This year, when you receive the name of your giftee, I will ask you to share a secret that will give them a clue about your identity. Choose something you don’t mind everyone else knowing. Each time someone receives a gift, a secret would be revealed. Here are some past threads for some inspiration: 2023 and 2024. After all the gifts have been exchanged, we shall let the guessing games commence! TL;DR: Give a present, receive a present (and likely commendations too).
YOU ARE IN
I want to join this Christmas appreciation event!
I'd like to participate. Funny, I actually started making something for christmas but I'm afraid it's too ambitious to finish on time.
I'll join!
Can you embed in padlet? Just wondering if I can make something moving or not.
Yes, you can. Avery linked a Youtube video last year and padlet lets you upload gifs too! (Just remember that if you're using something like youtube, check to make sure your account doesn't give away your name or other personal details).
Extra motivation to finish your contest storygame!
I'm in!
Sign me up :)
I'm in.
I'll do it!
Can't promise anything amazing, but I'd love to join in on this!
I love gifting things! count me in ^^
I was looking at the 2024 padlet, and is there some kind of Santa's ninja helper that's separate from the gifters or something?
Oh, ok. Is that where he got his profile pic from?
Can I join?
Wrlcome XD you'll have probably fixed that when you see this so people can't find it any more but it's funny to see while it's there.
But yeah, I was already thinking about how it'd be the bane of my existence trying to gift something to someone that all I know about them is they like blue. Bhp is fine but still pretty bad.
EDIT: Jade just hasn't logged on since joining :/
It's more like an obscure clue than anything else. For instance, if someone shares the secret of having read Eternal five times in the last months, then we can instantly rule out anyone who doesn't read :)
question: How would you hint that you've read eternal a ton in a picture? Just an example, not what I'm going to do.
A few new rules: Looking back at the feedback form for the last Secret Santa event, here are some new changes we'll implement:
@Jade_Dabilover @UnscapeableDeath @beefhotpot you won't be excluded from this event since the rules weren't established beforehand, but it'll be great if you could rack up a few more commendations before the end of the month. It can be easily accomplished by writing 3 good reviews or posting a short story (which also lets your Secret Santa have something to review as your gift). Reviewing the stories in the Thunderdome would be appreciated too :)
Yay! I have enough comms!
Why does November 25th takes so long ><
I can't believe it took me this long to realize, can you only do one gift?!
You can gift as many as you like to however many people you want to, one gift is just the minimum requirement.
Just in time. Actually, are you technicaly late because now Mysic has to reshuffle the gifters/gitees?
I just hope we'll still get the names today.
Alright, looks like there are 26 participants, just in time for the upcoming year of 2026! The wheel of chance will decide your fate. You can expect the name of your giftee at some point tonight after I check the list of names twice - remember to think of a secret to help them guess your identity :) Anyone who wants to join after this would probably just give gifts to each other.
Yay!
Here's the padlet so you have something to look at while you wait.
Darn. I didn't check the cutoff date for this, and I missed the signup.
Ah, well. Maybe next year.
You're in!
Some presents have arrived! Let's see if anyone can guess these Secret Santas: @goodnight_a your hint is 'I procrastinate ALOT...' @Mizal your hint is 'If you really can't tell, you're completely sporked.' @RKrallonor your hint is 'I once lived in Nebraska.' @UnscapeableDeath your hint is 'I do pixel art.' @Fabrikant your hint is 'I have never read Eternal' There appears to be a mysterious generous gifter who has sent some of you additional presents! Try guessing their identity too. @V__V @MadHattersDaughter @RKrallonor @Will11 @beefhotpot
._.
Should I wait for an official poll or something to start guessing, or could I go ahead and start now?
(Edit: Guessing as in saying/posting who I think everyone is)
Is there a limited amount of guesses?
Question for everyone: would you prefer discussing and guessing the Secret Santas (2023) or to have a poll at the end (2024)? Let me know which would be more fun for all of you!
I would prefer poll.
Why not both? We could do discussions, then all do a poll at the end.
I agree with UD!
Sure! Why not. I would think discussions wouldn't count as our guesses, though. If Mystic is ok with it, of course.
Alright, discuss who you think the Secret Santas are! But since we'll have a poll at the end, remember, you can't trust what anyone says. Some people might offer genuine guesses, while others may be trying to lead you astray :)
You're welcome boo 😘
Generosity must be in the air, because there's yet another anonymous gifter. They've offered to make pixel art for everyone! Submit your requests as a reply to this post.
Pixel art? Cool! I would love a pixel art snowbunny.
Wasn't there a really low rated story about this topic?
EDIT: lol nope probably not good to post it given the context. Just gonna delete that....
?
What do you mean? It's just a white bunny. Nothings wrong with that.
