Broken Forum Secret Santa 2012 -- opening thread!

Zomg. I just got a Steam gift from Drastic and there's apparently more to come.

Thanks a lot! This is a game I've had my beady little eye on for a while but never got around to acquiring!

It's time! It's time! It's VADER TIME Secret Santa Time!

There's a name on the shipping label...




Oh sweet pigeonloving crap, my Secret Santa is Angie Gallant.

I'm gonna die. I'm gonna open this up, and a flock of angry chukars is going to come out and slice me into ribbons.

Here goes nothing...




First! Crows licorice-flavored gumdrops! The ha-ha being that I have eaten a bit of crow this year, metaphorically speaking - but in a subversion I absolutely adore black licorice, so this is a wonderful treat!

There's something else inside... in a bag...




It's kind of squishy... what could it be hyuu hyuu hyuu...

Oh shit, if anyone actually would ship me Gwyneth Paltrow's head in a box...




Oh dear sweet Jeebus I have literally been rolling on the couch with laughter.

I will now never be short of helium. This is absolutely priceless.



Well done, Angie Gallant. Well done indeed. Thank you so very much, this put a smile on my face like you have no idea.

My turn.

In the Christmas rush of packages arriving there was a mis-communication back a week or so ago, and the Amazon box that was in among other Amazon boxes was unceremoniously ripped open. I saw that it wasn't something that I ordered and quickly closed the box (John Doe has the upper hand!)

Yesterday I opened the box again and found:



Yes! Walking Dead action figures!

Along with a note from CSPariah telling me I could now act out my favorite scenes myself.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present a short scene from Season 1 of The Walking Dead in My Head:



It's not playing with dolls if you film it! It's Art!

Thanks, CSPariah!

Most welcome. I gambled based on seeing AudioSurf in your recent history; it's certainly my favorite game to play using my music library.

I have also realized that, because I am a doofus, I forgot to include a note in the actual physical shipment. Assume that there was a really clever, funny, and/or touching one, and that Customs stole it.

I made sure your Helium was happy to show that there's nothing to worry about! It was fun to make, I am glad you enjoyed it!

Wait, that's a handmade pillow?

Best Santa ever!

Mine is a lady cat though! Isn't Greedo's a boy cat?

And, yeah, super bummed that I couldn't participate this year, but I'm definitely joining next year! I've enjoyed stalking the Seekrit Santa threads.

Really impressive mate. :)

Still beats all of season 2.

Wait, you thought some store had opened up a line of 'let's make fun of Nute'-pillows? Of course a lot of us would instantly order, but still...

ORIGINAL DESIGN DO NOT STEAL

I think what Hanzii is saying is that he would like to pay you to make more nute-themed pillows.

I figured some place would sell element pillows! I have adorable little stuffed bacteria on a shelf that testifies to the fact that nerds will buy plushy anything.

He is indeed :)

I'm hoping the fact that you took the time to film that means you like them! You are hard to shop for, especially since I'm terrible at Xmas shopping.

If I had been thinking, I would have set up something local, since I know the area you live in pretty well -- was out there visiting family around Thanksgiving. Then I could have been super stalker-y!

OK, maybe the action figures are better.

Awesome film, but that has to be the worst Kiefer Sutherland impression I've ever heard.

Great [Goddamn] Batman voice, though!

I have no idea why Kiefer had a southern accent.

I was in the moment.

You should see the outtakes.

That was truly spectacular. Every. Single. Moment.

You've got a talent for voices.

I had to quote this, for the truth.

My turn. My Secret Santa was clever...and sneaky! Here were the presents delivered...in a package that said "Eightball and Elyscape Like This" (Complete with Thumbs Up). I had to hide them, and unwrap them in the basement, because otherwise my boys would have...



So I open the right and middle gifts...and I'm quite happy!





Both of these gifts are awesome. However, you may have noted I said sneaky. You may wonder why. I present to you the reason.



I'm a die-hard Redskins fan. My Secret Santa did their homework, and knew this; for those of you who aren't NFL fans, the Cowboys are the ultimate rival for the Redskins, going back 40+ years. In essence, this sign is just evil. EVIL I TELL YOU. And I'm not sure I know what I'll do with it, because I don't want to taint my house with the stink of Cowboys. All three gifts are very thoughtful, and much appreciated. Thank you, Secret Santa! Now I just need to figure out who that is...

That is a pretty awesome troll there. Maybe you can put it over a snaked-filled ditch somewhere.

You need an outdoor toilet to hang it over.

My turn folks.

So let's get this started in style. Last year I had Ryan Markel as my Secret Santa. He gifted me some excellent pale ale, and as well a bottle of Schlafly Reserve Barleywine 2010. I said last year I'd let it age and bring it out for the next years unboxing and without further ado, here it is:


So now to the unboxing!

I have a terrible confession to make. My gifts came a bit early. See, my secret santa jumped on some excellent sales and gifted them to me via Steam. I was going to be good, and leave them unopened up in that little notification bar. But there they were. Staring me down. Daring me to play them with their excellent reputations! Their siren call overcame my willpower. Forgive me world.

First thing gifted to me?



