Thank you!

You know what....You can't please EVERYONE all the time...So I please MYSELF! lol

And If I like to ask..WHERE are all the HINT threads...I will keep doing it!!! LOL :p

LOL my comment posted TWICE...guess I was trying for emphasis...

I've participated in three GEs before and have had a great experience each time. The reason I don't participate more is that it really is so expensive to do. I know I always am pretty specific about treats because I'm really picky about what I feed my dogs, and I've gotten pickier now due to Lacy's digestive issues. Good treats are pretty pricy so I'd hate for someone to buy us treats and us not be able to use them..so that's another reason I'm pretty specific. I'd be okay if they didn't send us any treats if it was just too much to deal with..but I'd feel bad if they sent us treats and I couldn't even use them..I"d feel like they wasted their money.

My one complaint is the people who see that their package was delivered and post the SAME DAY complaining that their buddy hasn't posted a thankyou thread yet. That drives me insane...seriously..some people are busy and might need a few days to post. It takes a lot of time to make sure your dog looks decent for pics, open up the package, and really takes time to upload and edit pics and post them. Some people need to learn patience

If only there were a block button so I could block threads I didn't want to see. Ahh, that would be the YorkieTalk life for me. :p:D

And for many others...we could BLOCK all rude people...


What is really funny is that all the negative comments are coming from people that HAVEN"T or don't participate in the GE'S anymore...hmmm

I'm seriously not enjoying all this negativity right before our newest GE! Why try to ruin it for all the rest of us that REALLY love the GE'S??

Oh my goodness!! I am not trying to "ruin" your GE. Like you said, it's a choice what you do, so if this negative thread is bothering you, there is a choice to read it or not.

I am very sorry if I offended you, which I clearly did. I was trying to find out if it was the norm to be so specific about what people don't want. I guess the GE just isn't for me, but I hope it is a great one for everyone else who is participating.

I don't think this is necessarily true. My first post could have been construed as being negative and if it did I certainly didn't mean it that way. I thoroughly enjoyed the GE's that I participated in, but because I stressed out over every little thing including making sure my box was pretty enough to mail :rolleyes: I decided to opt out for a few. In response to the original post, several other members who have participated in at least one GE have expressed their concerns and reasons why they are not participating. I don't think that anyone has been negative in regards to the exchanges.

Even though I haven't participated in the last few exchanges, I sincerely appreicate all of the hard work by Admin and Moderators to make the exhanges successful.

I sincerely hope that this Exchange is hugely successful and that those participating have tons of fun.

I didn't see this thread as necessarily "negative"...we all have opinions and sometimes it's beneficial to discuss them so that maybe we can understand others' opinions sometimes. Maybe some will understand why there are a lot of "Donts" after this thread and maybe some will be less apt to put so many "don'ts" now. And some of the other concerns/complaints voiced might be considered by others that hadn't thought about it before. I haven't felt like anyone was seriously complaining...just voicing their opinion/dislikes about things

I understand that there are a few people who usually always try to go out of their way and be rude. However, I was stating my opinion... along with others and I'm sorry if you didn't like it. I just know that whenever it is around GE time, I can't login and read new posts without seeing several "WHY AREN'T PEOPLE POSTING HINTS", "WHERE IS SO AND SO, THEY'RE NOT POSTING HINTS", over and over again. It's one thing to make a post with your own hints but I just think it's RUDE to call out those who choose not to. Not to mention not taking into account the members who have to see one every 5 seconds when they're trying to look for threads that they can contribute to.

I may be mistaken but I could have swore I saw a couple threads of people wondering why people weren't signing up for the GE like they used to... this thread can hopefully be their answer. :)

Granted this is my first GE but I have had secret pals in other settings before and have had a career of guiding kids in their giving gifts to the person whose name they've drawn.

My theory in giving gifts and receiving gifts from others is quite simple. Realize that you are not going to get the gift of your wildest dreams...it simply isn't possible with financial limitations. Likewise, you are not going to be giving your person the gift of their fantasy. Once you "accept" that philosophy, you are freed to enjoy the process of both giving and receiving.

I think of it more as a chance to spread a little sunshine in someone's daily life. The thrill of the gift is primarily the surprise. It's that unexpected random gift of kindness that makes the impression not the cost of the gift nor even its uniqueness.

I've never gone into any secret pal type experience expecting to be blown away with what I received. As an adult with my own income, I pretty much buy what I want whenever I want it. I suspect most of us do regardless of our finanacial status or the state of the economy.

