My apologies for the delay in opening this annual thread. It’s been a little nuts for me lately. But let not your heart be troubled…here tis!!! I think we could use this wee bright spot on the interwebz 
Please, please, PLEASE read each instruction slowly & carefully. 99.9% of your questions about how SS works are answered below:
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Send an E-mail to FOREVERFREEFARM@YAHOO.COM with all of the following information (I recommend you copy/paste the below text so you don’t miss something):
1. Your COTH Board Name/Handle– You would be amazed at how many I get that miss this part :lol: —And DO NOT use your secret elf name… just your regular COTH handle 
2. Your Real First & Last Name, plus full street address, including country if outside the USA
3. Your e-mail address(es)…
NOTE - We’ve learned in previous years that it’s best if each person, if at all possible, get a separate Free e-mail, like Yahoo or Gmail, solely for Secret Santa purposes. Alas, we know that the interwebz sometimes has issues and people change ISPs, etc. sooo, if you can do a freebie one that’s always there and is just used for SS, it’s a wee bit of “contact” insurance, if you will and can be re-used year after year.
4. Your phone number (Your SS will be instructed to only use this number in the event they choose to ship via UPS or FedEx. It may help get a package to you that was incorrectly addressed.)
5. The amount of money you’re willing to spend on your SS, ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST $10!!!. (sorry for shouting but it never fails that someone says $15) – I MUST HAVE one single-dollar amount rounded to the tenth. No ranges like $70-90. - Ranges just result in someone getting their panties in a wad or feelings hurt.
NOTE-- The cost of shipping is in addition to your gift expense amount. While there is, technically, no dollar limit/ceiling, we find that usually only two or three people can do above $150, so keep that in mind.
- A YES or NO as to whether you’d be willing to ship overseas or to Canada. We have many friends around the globe and certainly don’t want them to feel left out. I try my best to match within country tho to minimize the shipping cost, so I’m CALLING out to our Canadian & European Contingent to come through as always!!!
7. A description of yourself!
This is your chance to tell your Secret Santa.
8. LET ME KNOW…If you have been grinched in the past but DID NOT let me know previous. Please let me know immediately who the grinch was so I can ensure they don’t participate. I still have my Grinch records going back to 2004 showing both the grincher and the grinchee. They are forbidden from playing again!
This is also a firm, but kind warning: Don’t not to even think about becoming this year’s Grinch. Just follow the Golden Rule 
9. VERY IMPORTANT-- Add [B]FOREVERFREEFARM@YAHOO.COM[/B] to your list of contacts in your e-mail account or be sure to check your junk mail folder regularly. Your giftee’s information will be sent from this account to you by me, along with any other updates, etc…
THE DEADLINE– I must have all participant’s e-mails by OCTOBER 30th so I have time to match them up, send out the match notification e-mails and give everyone time to shop and ship.
Gifts should be mailed/shipped out during the FIRST FULL WEEK of DECEMBER so that any post office issues, delays, etc. can, hopefully, be avoided or corrected… especially if shipping to Canada or overseas.
If you’d like to sign up to be an Official De-Grincher (although I pray it won’t be needed) or a Back-Up or Surprise Elf to simply gift someone who may have had a rough year, please e-mail me at the above address too with “DEGRINCHER/BACK-UP/SURPRISE ELF WANNABE” in the subject line. I’ll create a separate database just for you gems.
THE FINE PRINT - -
For those who are new to Secret Santa via COTH, it’s important to know that this is not an official COTH-sponsored or endorsed event. It is solely organized by COTH BBers for BBers. We do all we can to ensure that everybody does receive a gift, but we do have to put our faith in relative strangers for this one.
The good news is that very, very few people have been “grinched” in the past and Grinchers NEVER be permitted to participate again. I keep very good records and have a keen memory for trouble-makers.
Also, we understand that poop happens. So, if you sign up and find that you will be unable to send a gift, please let me know IMMEDIATELY so I can make alternate arrangements with my Back-Up Elf posse.
Lastly, feel free to be as crazy and wild as you’d like! Almost every SS participant creates an alter purely for Secret Santa Secret Messages. You just register as a new poster (and it’s a good way to use your separate, free SS e-mail account) and post your teasing messages here or via PM to your giftee. Most folks use the following format: “Chocomore’s Elf” …or something to that effect. Just be sure you carefully log in and log out when using your alter! Some folks have accidentally revealed their true COTH identity because they forgot to login under their SS Alternate Name.
HOWEVER, many elves prefer to remain sneaky & lurk, so if you don’t hear from your Elf Alter, do not panic and don’t flood this thread with your “Where’s My Elf” cries!
