Place your presents under or on the gift tree for the Secret Gift Exchange.
Note: this thread is only for posting anonymous gifts. All other comments or discussion should be on the Holiday Party thread. When it’s time to reveal the contents, they will be posted here as well.
Post anonymously. (No need for a fancy alias, “Gift” would be sufficient. Items can be referred to elsewhere by comment number. Do make sure you remember which one is yours.)
Describe the outside appearance of your gift. (Wrapping paper, size, general shape, what it sounds like when shaken…however you’d like to describe it.)
Suggestion: for your own reference, find somewhere safe to keep a copy of your posted description along with the comment number when it appears and a description of the actual gift. That way you won’t risk forgetting what you gave.
A lumpy paper bag appears under the tree, stapled together with a sharpied “To The GAPAs, Happy Holidays” on the top.
Inside, a virtual puppy squirms. He’s been waiting to be virtually given for almost two years in a virtual pound. A little mutt: part terrier, part daschund. A black collar surrounds his dark brown, shortish furred neck. A rainbow tag announces his name, “Cornelius.”
The puppy has a good supply of ideas in a miniscule bowl next to him. He’s munching on one — “world domination” — thoughtfully. The idea is so large that he dosn’t even bother with a snack like “wear a top hat to school”. This thought should last him the whole day.
[The purpose of this thread is to post gifts for exchange at the party, contents to be revealed later. But a virtual puppy is more than GAPAs can resist — we’ll let this one through.]
I am giving a box about two inches thick, five inches wide and ten inches long wrapped in blue paper stamped with gold stars. When shaken, there is no sound heard.
The first one of us is wrapped in a festive candy striped paper with an enormous red velvet bow stuck precaiously on top. It is tall and wide, about the size of a school desk, and seems to be rumbling slightly…
The next is decorated in a blue wrap with white snowflake pattern. The snowflakes are glittery. A tag on the box shaped like another snowflake reads: “Happy Holidays, MuseBlog!” It is tall and wide and when shaken you can hear a single musical note…
The last present is the smallest, in a small black box that is tied togeher wth a green ribbon. A sticker on the front says, “Do Not Open Before Christmas”. This gift must not be shaken, or it might be damaged.
I am giving a box with wrapping paper that has a sea of kokopellis set against a backdrop of a sea of pies. It is small, roughly humanoid shaped. The sticker says, “To be opened in case of curiousity, Christmas, or both (preferably Christmas).” When shaken, a small whistle noise is heard…
I place a square box under the tree, nearly three feat in diameter. It is wrapped in silver paper and has air holes poked in it. A tag reads:
In this box is a gift for you,It's unusual but cute, and lots of fun, too!
If you take this, be prepared,
The present inside requires your care.
DO NOT SHAKE, it could damage the present,
Then its temper when it comes out won't be pleasant.
So treat this with care when you take it from here,
It's a special surprise for the end of the year.
I peer in through an air hole. “Goodbye,” I tell what’s inside, although it probably can’t understand. I pat the box and leave.
I mean, three feet in diameter.
I hand over a small present, easily ignored. It’s in a small white box with doodlings covering it. It does not make a sound when shaken.
I look up to the top of the tree. “Wow,” I whisper. “It’s huge.” I set down my gift. It’s a pretty big box, with a big red wrapped box on the outside, followed by a smaller orange box, and inside that is a smaller yellow box. There are six boxes in all, each of the basic colors of the rainbow. Except for indigo. I never thought indigo was that important. It’s covered in tape, and has six differnt colors of bows decorating the top, arranged in a circle. When I put it down on the floor, the sound of the boxes masks the sound of the present.
I look at my box compared to the others. It looks rather gawdy. I sigh, and walk to the dance floor.
CHOSEN BY RAINBOWSTAR
Large, rectagular size. fits under the tree with a bit of moving. It’s raped in silver paper with kokopeilli on it.
I sneak up, well, sneakily to the tree and set down my gift. It is about one foot long, wide, and high. (One cubic foot, I guess.) The wrapping paper is the color of the sky when the sun’s set but the stars haven’t gotten around to coming out, i.e. deep blue. It is tied with a gold ribbon with glitter on it. The wrapping paper has Celtic designs on it in an icy green. The tag reads:
HAPPY HOLIDAYS, MUSE!
THIS ISN’T A MOOSE!
PLEASE DON’T SHAKE THE BOX
OR THE PRESENT WILL TURN INTO ROCKS!
in a gold calligraphic font. It has a small sketch of a moose on it.
I sneak stealthily away.
I place a smallish gift wrapped in red paper under the tree. It has a fancy green bow. It makes a rattling sound when shaken, although the tag is marked: Happy Holidays! Do not shake: FRAGILE.
