Virago Secret Santa 2017

✨ Welcome to the 10th Annual Virago Secret Santa Extravaganza! ✨

Yes, it's time to get start getting ready for that 'most wonderful time of the year' again! 🌲 🎁 🌲

Sign up between now and October 28 by leaving a message with your mailing address on either Jane's profile (BeyondEdenRock) or Karen's profile (kaggsy).

After that, the Virago Elves will work their magic. You will receive a private message fron one giving you a number, and a new thread will appear in the group putting names to the numbers so you can find out who you will be sending your gift.

Please remember that only the Virago Elves and your Santa will know your address. Also, please do indicate your shipping preferences (will ship anywhere, can only ship within your home country/continent, etc.)

Please try to get everything off in time for the opening season between December 19 and 31.

Ask an Elf – or ask this thread – if you have any questions.

Old hands and newcomers will all be warmly welcomed!

Thanks for starting this off Jane - here’s to our usual festive fun! 😁

I'm in and have messaged Jane.

Thank you so much, both of you! I'm so happy this wonderful tradition is continuing.

I'm in - hooray!

A wonderful way to begin the week! Thank you, dear Jane and Karen! I'm in!

I received a lovely invitation from our elves this morning, inviting me (a retired elf) to this year's festivities. I'm afraid I must be a spectator during this special 10th anniversary year. We are moving house this autumn with the most likely move date sometime in late November or early December. I am feeling rather overwhelmed by the prospect, not to mention Thanksgiving and Christmas happening in the same timeframe. I truly regret being unable to participate in the gift exchange. However, I will be following along with considerable interest!

The Virago Secret Santa is one of the best events on LibraryThing, and a celebration of everything wonderful about this group. If you haven't signed up yet, please do!!!

>6 lauralkeet: I thought that might be the case, but I had to ask. We will miss you but we understand, and hope that in a few months time you will be happy in your new home and thinking that all the hassle and stress was worth it.

I signed up the other day. A lovely event every year.

Thanks for the reminder, Jane. I have sent you my details!

I'm in!

I've realised that our invitation is a little short on specifics about how this thing works for any one new who is wondering about signing up, so here are a few more details:

- In the Virago Secret Santa, you send directly to the recipient. The Virago Elves have a process that randomly matches people, and can take into account shipping preference, but if there is a problem - or if anyone draws themselves - we can arrange a swap so that everyone is happy

- You can shop for gifts and pack them up yourself, or you can use a bookseller that will ship direct. Amazon, The Book Depository, Persephone books and Honno Books will all do that, and I am sure there are others.

- We don't have a hard and fast guideline on how much to spend. $25-$30 was mentioned once, the cost of a couple of new books was mentioned another time, but the only thing we ask is you shop thoughtfully.

- You don't have to send Viragos, you can send anything you think the recipient might like. Look at their library here, look at links to other sites where they are active, and there will be a 'Letters to Santa' thread after everyone is matched up, so you can see what your recipient might like and you can guide your own Santa a little.

- We will have a thread dedicated a thread for arrivals of packages to celebrate the anticipation and to reassure you that the git you sent has arrived, and a thread where we can all share in the excitement if each opening.

- This thing is fun! Some of us have been here for all ten Virago Secret Santas! And there will always be someone ready to help out!

To see the threads from previous years, check out our Wiki.

Adding my enthusiasm to this wonderful Virago tradition having been along from the start - and how exciting that it's our 10th year celebration! 💚 Looking forward to this most magical time of the year! 📚🎁🌲 Happy Autumn to all in the meantime! 🍂🍁🍂

Up to now it has never occurred to me to use fun emojis in my LT threads. Watch out world! 🎉 📚 🎁 💯 🐶 🐱 🐰

Goed evening everyone. I will sit this years Secret Santa out as I have not been on LT at all this year. Hope everyone has a wonderful time!

Thanks for starting all this off Jane! As you know I’m on a bit of a road trip this week but will pitch in when I’m back! 😁

>14 ccookie:
It is good to 'see' you, Cathy. I hope all is well with you & yours.
How wonderful to see the Virago Secret Santa thread up & running already. Like a couple of others I will be bowing out this year due to just having so much on my plate. But I will be watching from the sidelines and enjoying along with those of you who are joining in. Ten years already.............WOW! I hope that everyone enjoys this very special time of year.

I won't be in this year. Like Belva, I've got too much on my plate – including getting the house cleaned out, not getting more books in! Part of my clean-out involves a rummage sale at a local church, but I'm finding duplicate Viragos and Norton Criticals and the like that I'll be posting here on the VMC group for those who'd like them (domestic U.S. only). So sooner or later I'll be playing Santa, I guess, but not VSS this year.

>16 rainpebble: When I saw the polar bears on Santa' sleigh, my very first thought was of Iorek Byrnison. I'm currently reading The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage, the just-out first volume of the prequel trilogy to His Dark Materials. (Lyra Belacqua's my favorite character in all fantasy literature.)

Thank you for getting this Christmas tradition under way xxx

>17 CurrerBell:
Mike, I am going to have to see if I can get The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage in ebook form from my library. Thank you for the reck. :-) His Dark Materials is the only physical book I am taking to Az with me this winter. I took a box down last year and my Kindle is loaded for bear. I have put the Pullman off for too long and thought it would be perfect reading for this winter.

I'd like to join in this year, but I only want to send within my country. :)

Greetings from Virago Elf HQ!

Thank you to everyone who has asked to be part of this lovely celebration again. We have added all of your details to our master list.

