Forum Secret Santa?

[Ennis-TX]

Was wondering why don't the regulars here now sign up for a secret Santa like thing this year? We can have one of the moderators manage the drawing and assgin it to those who want to get in on it. I mean many of use have several restrictions but us regulars talk enough on here that we know each others no foods, shopping habits. interest. Heck if unsure you can always gift card. I know it is a good distance off til the holidays but it was a random thought that cross my mind.

[cyclinglady]

It was a good thought Ennis!  But...for me personally, my family is done with gifts.  The kids are older and frankly, it was just getting to be too much.  Instead, we focus on getting together or keeping in touch.  

Why don't we plan on meeting up in the Gab/Chat and share something positive (e.g. Story)  or a blessing on Christmas?

I am so thankful that this forum exists.  What I have found is that like diabetes, there is no one set diet or treatment for a celiac to follow.  Yeah, the gluten free diet is the main cure, but we each have our own unique set of issues/illnesses/intolerances to deal with.  I am grateful that there are others out there, like me, who actually really understand what it is like to have  celiac disease.  

So sweet of you to start thinking about the holidays.  I just decorated my front porch with Fall items.  I am displaying my pumpkins grown in my backyard that sprouted from some compost my hubby dumped and never mixed into existing soil.  It was fun to watch them grow and I did not have to plant them.  Yesterday, I made a batch of Snickerdoodles.  The first time I turned my oven on in months.  (During the hot summer, I cook outside on the grill, use a hot plate, rice cooker and crockpot to avoid heating up the house.)  My family was so happy!  Halloween will be here fast.  We get up to 1,000 trick or treaters.  I kid you not!  It is like walking around Disneyland.  

 

[kareng]

In the past, a few of us sent each other Xmas cards.  Some people  made them or sent a card that showed something in their town.  If people want to do that, they can pm addresses or even email cards.

[Ennis-TX]

7 hours ago, cyclinglady said:

It was a good thought Ennis!  But...for me personally, my family is done with gifts.  The kids are older and frankly, it was just getting to be too much.  Instead, we focus on getting together or keeping in touch.  

Why don't we plan on meeting up in the Gab/Chat and share something positive (e.g. Story)  or a blessing on Christmas?

I am so thankful that this forum exists.  What I have found is that like diabetes, there is no one set diet or treatment for a celiac to follow.  Yeah, the gluten free diet is the main cure, but we each have our own unique set of issues/illnesses/intolerances to deal with.  I am grateful that there are others out there, like me, who actually really understand what it is like to have  celiac disease.  

So sweet of you to start thinking about the holidays.  I just decorated my front porch with Fall items.  I am displaying my pumpkins grown in my backyard that sprouted from some compost my hubby dumped and never mixed into existing soil.  It was fun to watch them grow and I did not have to plant them.  Yesterday, I made a batch of Snickerdoodles.  The first time I turned my oven on in months.  (During the hot summer, I cook outside on the grill, use a hot plate, rice cooker and crockpot to avoid heating up the house.)  My family was so happy!  Halloween will be here fast.  We get up to 1,000 trick or treaters.  I kid you not!  It is like walking around Disneyland.  

 

Yeah my family stopped doing gifts a few years ago when we had a grandparent on each side of the family die. After that no one meets up, no gifts, no one even does cards. I tried 2 years ago to give all my relatives gifts, hand written cards......None of them even said thanks. Next year I said I will not give out cards or gifts unless one of them send me something....and well I did not even get a card. Funny thing is my birthday falls on the 16th of Dec so nothing from any relatives for 2 years in the month of December hit me pretty hard. I know my disease caused me to burn bridges and be a bit more secluded but it was ridiculous to the point that the past 2 years I have been sending myself on vacation the same way, hotel, and location that my family used to spend on vacations when we were a family.

Sorry for the self pity thing, I was just pointing out that my extended family other then my parents (they still help me out and care) do not care about the holidays anymore. And I consider several members here, as messed up as it might be a "I care about your health and life" more so  then my actual aunts, uncles, and cousins. So I figured I might not be rich but if we had a secret santa type thing I could at least afford to send one person a gift.

Funny how this community is more family to me then the one I grew up in. I guess it has to do with relating to people here more, feeling of caring, and overall support.

I swear one of these days we do need to have some kind of meet up lol, would be crazy....oddly enough I can see certain members from our group being at each others throats, while others would be like arms around the shoulders singing carols....the mental image is quite amusing.

But yeah I do wish I could send everyone here a gift or card, but you know how the financial issues are. If I ever when the lottery I am gifting everyone lol.

 

[Victoria1234]

10 hours ago, Ennis_TX said:

Yeah my family stopped doing gifts a few years ago when we had a grandparent on each side of the family die. After that no one meets up, no gifts, no one even does cards. I tried 2 years ago to give all my relatives gifts, hand written cards......None of them even said thanks. Next year I said I will not give out cards or gifts unless one of them send me something....and well I did not even get a card. Funny thing is my birthday falls on the 16th of Dec so nothing from any relatives for 2 years in the month of December hit me pretty hard. I know my disease caused me to burn bridges and be a bit more secluded but it was ridiculous to the point that the past 2 years I have been sending myself on vacation the same way, hotel, and location that my family used to spend on vacations when we were a family.

Sorry for the self pity thing, I was just pointing out that my extended family other then my parents (they still help me out and care) do not care about the holidays anymore. And I consider several members here, as messed up as it might be a "I care about your health and life" more so  then my actual aunts, uncles, and cousins. So I figured I might not be rich but if we had a secret santa type thing I could at least afford to send one person a gift.

Funny how this community is more family to me then the one I grew up in. I guess it has to do with relating to people here more, feeling of caring, and overall support.

I swear one of these days we do need to have some kind of meet up lol, would be crazy....oddly enough I can see certain members from our group being at each others throats, while others would be like arms around the shoulders singing carols....the mental image is quite amusing.

But yeah I do wish I could send everyone here a gift or card, but you know how the financial issues are. If I ever when the lottery I am gifting everyone lol.

 

You are super sweet. I'm sorry your extended family isn't great about get togethers and cards. My family is the same. Once my parents died I don't have anyone who really cares about me except for my husband and kids. My parents started getting really weird about stuff as they got older, and my sisters are way older than me and we didn't grow up together, so we aren't close at all. In fact one sister hates me. They didn't even come to our parents funerals. Families pretty much suck so you gotta appreciate whatever you can put together for a support system. I come here every day looking for a smile or laugh, an encouraging word, or an opportunity to give advice. You guys are definitely part of my extended family  

for what it's worth I would be up for secret santa.

[ravenwoodglass]

12 hours ago, Victoria1234 said:

  I come here every day looking for a smile or laugh, an encouraging word, or an opportunity to give advice. You guys are definitely part of my extended family  

for what it's worth I would be up for secret santa.

I can definately identify with this. I half-laughingly refer to myself as an 'elder orphan'.   I can't afford anything like a secret santa but would love the opportunity to exchange holiday cards with others here.  It is comforting in a way to realize that I am not the only person who is isolated but kind of sad to know that there are others in the same boat. When I talk to folks with large close extened families who endlessly complain about them I just want to slap them sometimes.

[knitty kitty]

I'm in for Secret Santa, too.