[Further description copied from a follow-up comment.]
The box is rectangular: About two feet high and a foot square. Nestled in the fancy bow is a candy cane.
[CHOSEN BY ZINC]
I drop off a large-ish package, maybe three feet long and two feet wide rectangular). It is wrapped in many layers of tissue paper in different colors, and tied with surly ribbon. It is marked, “Handle with care, please”.
A full twelve gifts are delivered by airplane drop. Bumping gently to a stop, they land perfectly and slide until they are nestled under the tree.
The first is nearly as large as the tree, with strange squawks issuing from it.
The second has similar noises emanating from a sturdy package about a foot and a half tall, three feet long, and two feet wide.
The third has the same type of noise coming from inside, with the occasional splat interrupting the other sounds, and is about half again as big as the second.
The fourth has music playing from a cubic package – hauntingly beautiful music that you think you may have heard somewhere.
The fifth package is tiny and wrapped in plain white paper – maybe half a foot long, two inches wide, and an inch tall.
The sixth is double the size of the third, with exactly the same type of splatting noise.
The seventh should probably be kept outside it is so large – about seven by ten by five feet. Several electric cables run to it for heating and lighting as splashing noises sound from within.
The eighth Is larger still, with the same cables running to it, and different splashing sounds from within.
The ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth are all contained within one clear package, revealing that they are wrapped individually with different festive kinds of paper, but connected into one giant present. From inside come festive and joyous music, shouting, and rhythmic pounding. The floor trembles slightly from the movement of this room-sized package.
Hope everyone likes them.
I drop off three presents underneath the gift tree.
The first is a large crate wrapped in plain white paper; there are air holes, and soft sounds come from inside. A warning reads, DO NOT SHAKE! THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOX ARE ALIVE! [CHOSEN BY CAT’S EYE]
The second is wrapped in pale-blue paper with silver snowflakes on it. It’s about the size of a medium-sized flowerpot on its side, only without the tapering part. Small tinkling sounds come from inside. The present appears to be in a cardboard box under the wrapping.
The third is huge, and is also inside a cardboard box. No one could find enough wrapping paper, so the box has been decorated with wild designs.
I run away quickly before anyone can see my true identity.
My package is wrapped in a pure white paper. It is about 1 cubic foot in size. It makes no sound when you shake it.
[CHOSEN BY CELLO-PLAYING MATHEMATICIAN]
I sneak in and drop off my box. It is dark blue with a silver star pattern. Faint scratching and tapping noises are heard from inside. (Uh oh. If the gift exchange doesn’t come soon, my gift might open itself!) I place a small sign on top of it:DO NOT SHAKE.
((Is anyone here giving an inanimate present?))
((I think we were all inspired by the virtual puppy.))
((Sorry for the double post, but when can we start choosing gifts to open?))
(( (17-19) This thread is for gifts only, so people can search through the items without getting bogged down with other comments. Please keep all further discussion on the Holiday Party or Planning Threads. Other comments will be zapped.))
I leave a thin rectangular box under the tree, wrapped carefully in blue velvet. It has a golden bow tied neatly around the center, small and fragile-seeming against its lengthy package.
Against it I place what appears to be a wrapped piece of cardboard. It is no bigger than a paperback book, and a tenth the thickness. Its wrappings are red and festive, decorated with dancing snowmen.
The gift is wrapped in the gold paper that always evokes the sentimental person inside, as it gayly reflects the lights under the tree, and the peeping faces of musers who wish to know what the presents are. It’s rather clumsily tied with a big blue bow, and excessive trailing ribbons pool around the box, dripping off the sides. It jingles merrily when shook, as if to say “Merry Christmas!” But the jingle is only a bell taped to the inside of the box. The present cannot be heard when shaken. The tag reads:
“Merry Christmas Musers!
To give a gift is better than
to recieve. This one’s to all of
you. This is designed to only open
when everyone is gather’d ’round.
So I don’t want anything back, just please
enjoy!
-Goldy”
[CHOSEN BY KOKONILLY]
The present is small and cubic. It is wrapped in brown butcher’s paper and tied with red ribbon.
I am wrapped in neon green paper with purple stars all over it. Rather bright, really. There is a label on the outside that says DO NOT SHAKE : FRAGILE. The present is very lumpy, with no specific name for its shape.
I am about three by four feet. I am for all the Musers, but “dedicated” to Beavo, who makes life SO much easier for me…………..
I leave a black and silver package, about three feet long and two inches high. It reads in flowing script:
“For all the Musers, for in Musedom lies Wisdom…”
((17: My gift is inaminate, Robert. Don’t worry (?).))
