Christmas Swap 2018

Welcome to the Christmas Swap for the 75 Books Challenge Group 2018. Yes, believe it or not, it’s that time again. I am Jeff (mahsdad) and this is my 4th year running the 75 Group Swap. I'm looking forward to a great book picking season, always one of my favorite times of the year.

For those that are new, or those who’ve forgotten, this is our own version of SantaThing, where we get to bring some literary joy to our friends here in the group. It’s a secret Santa, where you will be buying and shipping books to one person that you get assigned. Remember, we are not affiliated with LibraryThing, so don’t bug them with questions or issues about shipping, that’s my job.

As in years past, we keep this simple: Let me know if you are playing, PM me your address (even if you’ve played in the past, I lost the previous year’s spreadsheets), I will draw names randomly and everyone will get a 75er to buy gift book(s) for.

We keep it to a $25 limit, so it can be affordable for everyone. This can be new books or carefully preserved “used” books. This will be open to everyone, everywhere, since there are free shipping options available, like Book Depository.

The cut off will be about the 24th of November (Saturday after US Thanksgiving) I will pick names on the Sunday and I am very forgiving, so just let me know if you want in. After I randomly sort the names and make the selections, I will send out the addresses in PM messages as soon as I can.

Once that is done, you can select from that Lter's wishlist or pick something on your own. The former is a safer bet. Plan accordingly so that your gifts will arrive by Christmas, so ship accordingly. International shipping can sometimes take up to 3 weeks or more.

Make sure you have Christmas Swap or LibraryThing printed somewhere on the shipping label, so your giftee "knows" and can save it for a Christmas opening. Another suggestion was, if the shipper didn’t allow for personal messages, put “LT” in as part of your giftee’s name.

Please feel free to use this thread to ask questions, make suggestions, or explicitly state that you do NOT want the latest YA Werewolf/Vampire Romantic-comedy series even though everyone says you must read it.

Also, in years past, there have been a couple people who wanted to sponsor someone less fortunate in the group, to make sure they could participate in the fun. Let me know if there are any Secret Secret Santa’s out there and I'll put the word out.

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! Merry Festivus for the rest of us.

I'm in, will PM my address. I'll also get a Wishlist going as a collection in my library.

And thanks for running the Swap again!

Yeah buddy! Welcome!

I'm in! PMing my address.

Welcome Laura!

I want to play!

I'm in. Watch your message box for my address.

You know I am in, Jeff. Thanks again for carrying on this tradition. It seems to be a favorite around here. I better start working on my Christmas Wishlist!

You have my address, right?

Kim, Linda, I've got you down.

You too Mark, and yes I still have your address.

Yeah!

I'm in, too. I send you my address.

I'm in! Thanks for coordinating.

Hey all, Roni reminded me, if anyone would prefer to get ebooks, let me know and send me your email address

NOOOOOOO e-books. Oh, and if a book on my wishlist has the tag "JCK", that means it's something my husband wants, not me.

I hear you, Linda. I definitely prefer dead tree editions.

Good point about the tags, another good tip. If anyone has any specific tags or collections (other than the Wishlist), you want your Santa to be aware of, let us know.

And I don't have a preference one way or the other--it's just that last year we could give people an option.

>15 ronincats: Yep, I forgot about that option, thanks for reminding me.

I'm in! I'll have to check out my wishlist as it's been dormant for a while
I'll PM you :)

Count me in!
I read real, printed pages, hold-in-your-hands books.
Used books are fine.

Helpful Bits for Lycomayflower:

--Dead tree books only, please

--Used books are a delight!

--My wishlist on LT is up to date. (As is my catalogue, should you be wanting to check if I have something not specifically on my wishlist.) I have many collections with the word "wishlist" in them--these are to help me organize. You can safely ignore them all and look only at the one that is called simply "Wishlist."

I updated my wish list last night. I like to have 25 or so on there. I included 28. I plan to participate in SantaThing too.

Since these are picked before SantaThing, it may be a good idea for all of us to keep an eye out for our Swapee's name at SantaThing and to leave a comment for that person's Santa as to what you got so no one gets duplicates!

Excellent idea Lori!

