items and therefore, I have trouble buying them for others as well.

However, I do recognize that some people do like them and may want to send them, so I thought it would be nice if it worked out for that. After all, if I don't send them, or choose not to send any goodies this time (because I don't always), it makes no difference if we open before the holiday or on it... but it might make a difference to some people who want to send certain goodies.

And that's all I was saying. I wasn't at all trying to emphasize or enforce the goodies. Sorry if it comes across that way... please don't take it like that.

Please can we not have this same discussion about extras again?

Unfortunately, however we word it, and whatever 'rules' there are someone will be upset because they feel they are doing too little/too much. ( This has been established by the numerous other debates on this subject, here and on the old forum)

And before anyone says it, it's not a 'my way or the highway' approach. It's just everytime this all starts up again people end up getting upset and leaving. Can we not just leave this alone for once and let the exchanges be the joyful experiences they were meant to be?

I really don't want to cause any offence to anyone but I just cannot bear this all over again :cry:

Oh dear! I didn't realise this was going to turn into such a 'bah humbug' thread! Being newish here and seeing so many great swaps/exchanges and Vbbs going on I wanted to also contribute.

As for extras...who cares? It is the thought that counts and if someone wants to add some chocolate or a bookmark then so be it.

I don't want this to turn into a huge discussion. I just wanted to start a Christmas exchange. I think everyone over here on Bookobsessed knows how an excahnge works and is old enough to pack up something for their partner and post it.

Also the thing about the exchange is that you don't have to take part if you don't want to.

Sunny I’m sorry but this seems important to stress because for the first time we are stressing extras. I didn’t have a clue that Halloween opening day has been moved for the day before Halloween. I just saw that and why? Because of extras!!!. I'm in shock!
So all of sudden it seems that extras DO matter and I don’t like that and don’t wanna ignore it! I’m sorry.

Last year I asked Danes to remove me from the list of participants in Boxing Exchange because one wish list book rule has been changed when several players decided to post their list of 10 most wanted books from their wish list. That wasn’t the same anymore when you say ”I have wish list (with 100+ books) and these ten are the ones I’d like the most. But Hey it’s fine with me if you pick something else” Yeah right! If it’s fine why posting top wanted books at first?
If extras aren’t necessary why moving opening day because of them? Because you aren’t expecting extras? That sound logical right?
I personally don’t have problems to send something extra and usually send more than one wish list book but this is matter of principles.

Statement ”Who cares about extras?” simply doesn’t stand if we suggest let’s move opening day because of extras. Why on earth we should move opening day if we honestly(!!!) don’t want/need/expect anything but one wish list book???

Why not organizing secret exchange of goodies for Christmas. I think Turtle was host in previous years (although I’m not sure). That’s OK because Christmas related things are expected; it’s absolutely logical that opening day be before Christmas so that all those things can be used. You can add a wish list book as an extra along with those Christmas thing you are exchanging, right? But please leave away that from secret book exchanges!

I can't believe that I'm the only one who sees contradictory in this but OK, it’s probably me and my (as someone said last year during Boxing day discussion, "communistic") mentality but it doesn’t sound right when you say ”Also the thing about the exchange is that you don't have to take part if you don't want to.” but thing about BO-ers is to do everything to encourage people not to leave the game if we can. But question is are we want to do so?

I think this is a little ridiculous too. Although until now all I asked if someone was organising an exchange. I didn't even have a chance to say if it would be one wishlist book etc.

I haven't said if extras would be included or not in this exchange. If you have a problem with other exchanges then go and post about it in the proper thread.

So what is the problem? I think everyone can decide for themselves if they want to send extras or not. I don't think it is a problem for someone to post 'I am only sending a wishlist book and won't be sending extra's because....' just so everyone knows. I don't think anyone here (from what I have seen) will hold it against anyone.

Again this has nothing to do with this Christmas exchange that I haven't even organised yet! So go and complain somewhere else!!

I asked if any exchanges were planned. If and when I get a straight answer I may decide on making an exchange. However no one is forced to join it and therefore can decide what they want to send to their partner.

Although I have to say that having all this debate starting up from a simple question is putting me off even thinking about organising anything over here again! I have never had this seen kind of attitude here before! Sure everyone has a right to their opinion but there is a time and a place. Also if I am not going to join why should I say something against it!

Of course you don't have to join if you don't want to. Sure people give encouragement but at the end of the day there is no one holding a gun to your head making you take part. In my months here on Bookobsessed I have always known I can say no if I want to. Sure people will be sad if you leave a swap or vbb but we all have lifes outiside of BO.com and no-one here will say anything bad against you for stepping down (well this is the way I have seen things work here!).

Anyway I think I have said enough. Maybe a moderator should just come over and delete this whole topic and we should cancel all exchanges because they are unfair on everyone.

That was very rude.

It’s pity that threads on old forum can’t be revived. You’d see familiar names, old members who aren’t participating in the exchanges because of this (as Sunny said we had many discussions about this issue). And those old members felt quite uncomfortable to post about their reluctance; they felt embarrassment and I do understand them. I’d probably feel the same in their position and wouldn’t say anything.

