Your thoughts on the Gift Exchange...

[lowyder993s]

What I look forward to is the note. Often it will be something of the giftors life and such. That said...I've also gotten some kick azz stuff and I have a pen holder that reminds me of both Pelican and the sender every time I look at it.

[LakeCleElum]

See Rule #8.......Roll with it.........

[Evans, Marv]

I opted out this year, but hope to be in next year. The reason I opted out was that I tried to follow the original rules. The gift I sent out last year was kind of scraping the bottom of the barrel for things I had on hand, though I hope the recipient got some use out of it, so I decided to set this one out and try to keep an eye out for something to save for next year's exchange.

[M.D. Holloway]

A gift is a gift...we give to give, we don't give to get. I - for one - am very satisfied with what I have gotten over the years...its all good. I hope that the receivers of what I gave enjoyed and were happy...

[syncroid]

I have been doing it every year since the beginning. I try and research threads to get to know the person I am gifting. I have had some good ones! I loved my gifts this year. My giftee obviously did some research on me. That is what makes it fun. I am guilty of buying one part of my gift this year. The Tee Shirt. Jesse, I hope it fits you.
I look forward to the exchange every year.
For the person who flaked "TWICE", they should be outted.

[Brian 162]

I enjoy the whole process. I will snoop into the giftee's personal profile and go from there.
Usually the postage is higher from Canada to the U.S. and probably vice versa.
I say continue the exchange.

[BeyGon]

I have always had fun with it, people have given me some great gifts. But, I am easy to please, I have tried to give something they would be interested in but am sure it doesn't always work. You do what you can.

[VaSteve]

I've gotten some cool stuff, but the most useful was a guitar pick. No, really. I started a thread about getting back to playing guitar just before the holidays. My giftor (LSA) found that thread and sent me some guitar picks ...I think he's in a metal band. They were really thick jazz picks. I didn't like the size, but I liked the thickness and dug out some old picks I bought to play bass with (look away Todd and Targa911). Totally transformed my playing. So a Pelican gift got me to dig out something I already owned and take a new approach.

I do see some of the photos and I do think some people have gone outside the spirit of the thing. I scout for stuff all year round...usually schwag from races I go to.

[Laneco]

I wind up with a lot of schwag from bicycle races. Got very lucky this year as my giftee is a mountain biker, so I dug through the schwag-bags and picked out some pretty cool stuff for him.

angela

[craigster59]

I guess I have it pretty easy working in the movie biz, there's always a few odds and ends left over after production that someone can always use. I've always enjoyed everything I've gotten in the exchange and it's actually one of THE presents I look forward to every year.

But things can get hectic around the holidays (I know they did for me this year) and I scrambled towards the end to get my package out on time. I don't think any real good can come from a "public shaming" of the multiple offending Pelican, just a PM that his or her name will be deleted from the list if him/her even THINKS about participating next year.

As far as gifts that are above and beyond the rules, I think there is a lot of leeway there. This forum is a community of diverse individuals who work in all trades and professions. I think everyone would agree, it is one of the best sources of diverse information (I still get funny looks when I tell people "Oh, I learned it on a Porsche forum") for subjects outside of auto repair. If I got a fellow Pelican who may have answered a legal/medical question pro bono, or helped me with a difficult home repair I might want to toss in a bottle of nice scotch or a gift card to a restaurant/coffe joint. Heck, I'd probably spend more on a fellow Pelican than I would for some members of my family .

As far as inappropriate gifts, I always figure my recipient will be opening it in front of family. If someone was offended by a stuffed squirrel or mildly risque item, let's just say they need to lighten up a bit. But if the gift was intentionally offensive, say from one PARFer to another that are constantly at odds, that crosses the line. I'd really like to know what the gift(s) were so we can draw our own conclusions.

Sorry to be so long winded, just wanted to state my opinion and Thanks again Guy for stepping up this year!