Oh yea. I've been looking forward to this game for quite some time!!! I want to witcher up some folk!

Part two?



Maybe my santa hates me, but I was prepared to take on this game and it's taken me in for sure. Still not far in, but loving the challenge, the rewards for experimentation and exploration and it has been serving me well. Plus plenty of this as well:



So so so much of that. Again and again. And yet I come back for more!

My wonderful santa you ask? Eightball I'm glad he didn't have a hard time figuring anything out for me! Love the gifts. See you again soon in LORTO Eightball. We need to take on some group dungeons so you can save me from PUG's!

Such a happy happy merry Secret Santa Time!!!!

Please to be heading to the beer thread and tell me all about that one.

I cannot get over how awesome the Santas are in this community. Every last one of you is awesome.

It really is an overtly-impressive display of both generosity and ingenuity. Well done everyone!

NO U

This is the context/rationale I used in my attempts to select SS gifts for brettmcd that I believed that A) he would enjoy and B) he and the rest of the forum would find appropriate based upon his posting history:

http://brokenforum.com/index.php?threads/this-will-make-sense-later.4441/#post-382074

Everybody already has a shotgun and a chainsaw in readiness for the coming apocalypse, but the machete is an under-rated weapon and tool!

That game is freaking AWESOME man. Well done Drastic!

My secret santa gifts have been opened and pictures have been taken but I left my sync cable sitting at the office so I'm currently unable to upload the photos. My secret santa sent me a toy-sized version of a really great Ducati super bike and a roll of Seattle Seahawks themed duct tape.

Thank you for the nice gifts. I'll update this post with picture tomorrow when I have the sync cord home.

Okay, my secret santa, unlike MOI, had his shit together. The first box came like 2 weeks ago and his package (heh eh eh heh) came (he eh eh heh) a week ago.

So kudos to you, oh most organized of Santas, for making the rest of us look like disorganized fuckwits.

ONTO THE PRESENTING!



No less than 2 boxes, and no more than 2!



The envelope contains 2 toy cars. Fascinating.



A letter appears! HE KNOWS MY NAME IS RYAN, ALERT THE AUTHORITAS!



"Happy Christmas"? What kind of communist wrote this, nobody says "Happy Christmas!"

Aw man, the gift in the plastic wrap must wait. TO THE BOX!



Steins.com? Oh, son of a...

Those who have done their research know that I'm a glassware snob. Specifically, if it isn't a stemmed beer glass with a bulbous bottom and a narrow top, I will probably throw it in the trash. It's such a shame he wasted all of his time and money on garbage...



WAS IST DAS? He had help! AN ELF! He used a subcontractor!



That's no stein!



MY GOD ITS FULL OF STARS



That is worth no less than ONE MELLION US DOLLARS. It may be a happy accident, but as you can see, my Santa has bought me the Granddaddy version of my Libby Embassy brandy snifters.

As I said, I'm a glass snob, and my favorite shape for beer tasting has a large rounded base and a smaller top. When I run beer tastings, I use a 6 oz version of the Libby Embassy, and either through awesome Santa-ing or serendipity, he has gotten me the larger version of them. Meaning he got me the ONLY KIND OF GLASS I wouldn't snobbishly reject.

WELL-PLAYED, SANTA. Well-played.



He is correct, shipping beer from Europe is SPENSIVE. And unless he's getting Westy 12, I could probably get it cheaper here.

But Elemental Materials? I hear those are worth a fortune!

Damnit, my glass is empty again. REFILL!



6.66% abv. As devilish as my Santa. What could await in the bubble wrap?



Oh, a toy car! How adorable! He must know that I've always wanted to see that Speed Racer movie that everyone was talking about a few years ago!

Kalle, with the help of his elf Jenn, has done fine work. In fact, I think he may have won giftmas, because

I HAVE THE ELEMENTAL MATERIALS AND YOU'LL NEVER GET THEM, HAHAHAHAHAHAAH

Thank you thank you thank you good sir!

Kalle, that is the bestest beer glass EVER.

That glass is just fucking awesome.

I'll take one part serendipity and another part of knowing what kind of glasses you should serve awesome beer in. Extra large, because glasses you should serve awesome beer in should be large enough to facilitate drunkenness, not obstruct it.

And I was indeed fortunate to have a Canadian elf help me out with the order. Turns out they wouldn't take European credit cards when I tried to order it myself. Jenn was extremely kind.

That glass is too amazing for words.

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw that glass. Well done, Kalle!

I opened my present yesterday, from Bahimiron!
View attachment 15555
(Ok, I held the box while the toddler went to town)








Asterix Books! How did he know that... I....?

and...



Tintin... but? How did I know that I wanted to get those one day...

The helpful included text said that Bahrimon has been stalking me... FOR YEARS!

Specifically, this post, from 2006, before I had kids, was thinking about having kids, and before I was married.

Wow. That is mighty-fine stalking. The CIA will be contacting you soon for further assignments. I'm already reading these, and having a great time. Can't give them to the toddler just yet, but, perhaps in another 5 years, this decade-long process will be complete!

THANKS!

Presents, shmesents, that's a cute kid ya got there young man!