The true excitement and fun in any of these type activities I have done has been in the planning and plotting to "make someone's day." I've truly better understood the adage that it's more blessed to give than to receive when I've participated in something like this GE.

When I first saw the lists I must admit I did a double take but then I realized that we are all strangers to each other. In any other situation, we would know things about each other just from general contact. Here we rely on a few likes/dislikes shared in writing with no facial expressions or tone/inflection to offset the words.

I have no doubt that anyone participating will be gracious and thankful in what they receive. I base that expectation on the fact that we are all adults. I hope that it encourages us to "play it forward" in other aspects of our lives by doing unexpected, nice surprises for others. Therein lies the true value of an experience like this...

I agree and don't like all the GE hint threads...... At the GE time it can be way too much to hit new posts and see half of them are about the GE which so many YT are not apart of.

I have been in two GE and posted only to sign up, when GE buddy's package was sent and to say thank you with photos. Some get way too carried away with all the GE threads. IMO. I agree with the poster who complained about the threads from those that posted threads about receiving "no thank you" the day their package was received, please give it a week.

My guess is that it's the economy. If I remember right, the GE before last was the biggest one, and the last one was on the smaller side.

I can see both sides, I guess. A lot of people feel very strongly that you should appreciate any gift you get, and it's unseemly to dictate what you're looking for. I'm on the other side of the spectrum. If someone is hard to shop for, I will go with them to a store, let them pick out their gift, and I'll pay for it. I REALLY like when I get a good gift for someone, and I don't want them to feel obligated to lie and tell me they love something they end up burying in their closet.

My only thing is that the GE is such a positive, fun thing - buying people gifts for no reason! - that it seems like we should be able to deal with things that don't go quite how we would choose, or to at least make sure our suggestions are constructive. When we say, "such and such really annoys me", even though we may mean it generally, the specific people who have done the Annoying Thing know that they have Annoyed You. See, I just did it myself.

Let's keep it positive! :ghug:

allow me to clarify....
 

I was actually only speaking OF ONE person that I thought was being unnecessarily rude...LOL (emilyann)

Sorry that all you others took my comment personal!!

About the Hint threads...who cares...do it ...don't do it...what's the big deal really? Takes too much effort to overlook them??? LOL

I think the reason this thread had bothered me..is that the ones being the most critical aren't even participating....And (Chattiesmom....I was never referring to you) so I ask again......while not joining the GE......why sit around talking about everything you don't like about it?

If you don't like it...don't join...but it still feels like people are raining on our parade...now I'm starting to think I don't want anything to do with the dang thing myself.....

Thanks.:(

To continue on my own vent, I hate when you see distant relatives for the holidays, and you both get each other gifts that neither particularly wants. It's like what was the point of that, to keep mediocre gift companies in business?

Last GE I received a bed for Thor, which actually I didn't ask for. It would never have occurred to me to buy something like that for him. Naturally, it is now his favorite place to sleep, and he also uses it to get himself on the couch. It was great to get something he loves so much that I never would have figured out on my own. :)

_____________


ETA: Don't be sad, Wabbit! You know we're going to have a great time. :hug:

:thumbup:

Very nicely put!

This thread was created for VENTING about the GIFT EXCHANGE. It has been asked before WHY people don't sign up for it, I was stating why I don't sign up for it anymore. If you'd rather not see "sitting around talking about what we don't like about it", why do you keep coming back and reading this thread? Not comprehending.

Now to answer your initial reply, I wasn't rude but I can be... I'm tired of you complaining every single time I reply to this darn thread.

Try re-reading where I just quoted you then practice what you're preaching.

Takes too much effort to overlook my opinion? LOL!!!!!!!!!!!111! :)

I'm out of this thread for good, way too immature for my liking. No way to be civil and give my opinion if I'm just going to be considered "UNNECESSARILY RUDE" for it.

Many of us that are putting our opinions in this thread "have" been in the GE before, we can have our say too. Don't like it ? Then I guess you can use your own advice and "lookover" our replies.

Maybe if some members thought about other people's feelings as well as their own more would participate and return to the GE's. I think all YT members should be able to have a voice in how they feel about the exchange. Also not all YT members here can be apart of the exchange for various reasons and their feeling should also be taken.