I didn’t say I will not participate in exchange; precisely because I will I don’t have that burden so I could openly speak about the issue. But I DO care about others and that’s the difference. I do care (that is answer on your “So what is the problem?”)

Believe me I would post in “proper thread” but I was absent when you discussed about it. For Halloween Exchange I would say the same but now there’s no point.
That’s why I posted here before it’s too late.

You "have never had this seen kind of attitude here before!" What kind of attitude? Disagreement? You’re offended because I disagree with something you said? By the way your "simple question" did not start debate (I replied on your simple question).
"There’s time and place"? What that means? When it would be perfect time and where is perfect place? I don’t understand what you’re saying. Sorry.
Unlike yours, my statement is not addressed to you (or anyone else) personally (something you didn’t realized) because obviously more than one person agreed. It’s my voice against this new wave in secret exchanges. Of course if majority decide to ignore it so be it. It’s on me to decide whether I’ll play or not.
I’m 100% sure it will reject many potential players but hey my conscience will be pure. I saw something which I personally believe is not good idea for everyone (for everyone here!!!) and not being self orientated I had to express my thoughts. I had to be true to my principles but everything further is not (only) on me.

First,Turtle did the Christmas ornament exchange and Danes did the Boxing Day exchange. It was Boxing Day as it was felt with all the rush of Christmas, it was kind of nice to open a parcel on a 'quiet' day and have the time to enjoy it more

I agree with Sunny. We have discussed this ad nausem and have never gotten a solution just a lot of bad feeling which seems to be happening again. I know this is an important issue with you ZZZ but if it wasn't resolved before it won't be this time either. You have made your point

Amber since you are somewhat new to this forum, as are a lot of our members, you were not here when this discussion/debate hit the fan at bookrelay. It was very heated.

I personally think that with the influx of new members, the main thing that needs to be considered when thinking about setting up an exchange is to be sure that there is not a regularly scheduled exchange that it will be conflicting with. Be respectful to older members who typically host the same exchange year after year. Which is what you are doing by posting and asking if anyone holds a Christmas exchange.

There are some that as a rule are held every year and usually hosted by the same person. I unfortunately can't pull them all out of my head at the moment, but here are the ones I can think of

Boxing Day
New Book, New Year
Valentines Day
May Day
Halloween


I am sure there are more, but those are the ones I can think of. I also am not sure who usually hosts them but I am sure that other members will remember.

I think that like all things, this site has evolved --- with the loss of some older members and an influx of new members. That means that there has been/will be changes. We are seeing evidence of that in the VBBS and even in the Swaps with the new rules/polls etc that have been debated lately. It is only natural that those changes would extend to the exchanges.

I agree with Sunny. There is no need to rehash that whole debate on exchanges and extras. Everyone had their say and we moved on.

I personally think that as long as you make sure that you are not stepping on anyone else's exchange that you should be able to host any exchange that you like. If folks want to join they can. If not then they don't. Some exchanges will be small, some will be larger. Where is the harm? If 10 people want to exchange Christmas related items along with one or more wishlist books, so be it. If folks want to wait for the Boxing Day Exchange or the New Book for a New Year exchange, great. Some folks will do them all, some folks will chose one or two to participate in. There is no harm. It is about having fun!!

Oh Ace but this is first time that we are putting extras in first place; first time we are changing opening day because of extras which supposed to be unnecessary. And how they are unnecessary if they are the reason for moving opening day? This has never happen before! This is precisely something completely new!

But even if you’re right when you say ”if it wasn't resolved before it won't be this time either.” that can’t be the reason to stop trying. That wouldn’t be me. If I can’t change that by myself I WILL be that small, powerless, boring mosquito that all he can do is reminding that not all are happy with that.

And I feel it was very rude of you to come along and hijack a simple thread asking a simple question.

If there have been discussions about this other topic before then fine. However I feel it was very rude to start bringing this all up (again it seems) in my post!

So it seems! I didn't see this whole debate coming and it has thrown me off completely!

I have pm'd Danes (I hope the right one seeing as no one refers to anyone with their full nickname it is sometimes hard to know who is who!) and asked what is what. Anyone else who has an exchange over Christmas please also let me know!

Well said!

I am of course waiting to hear if my exchange proposal is ok or not...I am still unclear if I am stepping on any toes or conflicting with anyone elses exchange because there are no postings about them for this year...yet!

However if there is room for one more and enough interest I would be happy to organise one. Extras or no extras!

:blink: If I don't know that you are serious I would thought that must be some weird joke!
(... and you're saying something about attitudes *sigh*)

If you look above you'll see that I’m the one who replied immediately on your question and when later I saw suggestions about opening day because of extras (which hasn’t been made by you) “your” thread WAS THE PROPER ONE for what I said. Moreover after I realized that Halloween opening day has been moved for the same reason it was necessary to say that before it’s too late.

Oh my the holidays aren't even here yet. So let's start this thing all over again.
My answer would be I think it is a cute idea. And think you should give it a try Amber. You never know others might be interested. For me I don't think I could do it. It is a little bit early. That's why I like boxing day.

Someone in last year's exhaustive discussion re: exchanges / extras / "Priority" notes on wish lists said it best, I think.