What could be THAT BAD?
It's horrible in every imaginable way. The content is offensive and degenerate, there isn't anything interesting going on unless you like foul, juvenile humor.
Lol! Isn't that the third person who's doing pixel art?
I'd like a ship in a bottle, btw.
Incredibly detailed shrimp
To whoever drew my shrimp - thank you!
Three penguins in a trench coat!
A cat? Or...maybe a ghost, for my expanded storygame.
I would like a fancy tureen
I don't mind, whatever you want to draw!
More presents have been placed under the tree! Feel free to discuss who these enigmatic Secret Santas are: @Sherbet your clue is "The first mentions of me by the community involved alcohol and religion". @Liminal your clue is ““Clue”" There is a third anonymous gifter, this time with the alias 'SaneCobblersSon'. They have dropped off presents to everyone! Come and collect your specialized hat while pondering over their identity. Could their name be a nod to MadHattersDaughter, either as a hint or a red herring?
Oh wow! I stopped checking the padlet after activity died but seems I've missed quite a lot of exitment! Going to go see what I got. :D
Surrana, Anthraxus, Will, Chris, and Liminal. These people were online on CYS and participating in Secret Santa when in the padlet SaneCobblersSon replied to a question I asked. These are just some ideas of who may have been him.
1. It could be none of these people, they may have just been on and SCS may have been on the padlet but not CYS.
2. It could be Surrana. This is a pretty loose string, but I'll pull because there's practically nothing else. Sane could be in there just to imply there's sane or something, but anyway gives off the impression of insane. Surrana, from the troll attack game seems to have a known madwoman persona or something like that so it may be a hint to SCS being her.
3. It could be Will. I doubt this merely because I have literally nothing that could suggest it's him. I dunno, it's weak links I have anyway.
4. It could be Chris. It was in Chris's column that SCS replied to me, although this is weakened by the fact that (I think) no question was asked in any of the other columns.
5. It could be Liminal. I may have something here. This does actually look like it could be made by Liminal, but many of the hats use thinner lines than I've seen him use so far but besides that it looks a lot like he made it.
Of course, this is all asuming that SCS isn't me but I'll say I'm not him/her and it's your decision if you want to believe me or not.
TL;DR: Just some guesses who a secret gifter might be and why.
I just realized I forgot you sorry. But again, Anthraxus is pretty much like Will or Chris for me right now I have not even the slightest hint it might be him.
Absolutely, your gifts are crazy good.
Alright folks, that's it. We've received too many amazing show-stopper gifts this Christmas season. Everyone can go home now, because no one is going to be outdoing these people. First the amazing pfp drawings, then the great wicked fan art, and now the music.
Unless someone is going to make a movie that gets nominated for the Grammy Awards, that is.
I can still try! :D
Lol, good luck!
I do have some experience in filmmaking, as I've made a (very horrible) short film, so if you actually decide to do this and need any help, feel free to ask me.
Oh no, not a short film, I suck at those. I was just thinking art or something.
Oh, lol. Yeah, that makes sense.
fuck
i know nothing apparently
Recent updates since the last one:
And that should be it for now. There's also this new thread to discuss who you think the Secret Santas and anonymous gifters are!
Lol, I said it was terrifying because it looked creepy, like a clown.
With a bit of shuffling people around, Jade is no longer part of the Secret Santa event (she hasn't logged on since her first and only post). Just thought I'd announce this since it would be relevant to the guessing game. If she does somehow surface at the last moment with a gift, I'll adapt a backup present to her.
Account age would've been pretty bad for me this year. Also how would post count help? What if it's just a spamming noob?
Can you say EVERYTHING with a smile?
Yep. Hopefully, it won't end with me standing right outside the door feeling rejected. (/j)
Would a combination be a lower minimum age and lower post minimum or do you mean something else? Sorry if it's a stupid question.
Not sure how I missed this post, but hopefully the 5 commendations rule would be effective at keeping out the flakes next year. As for this year, I can't reveal too much but let's just say I have a reason to be grateful some newer members are in :)
If they want I guess, they can post it in this thread although it wouldn't be too secret.
I've added a category! I just felt bad receiving presents if I wasn't giving out gifts, though maybe the event itself is a gift to CYS members.
As a distraction from the unwholesomeness in other threads, here are some updates!
That's it for now, happy guessing!
These presents are lovely! I'm excited to see more as we approach the deadline ^^
Just a reminder, everyone: please submit your gifts by the 27th! It looks like 10 of you have yet to post your presents. In the meantime, here are some updates!
Recent updates:
Have a very Merry Christmas tomorrow, everyone! :)
I'm extending the deadline for posting presents: you now have until the end of the month! As you wait, feel free to theorize on who's who and vote in the Thunderdome. Looks like more presents have trickled in over Christmas!
