The 7th Annual GNamer Forum Secret Santa!

@Balla what about a thought about pisstake like a Creeper Plush, if it was for you.

I get what you're saying about the 'everybody be nice' idea, that should be a given. But surely the natural way to not showing 'your complete and utter disgust' is to not get a cheap, lousy gift?

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

...'everybody be nice'...'your complete and utter disgust'...

I just don't think these two are compatible.  We're not psychic, and everyone makes mistakes.  What one person may think is a thought-out gift may be lousy for the recipient, and I strongly believe that every GNamer gift is going to be thought-out by the buyer at this point.  'Complete and utter disgust' is only likely to make the buyer feel it wasn't worth the thinking out, and make them less likely to want to take part again, especially at what's meant to be a happy time of year (that may be even more stressful this time around).  We've had at least one example of that.  If you want to give preferences and direction, I feel it's better done beforehand without referring to specific cases, rather than 'was this a joke?' or 'yeah this wasn't for me' after the fact.  

Everyone has a different definition of 'nice' too, and I personally don't think there's any nice way to say you didn't like someone's thought-out Christmas present around Christmas time.

Note: I think, I feel.  While I know I'm not alone here, and while I think what I'm suggesting would benefit others too, all I'm talking about is me personally and my thin skin.  I'm asking: is that okay with everyone?  Are we okay with replacing 'complete and utter disgust' with 'be grateful that they tried' in the OP this year?  If y'all decide that being able to give negative feedback to the giver is a crucial part of the process, that's fine and I'll step out.

Yes, we can replace "complete and utter disgust". I didn't remember I'd put it there until I checked, there's no need for it. It was surely meant as a lousy joke at the time, but I don't really know what I was thinking when I typed it. 

It's been hard not to feel a bit disappointed for some of the recipients though. Nine times out of ten though, I appreciate everybody's effort, and I'm certain everybody else does.

Mind you, you're the guy who told me that made of a point of telling me that 'the sweeties were a better gift than the sealed Switch game' two years ago, and within days you made a a post about your 2019 Secret Santa gift in the Crap Games Thread. That post took you longer to type than you spent playing the game.  

EDIT: Should have said, I'll start a new 2020 thread later this weekend. 

I'm definitely not saying I'm innocent in this! I've been on both sides of it, and I don't like what I've done in those examples. (I did agree the second one with Mas but I now don't know if it went a bit far, and I'm happy never to do that again. The first one I wholeheartedly regret.)

Much obliged about the OP. I'm in.

Could we just do the 8th annual instead of just going on about gifts?

Lol Balla no, if someone gets a shit gift we're gonna call them out. This isn't primary school.

Your call, that makes the position pretty clear. Enjoy chaps!

You've got to take part Balla, it be the 8th one and you've not missed one

Along with the community being tad smaller that can't see myself, smurf, andy etc buying a duff gift

Balla, join in, you don't need to worry about it as you obviously put thought into your gifts, but we can't just pretend that every gift ever given has been well thought out and fair to the recipient.
Nobody complains if something doesn't quite hit the mark but the right spirit is there, it's just when someone really phones it in they probably should be called out, either to rectify it next time or to bow out.

That's very kind of you Andy, and I hope I do. As mentioned to Cappa I still don't think that we (including I) have always got the spirit thing 100% right, and given the people who take part I think it's more likely that a gift is dunked on wrongly than people here don't put the thought in; but I do appreciate what you're saying. I don't think that's what Buska's saying though.

Let's draw a line under this if that's okay: not fair that last year's thread appears above this year's. For all the great gifts I've received, I've found GNSS stressful for a while, so I think I'll benefit from a year off - and I'll still look forward to seeing what the rest of you get!

Fair enough if you want a year off - this is definitely the year to do it.