We're up to 11 confirmed players. I don't want to pester people too much, but I'll start posting the occasional reminder (so it pops up on the message list) this week.

Thanks everyone!

I am in again this year. My wish list should be up to date. I am fine with gently used print books. I'll be doing SantaThing, too, and as Lori suggested a comment on my SantaThing profile would be nice to avoid duplication.

I'll update my Xmas Wishlist by the time you select names! I'm fine with used books, ebooks or new printed editions. And this is the only exchange I participate in on the site.

I will also update my Xmas wish list. I'm happy with books used or new but do prefer ones I can hold in my hand. :-)

Sign me up please! Looking forward to it, I so enjoyed shopping and receiving books last time.

I'm in! Used books are great and I'll setup a Christmas wish list collection soon.

Thanks for the latest to join the fun.

14 confirmed, 3 firm maybes. If you haven't, please send me your address in a PM.

Anybody, still on the fence, plenty of time to come along. The more the merrier.

I will join the fun again this year. My wishlist is up-to-date. I will PM you my address. (it's the same as last year, but ...) :-)

Yea Benita (and Paul). 16 confirmed, with 2 maybes.

Still got another week (though with Thanksgiving being earlier this year, I might extend it)

For whoever gets my name: i’ve put together a short Swap Wishlist. Treat this as suggestions. I’m happy to get most anything!

Well, I am not going to wait until the last minute to sign on. So this makes it official. I'm in. I'll renovate my Christmas Wish list real soon. Hardcover, paperback, gently used; all are just fine.

Address going out via PM next, Jeff.

I will update my wishlist by tomorrow

Oops, that's something I need to do by tomorrow as well!

My regular wishlist has 686 books in it - plenty to choose from. :)

My wishlist is huge too! There are always great books to read.

I've created a wishlist for the swop, wishlist 2018, secondhand welcome.

I created a Christmas wishlist. But any book is a treasure. Used is okay. Love to actually turn the pages. : )

**I also have my Christmas Wishlist locked and loaded. Lots of story collections in there too. I will also accept used books and prefer print.

Hi All! My wishlist is loaded and up to date. Anything is fair game.

If anyone is doing SantaThing as well, please post the link to your profile here. Santa's, please check in there and perhaps make suggestions so there are no duplications.

I am going to make the picks tomorrow, just to see if there are any last minute additions. Currently, the following fine folks are playing...

alphaorder
amanda4242
benitastrnad
Berly
cbl_tn
charl08
ChelleBearss
drneutron
EBT1002
laytonwoman3rd
lycomayflower
mahsdad
msf59
nrmay
PaulCranswick
ronincats
thornton37814
weird_O

Did I miss anyone?

My SantaThing link: https://www.librarything.com/santathing_thing.php?id=44

Okay, for better or worse, right, wrong or indifferent, for what its worth (or any indecisive metaphors you can think of), the picks are made and the PMs will be going out shortly.

Have fun shopping.

Merry Christmas everyone!

>42 mahsdad: Thank you so much for organizing this!

I have a Christmas wishlist, but feel free to surprise me with something else. Used books are fine.

>42 mahsdad: Thank you sir!!

>42 mahsdad: V exciting! Thank you.

Awesome! My gift has sent! It will be there early so hopefully my giftee doesn't open it until Christmas!! :)

I'll be up front and say that my package(s) will likely be opened early since I'll be flying to spend Christmas with family. I don't know how much additional weight I'll have on the return trip so I'll have to limit what I take with me.

Whooopeee! Have browsed my giftee's wishlist a bit, and have a pretty good idea what I'm going to do.

I also head out of town for Christmas. I'll probably leave on the 21st since my niece is spending Christmas with her in-laws so they are celebrating with her on the 22nd. I want to see her, so I'll leave in time to do so. If my package doesn't arrive before I leave, I'll have mail held, but if it comes by UPS--it may or may not be there when I return--unless there's a way to have UPS "hold" packages. I probably don't want to take the package since I'll have more than a full car with my three cats, their luggage, my luggage (less than the cats' cargo), Christmas gifts, cheesecake pan (because my sister-in-law doesn't have one and they always want my cheesecake), etc., so I'd either open it early or open it after I return.

>46 ChelleBearss: You are WAY TOO efficient! Amazing.