Anyone is free to offer an exchange with whatever specifics they choose. Book Ob'rs are free to decide to join, sign up for another exchange they like better, or host an exchange they'd like to see with different specifics.

If you don't like the terms of an exchange, simple: Don't join it. Look for an exchange that pleases you. Or offer your own exchange.

I do agree with Wss's comment that we should be aware that some exchanges have "historic" hosts, and that we should be sensitive to that, as Amber was by checking with Danes before finalizing her exchange.

Amber: My Two Cents: After you hear from Danes, I'd LOVE to see you post a sign up for an early Christmas Exchange. I liked your "Nikolas Day" theme, which is cool, since we are an international community, to have a theme from an int'l. country :hug:

If you want to specify the number of books and whether or not the book/s are to be wish list books, that would be helpful. And maybe if you specify that Christmas-related extra's are "welcome", or specific to your exchange, that might be nice too.

I'll be watching for your sign up thread!!!! :bananacheer:

It wasn't a joke. I saw and read all your posts. However you could have made your own thread to bring up the subject if it means so much to you instead of turning this innocent question into a huge debate.

I will wait for Danes to reply and then I will decide what to do. I personally would love to do the exchange and hope that there will be a good amount of interest.

I also love the 'Nikolas' idea because here they do give presents on that day. Also I feel a little sad at Christmas because they do it all strange here...so I like the idea of getting something a little early to put me in the mood!

:wtf: :blink: :blink:
This is STUPID and ridiculous! You should realize this is not your personal blog! You said that it should be stated in proper thread and this tread was proper one after someone suggested reasons for opening day.

So the reason why you are offended and attacked me is not because of my opinion, statement, disagreements with some people (not you) but because I posted in “your” thread?????? :blink: You wanna say everything would be OK if I said the same thing on some other place???? This is so ridiculous that I had to reread it more than once.

This is forum (not anyones blog), people are debating here and the last thing that is expected is personal attack if you post disagreement. What is confusing is that what i posted wasn't addressed on you but my "crime" is that posted in "your" thread in spite the whole reason for posting was precisely here!!! That is unbelievable! I can't believe what I'm reading...

“Innocent question”! :thumbsup: You rock! My God! Do you even hear yourself?
Really I’m not taking you seriously anymore!

aargh.

I am not gonna take a stand on this, but one thing did strike me.

Amber you wrote

So what is the problem? I think everyone can decide for themselves if they want to send extras or not. I don't think it is a problem for someone to post 'I am only sending a wishlist book and won't be sending extra's because....' just so everyone knows. I don't think anyone here (from what I have seen) will hold it against anyone.


This does sound a bit like the other way around. The exchanges supposed to be, correct me if I am wrong cause I have not participated in them for a while, you had to send 1 wish list book. anything else was extra.

So now people like me that don't send goodies, have to tell you guys that we are not sending any extras just so you all know? :blink:

Well I will go and write that in the Halloween thread then.


Not sure if I will participate in a Christmas exchange, but I do love those :rolleyes:

@zzz

I can't believe you are even bothering to answer anymore. Actually I don't even know why I am bothering to answer anymore.

Lets recap because you still seem to be missing the point.

I posted who wants an exchange
You said it could be good
Then someone asked a question
You started moaning

You are right. This is a forum and not a blog. I never said it was anything else.

You obviously have a problem with exchanges. I see that. I have read your posts and agree on you on some points but you didn't need to hijack my thread. You could have started another thread asking peoples opinions.

Now I am going to make a new thread for people who are actually interested in joining an exchange. And if there is any debate started in that thread I will ask for the posts to be deleted.

You don't have to. I was just pointing out that if anyone felt the need to say something like that then I don't think anyone here would be annoyed.

I wasn't saying you have to say that.

Play.
Huh I wanted to write oke but when I look at my screen I see the words play? :wacko: :lol:

Oke. Well I don't feel guilty because instead of goodies I send more books :whistle:

Hmm.
So now it will be the 6th of December?
We celebrate Sinterklaas on the 5th but it is a bit soon after Halloween.

So does this mean we are not going to go forward with the regular Christmas exchange? :unsure:

I always loved those and never missed one since we started organising them.

Maybe it would have been better if amber had started a poll first see what most people wanted.

The one book for the new year sounds like fun to but am I understanding correctly that this does not mean you will get a wish list book?
I've never played in one of those so I am not sure.

Well, I believe it was said that Danes usually does the Boxing Day exchange. I personally hope that there is one closer to Christmas as well... December 6 is a bit early for me also.

So maybe we'll have both exchanges. :shrug:

I will join Amberkatze! I haven't read this whole thread and don't know what all the arguing is about, but as ramson stated, I am happy to join an exchange for whatever holiday even if I don't celebrate it, and I will be glad to celebrate just because it's Tuesday! This is supposed to be fun!

I hope so cause I love the Santa one. It has became sort of a tradition and it is one of my favorites.
(although the :vampire: :werewolf: is also always much fun!) :lol:

I heard back from Danes and her exchange is running a little late because of the move.

I will be joining the other christmas exchange too :D