A flurry of new presents have appeared:
With that, we're down to the last day with three Secret Santas yet to post their presents. Perhaps that might be a clue as to their identities? Get ready for the guessing game, and don't worry, you won't have to wait long, just until next year.
Based on the padlet it looks like you've received some poems but I'm not sure if there'll be more; I've messaged your Secret Santa to check. One other person's gift seems to be missing too (though it isn't as noticeable given that they received a present from someone else).
Two more presents! Milton has his gift with the hint, "My goal in life is to take over the world". Clayfinger's gift is here and the hint is: "lol i'm unc fr ong lowkey 67". (Surprisingly I understand all these terms due to having younger siblings)
Oh no...
Not until next year! Joke aside, it'll be on the 1st. The guessing form is pretty much ready except for one person who hasn't submitted a hint.
The last two presents arrived:
Guess your Secret Santa! Now that all the presents have been posted, submit your guesses here: https://forms.gle/NonXK93Fr44HEtQQ6 You have until the 8th of January before I announce the winners!
I submitted by response. Ready to be the least accurate person... :(
Out of the six who have submitted, you're the second most accurate person so far. Liminal currently has the most correct guesses.
I literally had no clue for most of them, so I know I'm completely inaccurate.
Oh! Wow! :D
Just a reminder that you have until tomorrow to guess who your Secret Santa is! If you didn't take part but want to try your luck at guessing, you may also do so :)
Is it okay if I put a single person as my guess for everyone I don't know?
Ah, thanks
Cavus, the goal is to try to guess as many Secret Santas as possible, not just yours. Perhaps I should've been more clear though.
I can't speak for Cavus, but I personally tried to guess as many as possible. Admittedly, it isn't a lot, but I did my best
Can't wait to see who all the Secret Santas were!
Same! Just waiting... the 8th was yesterday...
Oh ok. I honestly should have thought of that, sorry. And I think any hard-working adult should be doing more than Naz IRL (no offense meant to Naz).
XD
Oh wow, I'm surprised she manages so many events if that's the case.
There's only a five hour time difference from EST at the moment. But unlike Naz, I've written up the results and will be posting them sometime in the next hour.
Yay! :D
Oh wait shoot I can only be here 40 more minutes... :(
@Enterpride looks like you have yet another gift by an anonymous gifter!
Welcome back for the second CYS Secret Santa Awards! This year, we had a total of 26 participants (not including the one who was hastily buried in the snow). A big thank you to all the Secret Santas for participating and getting your presents in on time! I also appreciate those of you who were flexible with last minute changes, as that really helped from an organizing perspective. ✩ The Grand Reveal ✩ This year appeared to be the most confusing one yet. Out of fifteen responses, the average score was 8/29 (roughly 28% accuracy). I shall not state any names, but a third of the guessers scored 6 points or below. However, let’s put a positive spin on it: you have all become better at hiding your identities! Now, grab a mug of warm cocoa and recline in your seat, because here is the official list of Secret Santas and their secrets:
After you've read this post, go ahead and explain your clue! I’ve seen some really creative ones in the mix. Or if you want to demand an explanation from someone else, that'll be fun to see too. ✩ The Top Guessers ✩ Let’s reveal who the top three detectives are! In third place, with a score of 11/29, there is a tie between @MadHattersDaughter and Clayfinger! Well done to the both of you.
As for our second place winner, he’s none other than @Liminal! He has a score of 13/29 and was also the first person to submit his guesses. In first place, with a grand total of 21/29 points (yep it wasn’t even close) is @Mizal! Never underestimate how well she knows the site and its members. This is also the most accurate anyone has ever been in the history of Secret Santa. ✩ The Anonymous Gifters ✩ Did you think I’d make you wait several weeks for part 2 like last year? Honestly it’s getting late and I was tempted, but this year I’m trying to procrastinate less.
Let’s reveal the identity of the enigmatic NOT Your Secret Santa. Only five participants correctly guessed this member’s identity: @beefhotpot! Your sketches are super cool. Next, who is behind the mask of Secret Pixel Artist? Six members guessed correctly: @UnscapeableDeath! It was generous of you to custom-made pixel art to site members. Lastly, we have Sane Cobbler’s Son, who mysteriously delivered personalized hats to everyone. We had five correct guesses for @Liminal! Hats off to you. ✩ The Awards ✩ Our final segment would be the people’s choice awards. Together, you voted for these individuals for their exceptional gifts! Of course, every present has been brilliant, but something about these ones were extra memorable.
The first category was ‘Most Unique’ award. Quite a few were nominated, including Will’s artwork, Suranna’s IOU, Yummy’s skewer, Sherb’s 3d model gifts and Clayfinger’s review which included thoughts from the reviewer’s own family.