>49 thornton37814: You really need to give your SIL a springform pan for Christmas.

Inspired by Chelle I've done mine too :-)

>51 laytonwoman3rd: She would get rid of it because she would never use it herself. It's easier to just pack one of mine.

>53 thornton37814: Hmmm....easier for HER, maybe. No pan, no cheesecake, might be my response to that. Of course, you're probably a nicer person than I am!

>54 laytonwoman3rd: If I recall, I tried to get her to take my mom's springform pan when we cleaned the house out, and she wouldn't.

Just placed my order for my Swapee. There will be two separate packages coming from two separate used bookstores. My Swapee will have the first name of Christmas Swap.

I ordered them through my used book source Alibris. Through the years they have become my go-to source for used books. The cost of the books averages around $5.00 per book with most of the cost being in shipping. It is a good source, but they don't do overseas shipping. For that I still use Book Depository.

Order placed, delivery later this week!

I've created a "2018 Xmas Wishlist" catalogue but I am also happy with surprises. Used books? A-OK.

I got my package last night. I opened it by mistake because I had ordered a boxed set of Marguerite Henry books for my niece for Christmas and I just thought it was that box that had arrived. As soon as I saw the M & M's I knew it was not for Sage. So Swaper step forward. You have my thanks.

P. S. I will wrap it and take it home. It is always exciting to have books under the tree.

I received a box from my secret Santa yesterday!

I have a package!

If anyone has a Tolkiener on their list, here's a special sale good today only:

Kindle Tolkien books $3 today only

Hobbit & LotR: http://amzn.to/2L6uH3y
Silmarillion: http://amzn.to/2rqq2R1
Fall of Gondolin: http://amzn.to/2E67jSy
Beren & Lúthien: http://amzn.to/2Ekbfjq
Children of Húrin: http://amzn.to/2Qm8kgo
Unfinished Tales: http://amzn.to/2rpWX8B

I have received a package! (I put it aside for Christmas Day.)

I got a package! Whee.

I did my secret Santy duty. Happy Holidays.

>63 lycomayflower: Correction! Have received two packages!

I think if anyone receives a package from Amazon and they didn't order anything, they should avoid opening the package until December 25. Just sayin'.

>66 EBT1002: LOL That's probably a good piece of advice. Book Depository packages might need to be lumped into that statement also. Of course, they don't say "Book Depository" on them. They are pretty generic-looking coming from some place in New York. Of course, I have real packages coming from Amazon, although I hope I just made my last purchase before Christmas. Most of the stuff is here though. I'll probably think of something else I need to order soon though.

I came home from my Mexico trip, to find 2 Christmas Swap packages waiting for me. Yippee! These will be tucked securely under the tree until Christmas morning. Very excited.

Unfortunately, I have to get hopping on my own Swap pick, since I was notified just before I left for my trip.

Many, many thanks to my secret santa. I love my books.

I came home from a trip on Sat night and my husband had OPENED MY PACKAGE! He said 'you got some weird books here'. Weird books?! I got exactly the right choices. I'm thrilled to get Kristin Lavransdatter, the Nunnaly translation, and I already started Lud-in-the-mist.

Secret santa is so much fun!

Holy Moley! I got a second package. Thanks, my friend.

>69 nrmay: I'm your Santa this year Nancy! Glad you liked them - stuck with US vendors this year to avoid delivery failure. 😀

I received an Amazon package today that I think must be from Christmas Swap. It appears to be a single book in an Amazon bubble wrap mailer that was delivered by UPS. I can't find an open order of mine this could be so I'm assuming my Santa sent it.

>61 laytonwoman3rd: AND another! I've turned them over to my husband to open, and wrap if necessary. They'll go under the tree until Christmas day.

>72 thornton37814: There might be more coming...just saying. : )

Ditto to Bill!

>74 Berly: I realized that, but I wanted to let my Santa know what was received -- so Thank you, Santa Kim! ;-)

I received a package from my Santa via UPS this afternoon. I think one more is still on the way today, if UPS My Choice is to be believed. My Santa left a clue to his identity on the mailing label. :-)

Yet a third package! Oh my. The generosity. I take it (>75 charl08:) that you are the generous elf, Charlotte. Thanks so much.