Well I just have to say, Im sorry you guys have negative feelings about the GE, not that your not intitled, I just think its a fun way to do something nice for someone for absolutely no reason other than you want to. As for the hint threads, some do some dont and for me personally, the teasing makes it even more fun, the anicipation isnt for what Im going to recieve but to figure out who the SB is. Anyway like I said, Im sorry you have negative feelings about it, I guess with a forum this large you just cant please all, its impossible.

I agree with you regarding the hint threads. I have so much fun doing them and love to read and try to guess who has who. I think that also helps add to the excitement.

LOL! I'm totally NOT fussy about about what Mika can and can't have! Sometimes I feel people might think bad of me because I DON'T have a huge list of DON'TS!!! I still have'nt come across anything Mika can't have, plus since I have two bigger dogs I figure they can finish off anything she's not fussy on. Mika does'nt really wear a huge amount of clothes so I usually put that in because I don't want someone spending loads of money on clothes to sit in the cupboard! And if there's something she needs then |I'll include that in the thread but I always say that we will be happy with anything and we love surprises-and its true!!! It would'nt be much of a "gift" exchange if we all knew what we're getting in advance, might as well just buy it ourselves:rolleyes:

Awwww......we are thrilled Thor loves his new bed so much. And, I just love it that something not expected at all is so appreciated!

We had a great GE this last time and would be joining the current GE except with an upcoming Florida trip we're trying to limit our unnecessary spending.

I honestly do believe the sign-up sheets help in guiding GE purchases. Some lists were more specific than others, that really didn't bother me.

We have particpated in a ton of GE's and LOVE them!!! I personally don't mind the "don't" list. That way i don't get something the baby can't use or eat. I prefer the don'ts on a list for that reason. Anything else is fair game and i can go shop, shop, shop!! I figure if it isn't on the don't list, i can get whatever i want to get. This makes it easy for me to get whatever i want. I also shop all year long and stock up on generic items that can be used by either male or female so i always have a stash here to pick from. When i see a sale, I stock up even for next year if it is seasonal. I just bought some Easter items for next year. :D I just keep a box, well, several boxes now, full of special GE items so i shop at home at each GE!! :cool:
We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE hand made items from the heart!! My girls aren't picky about much so they are easy to buy for. With 5 all the gifts get used and well loved on!!
IMO, i prefer the don't list. The want list puts a little more pressure as i feel i have to go find whatever is on that list and i would rather pick out those myself to make it a surprise. Like someone said, there is no surprise if they know they are getting their "list". I like to give hand made and/or very unique gifts.
Just have fun!! My girls will go bonkers over anything...even the packaging! :rolleyes:

This made me laugh....

I've browsed the GE threads and am a little amazed at some of the expensive items requested and I personally hate the hint threads...that seem to comprise the new threads links for a couple of weeks. So I just put those on personal ignore.

Btw whoever suggested a limit...there is one....it's 20 bucks.

Oh I see....

I guess I am a bit of a hypocrite, as I have often thought the same thing but end up listing the things my Yorkie "can't" have or "can't use". I think this is more of a question for admin, as to the purpose behind the following question in the sign up thread:

"Anything extra I want my Gift Exchange Pal to know about my Yorkie (please mention anything your Yorkie doesn't like or doesn't want or can't eat) -"

If it is not considered politically correct to list the "doesn't like or doesn't want or can't eat" then why include the question?

Yes, I have had buddies with very stringent "can haves" and "can't haves". I found it a lot more expensive to shop for them. So, I went and shopped, had fun, and hoped my buddy understood when the box did not contain a huge number of items.

This is about the fun, and the thought, and we all need to remind ourselves of this.

We have a local Mom and Pop pet store that sells nothing but organic, made in the USA and things made by local people. They are three times more expensive. You know what? I'm happy to shop there and support our local businesses. My GE box just contains fewer items due to the increased cost.

i have never joined a GE (yet). was going to after i first became a donating member but honestly, i got overwhelmed with looking over the thank-you threads :( i would DEFINITELY participate if there was a maximum spending limit in place but there is only a minimum. i know i would not be able to spend hundreds of dollars in gifts and i see all these wonderful and exciting gifts and i just feel like my GE buddy would be very disappointed but too polite to say anything and i would feel about an inch tall :(

i know this is *my* personal issue and may be unwarranted considering i have not yet participated but i have yet to see a thank-you thread where i think the person has spent less than $100. :p

and i really think this may be why less and less people are participating. the GE gifts have just gotten so wonderfully extravagant.