((Haha, everybody copied the puppy
))
Another gift appears at the back of the tree, where no other gift has been placed. The box is the type of shape you can draw but if you try to build you’ll fail miserably. There’s no message saying “do not shake”, just a “Happy Holidays” in the same handwriting that adorn’s the puppy’s box. The gift is covered in an undescribable shade of pink wrapping paper, polka-dotted with about the blackest black you can get.
There are bows, the same shade of bewildering pink, placed apparently randomly across all seventeen surfaces of the box.
The box isn’t normal, but there’s nothing startling about it.
Until you look really closely at the bows.
Are they shaped like… bunnies?
((27: Gulp…))
((Ahh, evil present!))
A little basket lies under the tree. A card, covered in unreadable handwriting, says “Take care of them. Merry Yule!”
First is a little black kitten.
Second is a orange kitten with green eyes.
And third is a seal point siamese kitten that is trying to leap out of the room.
[CHOSEN BY AGRRRFISHI]
A UPS truck shows up outside, delivering three large packages.
The first is wrapped, cushioned, wrapped again, cushioned again, wrapped once more, and then contained in a flame-retardant safe.
The second is larger but more uniform – wrapped in plain white paper and a normal rectangular shape.
The third is wrapped in tactical camouflage paper (this isn’t a hint to what’s in it; I just decided to make it invisible), and is clearly marked, “WILL EXPLODE WHEN OPENED.”
Just because I wanted to put more gifts here.
((17 – I am.))
As I walk away, I see a huge present nearly squish my gift – it’s only about 1 cubic inch. The monster gift the size of a room and is emitting very strange sounds that sounds like people are dancing inside.
“HEY, WAIT, NONONONONONONONO! That’s my gift!” I yell.
I save my gift, put it carefully on top of a largeish crate with air holes. I scamper away nervously: a good number of the presents seem to be alive.
I tuck my package into a corner, under a bough.
It has two parts, a small brown box the length of your index finger, attached to another object, wide and flat, wrapped in a dark blue paper, topped with a gold bow. When shaken, the smaller box emits a quite raspy sound.
Ooooooo goody!
*brings in cartload of individually wrapped colored boxes*
Everyone will like these! *piles under the tree* One for every MBer and GAPA! (3 gusses what I got everyone :smile:)
((Bored and want to give as much as possible.))
A figure walks up and drops off a gift that:
Is about as tall and wide as a folding chair. It is wrapped in multiple copies of the Sunday funnies page, with a ribbon made of ordinary newspaper. The paper is dark blue, and in gold flowing script simply reads “Enjoy.”
The box rattles occasionally, and small clawing sounds can be heard from inside. Three air holes are poked in the top.
[CHOSEN BY AVALONGIRL]
I hurry in and drop off a medium sized, lumpy present. It is wrapped in scarlet satin with small golden griffins on it. On it is a small duke blue tag that reads in cream coloured calligraphy, “What are you going to do now?”
CHOSEN BY TESSERACT
I run back in, giving my kittens a quick hug before putting down my present. It has airholes, is orange, and is stamped all over with the Naruto logo, which kinda says something about me, I suppose…
It has a tag on it saying POINTY SHARP OBJECTS INSIDE-DO NOT SHAKE-THE SMALL, FURRY ANIMAL IN THERE COULD GET INJURED, AND THE POINTY THINGS COULD COME OUT THROUGH AIRHOLES!!! DO NOT SHAKE!!!
Whoa. I scribble a note on the box, saying DO NOT SHAKE, and walk back over to the kittens. I then produce two boxes from nowhere, and proceed thus:
I place the orange kitten (post 30, people!) into a bright neon green airholed box, and the black kitten into a pale silver airholed box with snowflakes on it. I then place notes on each box, saying small animal inside-do not shake, unless you want to suffer my wrath.
…Perfect.
I drop off an eye-watering orange rhombus-shaped gift, with great worry. The notice on the box reads:
Be very careful with the gift inside. It is nothing dangerous, unless you upset it. It may die, causing a fire. Don't shake the box, that could result in flames.I hug the present goodbye, hoping someone good takes it.
I decide to run back in again, sticking some meat to the biter animal within the Naruto bag.
I then produce a soccer-ball shaped present. The tag and wrapping paper have pie stains on them, and the tag says This is a maker of things you like. No hints, but you’ll use this in either war or threads.
ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE, PIES, AND WAR.
The biter animal I sedate, pull out, and plop it into a foot-long hamster ball with opaque glass and airholes. The tag is the same, and I hurry away.
I look inside my pockets and find another gift that I forgot. Shrugging, I dash back inside. I put the gift there. This one’s fairly large, and it’s rattling about. There’s an occasional SPLAT emitting from it, then a chirp. I run out, hoping to catch the bus.