>78 cbl_tn: Oh my. He didn't. What a bonehead.

Got two packages today, one clearly marked drneutron - LT, the other clearly a book unexpected. Both going under the tree unopened!

And package number 2 has arrived! Thank you to my Santa, weird_O! I'll be opening them before Christmas since I'm leaving before then. Lori (thornton37814) and I will be getting together for our Christmas exchange sometime in the next week so maybe we can open our swap books together.

My giftee will have no trouble figuring out who I am...I didn't even try to keep it a secret. I figure once the package arrives, the cat's out of the bag, so to speak.

My package arrived (and I know who it's from). And not only did it contain two presents I assume are books; there's chocolate!!! *big smile*
Thank you, not-so-secret Santa!

>82 laytonwoman3rd: You sent a cat?

>84 EBT1002: You'll have to wait until the recipient opens it up, just like everyone else!

>83 EBT1002: You're welcome!

I also received a second package today. It came from "David James Morey, Poverty Hill Books" in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. It's heavier than the other package.

>86 thornton37814: One to go!! Enjoy.

Sincerely,

Your Elf. : )

>59 benitastrnad: glad they arrived! :-) Merry Christmas

Well, I got all excited today when the postman came, only to find they were two books I had forgotten I'd ordered for gifts. Argh!

>87 Berly: I think Santa's elf got carried away! It's raining today so I may not check the mailbox until I need to leave for the Living Christmas Tree. Of course, our mail service is sometimes "abbreviated" on Saturdays. I usually get the least amount of mail on Saturdays.

And a third package came from my secret Santa today!

I also received a a 3rd package from >87 Berly: via "Fulfillment Center" in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

It seems that Kim traveled to Wisconsin to do her Secret Santa duties. I suppose it's more North Pole-like than Portland. *grins*

My package arrived while I was in India! Thank you swapee.

I ordered my gifts today. I put gift notes in, but forget to put it in the address line. :(

>93 EBT1002: I was amused that two of her packages came from Wisconsin. The first one that came by UPS was shipped from Amazon's Lexington, Kentucky warehouse which is the place of origin for most of my orders.

A parcel arrived! Thank you to my Santa. Going to wait until the 25th to open it.

I got my books today! Thank you alphaorder! And thanks to mahsdad for organizing this!

Good grief, peoples, yet another showed up today. 😀

>95 thornton37814: Awesome! Not only did you get the books, but I provided a laugh!! Yes, Wisconsin definitely has a more wintery feel to it than Portland. LOL

I am glad they all arrived before you leave for the holidays. Happy reading!!

>99 Berly: I think Carrie (cbl_tn) and I will open our LibraryThing Christmas Swap and SantaThing packages when we meet to eat and exchange gifts Thursday evening. I'm leaving Friday morning; she's leaving Saturday. With the cats and all their luggage (litter boxes, scratching posts, beds, playpen, cot to get them off the ground, folding chair for me to get to spend time with them, heater so they don't get cold in the small shop room in which they'll be staying) and mine plus all the Christmas gifts I'm taking, I don't want to take extra packages although I'll have room in the suitcase for books I want to take and won't decide which make the cut until later Thursday night or possibly Friday morning).

Hey all, got another package, from my "secret" Santa. (In full disclosure, since I did the picking, I know who my Santa is, but I'm pretending I don't).

I will wait until next Tuesday to open things.

Some administrivia, feel free (if you haven't already done so), to reveal yourself on Christmas Day. Or now, if you want, we ain't strict around here with the rules.

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays to you all!

>101 mahsdad: Since I'm not sure whether I'll be able to check in here on Christmas day, I'll go ahead and "reveal" now: I'm Jeff's Secret Santa!
You were doing a great job of pretending not to know, Jeff. I hope this doesn't spoil the surprise for you. :-)

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Lori (thornton37814) and I got together for our Christmas exchange this evening and we opened our swap books, too. I am thrilled with the books that Bill (weird_O) selected for me! Jane Austen's England: Daily Life in the Georgian and Regency Periods, The Friendly Persuasion, and The Thief of Auschwitz (which I'll save for Jon Clinch month in next year's AAC!).