[mikester]

Originally Posted by syncroid

I have been doing it every year since the beginning. I try and research threads to get to know the person I am gifting. I have had some good ones! I loved my gifts this year. My giftee obviously did some research on me. That is what makes it fun. I am guilty of buying one part of my gift this year. The Tee Shirt. Jesse, I hope it fits you.
I look forward to the exchange every year.
For the person who flaked "TWICE", they should be outted.

Same here.

[lowyder993s]

Originally Posted by craigster59

I guess I...

PERFECTLY stated!

[Rusty Heap]

I got my gift package this year..............from a dentist............


2 tooth brushes.
deck of playing cards from a trade show.........with dental equipment supplies advertisement on the back? WTF?
a box of teeth whitening strip samples.
Several boxes of 2011 sample-pack of blue nitrile gloves, xs, sml, med, lrg. one pair each.

okay he did add a tin Porsche car model, and a 911 book.

but really, TOOTH BRUSHES and expired dental samples?..............dental equipment playing cards?


I'd rather get a dead mangy stuffed squirrel.


no offense to sender. it was late in the gifting season I guess.

[lane912]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

See Rule #8.......Roll with it.........

[Embraer]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

I got my gift package this year..............from a dentist............


2 tooth brushes.
deck of playing cards from a trade show.........with dental equipment supplies advertisement on the back? WTF?
a box of teeth whitening strip samples.
Several boxes of 2011 sample-pack of blue nitrile gloves, xs, sml, med, lrg. one pair each.

okay he did add a tin Porsche car model, and a 911 book.

but really, TOOTH BRUSHES and expired dental samples?..............dental equipment playing cards?


I'd rather get a dead mangy stuffed squirrel.


no offense to sender. it was late in the gifting season I guess.

wow, you sound like a spoiled brat here. look at the rules of the exchange....sounds like the dentist sent you some cool stuff. I hope you were joking with what you typed.

[LakeCleElum]

One can't win here.....

Send something like Rusty gets and no appreciation.
Send something new, personal and Porsche related and get called out for it.

Instead of "Rules", let's think of them as Guidelines?

[RedBaron]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

I got my gift package this year..............from a dentist............


2 tooth brushes.
deck of playing cards from a trade show.........with dental equipment supplies advertisement on the back? WTF?
a box of teeth whitening strip samples.
Several boxes of 2011 sample-pack of blue nitrile gloves, xs, sml, med, lrg. one pair each.

okay he did add a tin Porsche car model, and a 911 book.

but really, TOOTH BRUSHES and expired dental samples?..............dental equipment playing cards?


I'd rather get a dead mangy stuffed squirrel.


no offense to sender. it was late in the gifting season I guess.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

I got my gift package this year..............from a dentist............


2 tooth brushes.
deck of playing cards from a trade show.........with dental equipment supplies advertisement on the back? WTF?
a box of teeth whitening strip samples.
Several boxes of 2011 sample-pack of blue nitrile gloves, xs, sml, med, lrg. one pair each.

okay he did add a tin Porsche car model, and a 911 book.

but really, TOOTH BRUSHES and expired dental samples?..............dental equipment playing cards?


I'd rather get a dead mangy stuffed squirrel.


no offense to sender. it was late in the gifting season I guess.

That sounds like a nice haul.

[theFONZ]

I got my gift package this year..............from a dentist............





2 tooth brushes.

deck of playing cards from a trade show.........with dental equipment supplies advertisement on the back? WTF?

a box of teeth whitening strip samples.

Several boxes of 2011 sample-pack of blue nitrile gloves, xs, sml, med, lrg. one pair each.



okay he did add a tin Porsche car model, and a 911 book.



but really, TOOTH BRUSHES and expired dental samples?..............dental equipment playing cards?





I'd rather get a dead mangy stuffed squirrel.





no offense to sender. it was late in the gifting season I guess.

So you got a Porsche toy and a book, then he threw some things you may or may not be able to use.

What is the problem?

[bell]

The squirrel and i opted out this year as well......maybe next year.....