But there was one gift which took everyone by surprise! It was Gryphon’s song, which received nine votes. Congratulations to @Clayfinger! Now that we know you can sing, I suggest you sign up for MHD’s talent show, there’s a strong chance you’d win.
Onto our second category: the ‘Most High Effort’ award. This one was more divisive which goes to show how amazing all the presents were this year. We have three winners who each received three votes: @Gryphon who wrote Ace’s three part review. @Cavus who designed many 3d images of Sherb. @Will who wrote reviews of ALL of Ogre’s stories (seriously, there’s a reason even I daren’t compete with that man for top Architect). Lastly, we have the ‘Most Generous Gifter’ award! Again, many people were mentioned and rightfully so, but these three were nominated the most.
Liminal, as Sane Cobbler’s Son, left no one unhatted. Beefhotpot, who despite being NOT your Secret Santa delivered presents, delivered presents faster than your actual Secret Santa (I don’t understand why your clue was about procrastination). MHD, who provided many members with personalized artworks and treated us to amazing events throughout the year. ✩ The Closing ✩ This marks the end of another fun and memorable Christmas! I’m grateful for all of you and it never ceases to amaze me what you’re capable of. Wishing everyone all the best for 2026 :)
This was amazing and I loved it. Glad to see I totally flopped voting but at least got all 3 not secret santas. :D
You were one point away from third place actually, it was so close. Edit: also to check, can you see the images? I tried using freeimage this time.
Yes, I can, but I got my school computer temporarily confiscated anyway. Thanks for thinking of that though! :D
(darn, such a nice trophy too... ah well)
Might as well give you one too.
Aw, thanks a lot! :D
Thank you so much for organising this! And well done to everyone who won an award! There was a lot of creativity in this, which was so lovely to see.
Well this was lovely. And an impressive turnout. Thanks again, Mystic! Ever the holiday nymph.
And thank you, RK, for the review!
The ones she didn't get were: Goodnight (DB's Secret Santa), Liminal (Fabrikant's Secret Santa), BHP (Goodnight's Secret Santa), Clayfinger (Gryphon's Secret Santa), Cavus (Sherb's Secret Santa), Enter (Yummy's Secret Santa), NOT Your Secret Santa (BHP) and Suranna (Will's Secret Santa). I think she'll be pretty annoyed about the last one, she even called it a few messages above.
Thank you so much Mystic for organizing this event, I had tons of fun! Thank you to Cat as well for my amazing gift!
Thank you Mystic for hosting, and Beefhotpot for the drawing (and Liminal for the stars).
Have a great year everybody!
I read through the descriptions of everyone's stories, ruled out who had different stories, and worked from there. In the first cut I didn;t get rid of clayfinger because his world weren't obviously different, but having read both I decided to ignore Clay too. Oh well.
Oh shoot, I was reading it in your profile. >< (it was just easier)
Thank you Mystic for a spectacular CYS event! And, thank you DBNB for the gift :)
I guess we'll always remember the Wasteland lol
These are always great! Thanks for hosting, Mystic.
Thanks Mystic for another awesome Secret Santa. Glad I could participate!
Three Yahoos for Mystic for hosting this event! And a big thank you to Mizal for my gift (I have a feeling I might be using it soon...) Here's to next year! 🎉
Thank you so much for arranging all of this, Mystic! It was fun to see everyone give eachother gifts, and I'm glad I got to participate in this!
And I do still plan on doing all of the pixel art requests, btw; finals are near, though, so I'm having to cut back on a few hobbies until they're over.
Also, I just want to say thank you to Wildblue and Liminal for my gifts! Both were really creative and amazing!
So don't use British spelling next time. Got it.
I can explain UD's hint which I tried to make as obvious as possible but didn't quite pan out. The first time his clue was mentioned, it was ““Clue”" (with double quotation marks). On the form itself, none of the clues had quotation marks except UD's which even had little spaces between them because I was trying to help you all: " Clue ". Y'know, quotation marks for his daily quotes? Just like Will's clue, punctuation was more important than the word used. As for BHP's, I figured it would at least narrow down a few people who do not use capitalization for emphasis and the art posted in the other thread was similar-ish. Cavus' clue can be found by searching for the first few mentions of his name on the Discord, Fabrikant's is indeed about his stories, and Will's was about :)
I mostly chose mine because I flaked on the edutainment contest, and I thought people would make the connection. I realized I haven't been clear so I started posting art to help somewhat!
For my clue, I'll give another clue: The use of quotation marks is intentional. To make it easier for you, I'll put it this way:
"Clue"
- Scape
They are, I'm glad someone figured it out!
Mystic literally said that 2 hours ago.
Oh, lol. I guess I'm just blind