I loved my selections too! Berly did an outstanding job of selecting:
Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh by Emeril Lagasse
Resorting to Murder: Holiday Mysteries edited by Martin Edwards
Watts, Williams, Vaughn, and Taylor: Pioneer Families of Johnson County, Arkansas by Clarence R. Williams, Ed.D. and Katala A. Williams, Ed.D.

She must have been sneaking around my Amazon wish list to find that last one! I just added it because it concerns my newly discovered family! I blathered on about it on my own thread.

>103 cbl_tn: Exciting to see you got a copy of The Thief of Auschwitz. I haven't read that one yet, and I'll be reading it for the AAC too.

My Christmas swap has arrived! Thank you Mark! I will take it to work with me on Christmas Day and open it there :)
Merry Christmas all!

>106 ChelleBearss: I am so glad it arrived safely, Chelle. I was getting worried. Whew!

I received 3 packages from my giftee! Looking forward to Christmas morning!

>97 amanda4242: You are most welcome. I have a funny story to share about your gift after the holidays.

>109 alphaorder: Look forward to hearing it!

^Merry Christmas everyone! These were my Swap books, that I gleefully opened this morning. A perfect mix of nonfiction and story collections. Someone knows me well. I have read and highly recommend the Elvis Presley bios but now I can keep them on shelf, for a reread. Sweet. The other nonfiction is The Lady and the Panda, which really looks good. The Unfinished World: Stories & The UnAmericans: Stories, both look like promising collections.

Okay, who was so generous, with the books? Aching to know...

**Sorry, the photo is blurry. I may have to post another one...

Thank you, Laura (lycomayflower), for your excellent choices of Neurotribes and Empress of a Thousand Skies plus a lovely bookmark! Merry Christmas!

Roni let me know she's my Secret Santa - and a great batch of books she picked!

Paperbacks from Hell
Within the Sanctuary of Wings
The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter
Arabella of Mars

I'm already a quarter of the way through the first!

This lovely stack came from my no-longer-secret Santa, Amanda amanda4242. Thank you! I must get reading Trollope now!

Thanks to Linda for the lovely choice of Our Endless Numbered Days, Out Shooting Horses, chocolate and bookmark. I will enjoy it all!

Merry Christmas everyone!

My Santa was Ellen (EBT1002), and she got me a couple gems that I can't wait to read...

Circe by Madeline Miller
Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

I also got a collection of Charles Dickens novels from my MIL. She's a bit of horder and on a fixed income. My wife convinced her to give gifts of things she she already had. Its the thought, not the cost.

Thank you to my Secret Santa Mark for the awesome books!
He sent four! I look forward to digging in to them. Thanks Mark!!

Blackout by Connie Willis
Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit
Dog Blood by David Moody
The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh

>117 ChelleBearss: Glad you like the books, Chelle. I tried to tailor them to your tastes.

Mark,
I am your secret Santa. I snooped around through your library listing to get the Elvis books. They were on your wish list. Sorry about duplicating. I knew the short stories you would like. Have fun reading!

Paul!! They came! They came!

Thank you so much for One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson (love her) and Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith (ditto). Definitely soon-to-be-read in 2019. : )

>117 ChelleBearss: I loved Anna and the Swallow Man when I read it!

>119 benitastrnad: Thanks, Benita. Perfect book choices and you know I am crazy about my story collections.

Happy New Year, everyone! I had a wonderful Christmas including a delightful pair of books from my Secret Santa! Two books I very much have been wanting:

Where the Crawdads Sing and
Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein

YAY!!!!

I also got two charming bookmarks and a collection of chocolates. *big grin*

Thank you so much, Lori!!!

We had a lovely low-key Christmas here, just husbeast and me and our furry blessings. The Christmas loot was nearly all books, including this very generous pile from my Secret Santa:



Thank you!

Looks like a great haul!

I am finally back to where I have internet access (that means I am at work) and I want to thank CheleBear for my Christmas swap books. She gave me Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien and Beartown by Fredrik Backman. She also included a bag of M&M's. How nice was that?!!!! It was a very nice Christmas gift and one I enjoyed wrapping and then opening on Christmas Day. They were the only books I got for Christmas. (Sad Face) But they were great! Brand spanking new GREAT! Thanks so much.