Today is the last day for sign-ups, so if you've been meaning to join and haven't quite got to it yet now is the time.

There's no need to panic though, because until the thread with the list of numbers is posted we should be able to squeeze in anybody who asks.

>19 rainpebble: BTW, I don't know if you realize, but Dakota Blue Richards, who played Lyra in the movie, also played Maria in The Secret of Moonacre, the film version of The Little White Horse (Elizabeth Goudge). I mention this because TLWH seems to have quite a following, although I don't particularly care for the film version. In particular, Richards's snark, while perfect for Lyra, didn't fit well with the Maria of the novel.

The Golden Compass (film) really deserved a lot better reception than it got. The criticism from various religious groups was to be expected, but fans of the books were really unduly harsh. The entire cast was absolutely perfect, exactly as I personally visualized the characters.

hi Viragoites - I'm sorry I won't be able to join VSS this year. Ill health and personal circumstances make it impossible for me.

Thank you elves for the invitation and I hope you all enjoy the VSS season as much as I have in the past.

Another apology for not being able to join in this year for various reasons - but I will be following all the planning and opening threads and vicariously enjoying the VSS.

Sorry to be late, if it's still possible I'd love to join but only if it won't cause any extra work for the elves. I live in Norway and can ship anywhere in the world.

There's a new thread for with the recipient numbers and there will be a new thread for Letters to Santa very soon, so I think we can say that this thing is officially underway!

>25 alvaret: I'm sorry, I didn't see your message until the allocations were done, but hopefully that will be happening again next year and you will be able to join in then.

>26 BeyondEdenRock: No problem, I expected to be too late, just thought I would try.

I've been so absent this year, but glad I was reminded of the Secret Santa :)

Just posted my Dear Santa letter! :)

Just a little reminder to all taking part to please post letters, suggestions or wishlists to help your Santas as much as possible.

This is particularly helpful for those who might have to post overseas and need to get Rudolf out a little earlier...

Thank you! :)))))

>26 BeyondEdenRock: I sent you a PM.

>31 toast_and_tea: You'll see the answer on your profile page!

>32 BeyondEdenRock: I sent another. I need my Santee's addy.

>33 toast_and_tea: I've answered that one too.

My parcel has arrived!! Thank you, Santa!

An exciting parcel has arrived from Stanfords, London, thank you Santa!

And now two more parcels have arrived, beautifully wrapped by Amazon. I didn't look too closely but my son did and told me the identity of my Santa. I won't say who it is for now but I couldn't be more delighted.

Thank you so much, dear Santa 🌹😊

waiting on my packages to come for my Santee, may get it out just a wee bit late.

Wow! Santa has made it across the ocean already, arriving sometime last week! Those reindeer were flying. Maybe that's why the parcels for >38 toast_and_tea: are delayed. I hope he makes the return journey as quickly, taking parcels back with him.

Dear Santee, had to reorder your gift, but it'll still be here on time. I had it sent directly to you but I had to enter in my own phone number, as I didn't have yours. Unfortunately I couldn't wrap or send a note with it because it didn't give me the option, I'm sorry. Just be aware you have a package coming to you.

My secret Santa recipient should be receiving a parcel in the next few days.

Santee, you might recognise my surname on the back. It is fine to open, as the gifts inside are wrapped 😊 .

The same goes for me - my Santee’s Gifts went out earlier in the week, but most of the inside contents are wrapped so it can be opened or left according to choice!

A parcel arrived on Saturday - thank you Santa - db is guarding it at present!

Got an airmail package today, not sure it's safe to open :P

Oo four glittery parcels have arrived!

Thank you lovely Santa

I picked up my gift from the Santa delivery office yesterday. The prettily wrapped contents are under the tree.

I think I know who you are. 😉 can't wait for Christmas day.

I think it's time for an update!

Packages received:

Heaven-Ali
Soupdragon
LyzzyBee
Stuck-in-a-Book
juliette07
SassyLassy
ShyPageSniffer
bleuroses
kaggsy
BeyondEdenRock

Patiently waiting:

LisaMorr
CDVicarage

And remember, as always, if you have any news or any concerns, you can post here and the Virago Elves are always ready to help.

Got back from a dull course about Data Protection today to find a parcel had arrived! :)))) OH kindly checked for me to see that I could safely open and the contents are individually wrapped so are now in the space where the tree will go! Four intriguing looking packages I haven't prodded, honest guv, and thank you Santa! And no, I didn't know who was my Santa, despite being an elf, so it was a pleasant surprise! ;) So exciting!!

A parcel arrived today from Willis Monie Books in Cooperstown, NY. I opened it because I order frequently from ABEbooks & Third party sellers - but don't always recall the sellers' name. I'm sure it's from my Santa because it was on my wish list. Terribly sorry! My husband has now hidden it from me in hopes I'll forget what I saw! 😳

However, in the meantime - a big thank you to my still secret Santa! 💚

I have a parcel!!

That just leaves two of us waiting. I've had confirmation that both parcels are in transit and should arrive on time, and my fingers are crossed that they do.

A third parcel has arrived from my lovely and very generous Santa! Thank you 😊

Just for back from last business trip of the year and letting my secret Santa know, no package yet! I'm sure it will turn up any day now!

The time has come to say - the openings thread is OPEN!

I'm sorry that this day has arrived with a couple of people still waiting for their gifts. I have confirmation that those gifts were sent in good time - and of course we have learned over the years that Viragoites are both reliable and generous but postal services sometimes let us down.

Just got my package! The original package! I'm so excited!