My present is in a poppy colored hat box deccorated with deep blue and hot pink lotus motifs. It smells like mothballs and wax and is sealed with a red wax seal bearing the innitial R. Tied to the string is a note that says-
Contents under pressure. Best suited for kids and Goat People.
I descreetly drop the box and go over to Ferret Girl.
[CHOSEN BY VENDAVAL]
My gift is a sparkly dark turquoise box with little air holes in it. Coming from the box, everyone hears cute little bird chirps. I hope someone doesn’t stick their fingers in the box, so I put a caution note on the box. I hope someone caring picks the present.
It’s reluctantly placed in the back. It’s hidden under a couple of tree branches, in hopes that some flaws may be hidden. It’s not very pretty, this present. Its appearance is disappointing to those who expected a tinsel-y shiny box. It’s wrapped in faded red paper, and sprinkled liberally with gold glitter in the shape of stars. A slightly tattered bow sits atop this heap. It’s just about the size and shape of a paperback book. It sounds simple when shaken. Just possibly a ruffle or a “swishhh”, like of feathers. A tag on it reads:
“Merry Christmas, Muse.
This is for the editors.
They need a little love –
Please share with GAPAs.”
I feel kind of bored. I dropped off a flammable little gift before, but now I feel that I should give a little test to daring people. I drop off a box SO pink that it literally emits light. I feel good that I gave this gift, it might just come in handy to any muse blogger.
I drop off a simple silver gift about the size of a storage bin with airholes. The card has each of it’s four covers covered with a single flowing rainbow letter or symbol(s)-
The first has the no symbol, like on a No Parking sign.
The second has the letter H.
The third has the letter P.
And the fourth has the letter B.
Then I redo my other gift, so now…it’s a soccer-ball shaped present. The tag and wrapping paper have pie stains on them, and the tag says
This is a maker of things you like. The Muse Scouts donated it after a battle.
ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE, PIES, AND WAR.
“Last call for someone to take my gifts! As far as I know, only one of them has been taken. I’ll repost my descriptions:”
The second is wrapped in pale-blue paper with silver snowflakes on it. It’s about the size of a medium-sized flowerpot on its side, only without the tapering part. Small tinkling sounds come from inside. The present appears to be in a cardboard box under the wrapping.
The third is huge, and is also inside a cardboard box. No one could find enough wrapping paper, so the box has been decorated with wild designs. update: There is a tag on it that says “No, it’s not alive. Don’t you wish it were, though?”
Hmm, one of those designs looks vaguely familiar… could it be… everyone’s favorite pie-throwing Muse?
I call out “PIES FOR SALE!” to draw attention. “Please;” I say loudly, “take these. You’ll like them! Both of them are things only Musers would understand, and one of these needs to have some food. It’s alive, after all…”
A simple silver gift about the size of a storage bin with airholes. The card has each of it’s four covers covered with a single flowing rainbow letter or symbol-
Like this. :), H, P, B
A soccer-ball shaped present. The tag and wrapping paper are both covered with pie drawings, and the tag says
This is a maker of the things Muse Scouts sell. The Muse Scouts donated it after a battle. They decided that these were outdated, but they’re really not…silly Muse Scouts.
ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE, PIES, AND WAR.
Could I have the third gift from post fourteen?
Nobody took the one with the Hot Pink Bunnie bows.
Could I have the gift from post 44?
Could I have the gift from post 5?
50-I already took it when I found what it was. It’s a Wung, and I own it. But, for live presents…
Post 42. I think it’s a bird. And post 38, I suppose, is a phoenix.
Can I have the gift from post…33?
I am very sorry that this is months late.
The first box, small and plain, contains a note wrapped around a compass. The compass is a heavy thing, round as an egg and seamlessly smooth. the front piece is glass, showing a pointer fixed to a post suspended in a liquid. The face is black, with a single bright blue star on one edge.The back is a blueish copper, now green in large patches. The note says
“It’s out there. This should help. ~Þ”
The second package contains a book. Bound in waxed leather and embossed with some simple picts, the book looks like more of a bag holding paper scraps than a hardcover. You open the knotted latch to find what appears to be a table of contents.
Pytheas
Ãslendingabók
Bréanainn Clonfert
Landnámabók
EirÃkur rauði- EirÃks saga rauða
Flateyjarbók
…
The last chapter, untitled but dated 1825, is mostly empty. It talks of excitement. Accepting a deed. For country. Off to the front. Favor in Trarza. Hide from him. Will return.
I’d say it’s time to start an expedition!
GAPAs, should i tell Cello-Playing Mathemetician what their gift is??