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Post by Kuat on Dec 11, 2006 19:34:49 GMT -8
Adrian, don't kill me but... I have to sorta usurp your thread to a certain extent. Alright, so we had an idea how to do the gift exchange this Christmas. A little bit of a different spin. The plan is that we each pitch in for a SUPER PRESENT for a person instead of tiny little mini presents from all of us. The benefits are (like Andrew's monitor) with our purchasing power combined we can get everyone something substantial without neglecting everyone else. Instead of getting a bunch of stuff that may have limited use (ALTHOUGH IMMENSELY APPRECIATED ANYWAY), we can get them something that they will really use and need. Example: Let's say there is this guy, Joe. Joe is, a, let's say, medical student. He'd really like a Littmann Cardiology III stethoscope, and his friends know this, but it costs like $300 . Individually, it's too much! But with their powers combined they form CAPTAIN CAPITALISM! That 300 with 10 people minimizes to 30 bucks per person. A great deal, yes. So, what do you all think? We ditch our individual efforts and combine to form something better. Some of us have already formed a partial list for people, so ideas are already circulating. We just need to know who is in and who is out. ... ... ... (I already have a Littmann CIII ;D) |
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Post by Captain Galaxy on Dec 11, 2006 20:13:42 GMT -8
Who's A and S? Andrew or Sean, or me and Sean? Or, Anta and Sara? I think that's who. Anyway, if we get presents for everyone, we'd still have to cough up around 300 dollars to divide into tenths to contribute to each person's gift. I also thought that doing the whole chip in thing was a great idea to do for everyone's birthday, (especially since i wanted a 360 for my b-day) but i didn't think anyone was into it. Andrew got a monitor, and i got nothing, (no fair!)  In any case, we should just buy ourselves presents, that way we each get what we want, and apparently Sean and Shane have already gone Xmas shopping. EDIT: WE should do it, I mean, we're all pretty much gonna end up spending 300 anyway. And uh, for my present, give ME the money, that way i can put it towards a premium X360  Also, I don't think we have 10 people. |
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Post by You probably can't touch this. on Dec 11, 2006 20:53:28 GMT -8
Or we could do up a secret santa thing.
This would be a nice arrangement for the financial-strapped such as myself.
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Post by Kuat on Dec 11, 2006 21:28:09 GMT -8
Or we could do up a secret santa thing. This would be a nice arrangement for the financial-strapped such as myself. There are about 8 or so other people. $10 present each = 80 bucks. That's still alot. The $300 is an example. None of the presents that we have thought of so far nearly exceeded $200. |
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Post by You probably can't touch this. on Dec 11, 2006 21:35:04 GMT -8
Secret Santa as in we randomly pick out names and buy a present for whoever we get. One name per person.
Everyone buys one present, everyone gets one present. We could cap at 20-40 bucks per present?
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Post by Kuat on Dec 11, 2006 21:38:38 GMT -8
Secret Santa as in we randomly pick out names and buy a present for whoever we get. One name per person. Everyone buys one present, everyone gets one present. We could cap at 20-40 bucks per present? Well, everyone always goes and buys a few presents, so everyone always gets more than one. That system doesn't work in the current paradigm. If we always got like one per person, that wouldn't matter. The only reason this was proposed was because of the usual generous nature of the group as a whole, and giving it more focus, as it were. Combining those efforts that preexisted to something possibly greater was the goal here, not downsizing. |
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Post by Captain Galaxy on Dec 11, 2006 21:43:17 GMT -8
Combine your efforts to get me stuff on my christmas list, 80 bucks should about do it.
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Post by Kuat on Dec 11, 2006 21:44:11 GMT -8
Who's A and S? Andrew or Sean, or me and Sean? Or, Anta and Sara? I think that's who. Anyway, if we get presents for everyone, we'd still have to cough up around 300 dollars to divide into tenths to contribute to each person's gift. I also thought that doing the whole chip in thing was a great idea to do for everyone's birthday, (especially since i wanted a 360 for my b-day) but i didn't think anyone was into it. Andrew got a monitor, and i got nothing, (no fair!) In any case, we should just buy ourselves presents, that way we each get what we want, and apparently Sean and Shane have already gone Xmas shopping. EDIT: WE should do it, I mean, we're all pretty much gonna end up spending 300 anyway. And uh, for my present, give ME the money, that way i can put it towards a premium X360 Also, I don't think we have 10 people. We aren't spending anywhere near $300 per person. Also, the point is to get stuff the person may want, but wouldn't get for themselves. At this point we all can eventually get what we really want/need, it's better to get stuff that we would definately use but haven't thought of yet, or wouldn't get on our own. Combine your efforts to get me stuff on my christmas list, 80 bucks should about do it. Again, what's the point of that? You can eventually get that stuff yourself anyway. We might as well give you the money in the first place. The best presents are stuff that you love but didn't know you wanted or you wouldn't get on your own due to either cost restriction or lack of foresight. Example: I loved all the presents I got last year, from the French Chef, Killer 7, Doc Bear, Blame, the Headset, the scarf, etc, etc. Maximum underworld I would have never bought myself. But you guys did, and gave me the chance to play Max Payne, which was awesome. I would have asked for Star Wars: Some Game. I woulda liked it, but in the end I say Maximum Underworld was the better choice. |
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Post by Captain Galaxy on Dec 11, 2006 21:49:05 GMT -8
Let's just skip christmas this year.
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Post by Kuat on Dec 11, 2006 21:50:04 GMT -8
Let's just skip christmas this year. Well, we could just exclude you. As other people have agreed that it's a good idea and are up for it. Also, relax. I'm not the High Lord Emperor; this isn't THE WAY. But it's an idea, treat it respectfully, and state your reasoning. We may or may not do it, but seriously, don't make me bring the Governator in here. At least think it over instead of giving a knee-jerk reaction. You're free to disagree, but don't throw a tantrum and say game over. It may seem more difficult than normal, but the results could be better. Just because something takes effort and planning doesn't mean it's doomed. |
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Post by Captain Galaxy on Dec 11, 2006 21:53:12 GMT -8
Let's just skip christmas this year. Well, we could just exclude you. As other people have agreed that it's a good idea and are up for it. Also, relax. I'm not the High Lord Emperor; this isn't THE WAY. But it's an idea, treat it respectfully, and state your reasoning. We may or may not do it, but seriously, don't make me bring the Governator in here. Well, let's just agree on something, I think that's the only problem here. I'm up for whatever you guys say, since i haven't bought presents for anyone yet. I just want to get something I really want for once. But if you want to make it a mystery, Val and Shane should have a good idea of stuff I need, ask them. |
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Post by Kuat on Dec 11, 2006 21:56:05 GMT -8
Well, we could just exclude you. As other people have agreed that it's a good idea and are up for it. Also, relax. I'm not the High Lord Emperor; this isn't THE WAY. But it's an idea, treat it respectfully, and state your reasoning. We may or may not do it, but seriously, don't make me bring the Governator in here. Well, let's just agree on something, I think that's the only problem here. I'm up for whatever you guys say, since i haven't bought presents for anyone yet. I just want to get something I really want for once. But if you want to make it a mystery, Val and Shane should have a good idea of stuff I need, ask them. lol, I see where you are coming from. Thank you. But comon man, of course we were gonna be careful about this and consult them (as they would be intrinsically a part of the process anyway). Especially since it would be something hefty (cost wise), we have to know you'd love it and use it often. Getting you an expensive item you'd hate would be amazingly stupid! And that's half the idea, is that by collaborating with everyone, we get ONE THING the person will love. |
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Post by Captain Galaxy on Dec 11, 2006 21:58:17 GMT -8
That's true, I have some ideas, when do you get back?
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Post by Blighton on Dec 11, 2006 22:04:26 GMT -8
I like that Idea a lot. and I have no clue who got me my things but I loved the Italian job and pacman shirt. I think the secret santa thing work good as well.
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Post by Kuat on Dec 11, 2006 22:19:10 GMT -8
That's true, I have some ideas, when do you get back? The 20th. For now, just think about what you'd get those you know the best. Complie a list, then we'll organize that crap later on. Share and bounce your ideas off everyone else. We should have some fun with this, and I think this can turn out quite well. |
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Post by You probably can't touch this. on Dec 11, 2006 22:30:19 GMT -8
I believe I'll stand up for the rather unpopular position that this Christmas should be about the spirit of giving over the spirit of receiving. All this squabbling the value of presents, I think its idiotic and selfish. I know I will be happy with whatever you guys get me if you get me anything at all. But I guess there are two groups of people in this situation; those that are concerned with what they get and whether it is equal with what they gave versus those that are more concerned with giving something personal and/or meaningful with the gift received not being an issue.
For the first group, if I deem you a member, I will either give you cash so you can get what you want or I'll put money down with somebody else to get you it considering that these requests are usually costly.
For the second group, I'll get you something that I think you'd like.
Everybody can consider me apart of group 2.
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Post by You probably can't touch this. on Dec 11, 2006 22:35:08 GMT -8
But if everyone gets on the ball with this "one big thing per person" idea, I guess I'll join in since I don't want to be a bothering exception. However, what would the price range be of these big presents?
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Post by Captain Galaxy on Dec 11, 2006 23:32:31 GMT -8
But if everyone gets on the ball with this "one big thing per person" idea, I guess I'll join in since I don't want to be a bothering exception. However, what would the price range be of these big presents? It's like brian said, they could be real low, like 60 or whatever, so like six from each person, I'm good with that. |
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Post by Kuat on Dec 11, 2006 23:56:47 GMT -8
Well, as far as the way I feel, now...
Was just on the phone with Andrew, and both of us really liked the way things were last year. The bottom line is that maybe this isn't such a hot idea because it does take away some of the personal touch of the presents.
So yeah, maybe we should just do it for the most part like last year, and cooperate with pricey presents when the need arises. The "compulsory" cooperation kinda limits our options strangely enough by limiting the smaller but more personal presents here and there.
The whole point was to get presents that were usually out of reach pricewise, to expand our options in what we could give, but I guess in the end that will work itself out like it did last time. I hope your diatribe there Patrick wasn't meant for this idea, because it was meant to provide a way to give what people wanted to give others but couldn't afford on their own. It wasn't meant as a “I got you a $100 crap, you return on that” idea. But rather a “I want to get person X this thing that I know they'll greatly enjoy, but it's too expensive and I need help on it” sorta deal. Indeed, it seems as if you're missing the whole point, as the goal was to make price less of an issue in regaurds to gift giving. Anyway, I digress...
Bottom line: I got to thinking about what I got, and I wouldn't trade anything for something “bigger and better”, and Andrew feels the same way. I think Patrick would agree here, too. This was meant to make things easier and less restrictive, but inherently the idea requires a singular expensive item to be bought per person, so it's restrictive in it's own way. The variety I got was great, and it was fun shopping for everyone individually. The "new" method would take that away.
I'm keeping the thread open for further discussion, but for all intents and purposes I've rethought my position and think that this should be done on a person by person basis, instead forcing us to get “big presents” for everyone. Again, just like last year.
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In any case, we should just buy ourselves presents, that way we each get what we want, and apparently Sean and Shane have already gone Xmas shopping. 
