Secret Santa 2017 (but kind of 2018?): Christmas is now January 25th

[phoopes]

AAAHHHHH

We almost missed it! But Secret Santa is one of my favorite UPN traditions and I'll be darned if it doesn't happen again. It's just that obviously this wasn't posted in time for actual Christmas but it does so happen that I'm posting it on a day where the timing lines up perfectly to have Christmas on January 25th! Woohoo!

Most of the rest of this post is going to be copied from last year's Secret Santa thread (by Hanatori, we miss you by the way ;_;), with a couple of edits made by me to update things for this year. So yeah, take a look back on some old Secret Santa threads, and then make sure you read up on the rules and whatnot! Hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season.

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Sign-ups and requests are now open until January 3rd! Even if you have participated in previous Secret Santas, be sure to read the rules, as there are a couple of minor changes this year.
Presents threads:
2016|2015 l 2014 l 2013 l 2012 l 2011
~
Main threads:
2016 |2015 l 2014 l 2013 l 2012 l 2011

Yes, it's back again. Secret Santa!

Okay, that's nice and all, but what is this and why should I care?
This is the main thread for this year's edition of the annual UPN Fanart and Fanfiction Secret Santa! Ask for some fan work, and you'll get something nice in return.

There's more to it than that, though... right?
Of course there is!



FOR VOLUNTEERS
There are three questions every volunteer must answer:

Would you like to sign up as a writer, an artist, or a sprites/graphics maker?
You may choose up to two of the three.

Would you like a maximum of one or two requests?
If you are unsure about how much time you will have to complete requests or would rather focus on one request, you may ask to receive only one request. This would not bar you from picking up Wild Card requests later on if you feel like completing another request.

Would you like to have priority on Wild Card requests if you do not receive a request when assignments go out?
Wild Card prompts are not posted until after assignments are sent out. As the number of requests will sometimes be less than the number of volunteers in a medium (for example: seven writing requests versus nine writing volunteers), there is always the possibility that somebody will not receive a request. You may ask for the first look at Wild Card prompts, and if you do not receive a request, a list of Wild Card prompts will be PMed to you after assignments are sent out. If I have to PM multiple volunteers about picking up Wild Card prompts, they will be offered on a first come, first serve basis, and you will be informed if your choice of prompt has already been claimed by another volunteer. If any volunteers have to be sent a list of Wild Card prompts, they will have 72 hours before the list of prompts is posted in the main Secret Santa thread.

Pinch Hitting:
If you are unable to complete your request and would like somebody else to pick it up, please PM me before January 25th, and I will post the request in the main Secret Santa thread. Anybody, volunteer or not, may pick up a pinch hit; if you wish to take the pinch hit, PM me.

Volunteer sign-ups are to be posted in the Secret Santa main thread before January 3rd, 2018, at 6 PM EST. Once you finish your assignment, PM the finished work to me and it will be posted in a new "presents thread" with all other completed requests on January 25th.



FOR REQUESTERS
You do not have to volunteer to make a request. You may make one request, which must be a writing request, an art request, or a sprite/graphic request.

Since watching and/or playing a load of Pokemon is the thing we have in common here, all requests must be Pokemon-related. All requests must also be worksafe, and do not have to be holiday-themed (though they can be). If you're unsure of what you want and have a few ideas floating around, you can give your volunteer the option of completing one of a few prompts.

Crossovers with other games, books, anime, etc are allowed; however, if you do this, please include some reference material in your request, or give your volunteer an alternate prompt in case they're not familiar with the work. Not everybody here will know who you're talking about if you ask for "the Voltron pilots, but as Pokemon."

Please note that I may shut down requests in a certain medium if the request count reaches the combined amount of requests allowed for the volunteers later in the sign-up period.
Example: There are ten art volunteers, five of whom have asked for only one request maximum. If the request count reaches fifteen, art requests will be shut down unless another person volunteers for art.

Requests are to be PMed to me before the deadline of January 3rd, 2018, at 6 PM EST. The PMing part should go without saying, what with this being Secret Santa.



THE WILD CARD: VOLUNTEERS AND REQUESTS
You do not have to volunteer or make a normal request to send in a Wild Card request. On the other side of things, you do not have to be a volunteer to claim a Wild Card request.

Everybody is allowed up to two Wild Card requests. These requests do not have to be Pokemon-related, and asking for characters from other works is fully encouraged. As opposed to a regular request, where you would be allowed to go into some detail, Wild Card requests must be a short, non-specific phrase covering one or two subjects. For example, you could request "Jyushimatsu," "baseball," or "outer space;" you could even combine two of the three for "Jyushimatsu/baseball" or "Jyushimatsu/outer space," but no requesting "Jyushimatsu playing for an outer space baseball league." You can give us a who and what, a who and where, or a where and what, but no who, what, and where.

If you'd like examples of Wild Card prompts that have been accepted in previous years, check out the Wild Card postings from 2015 and 2014. (phoopedit: there's cool ones from last year too but I'm much lazier than Hana so I'm not going to find and link them)

Anybody, volunteer or not, can claim up to two Wild Card prompts each. Claiming prompts will be handled on a first come/first serve basis, and if your pick is unavailable because somebody else PMed me about it an hour before you, I'll let you know.

From a volunteer perspective, where the Wild Card diverges completely from assignments is that they may be completed in any medium you see fit, whether it's one of the three volunteer media (art, writing, graphics) or something else entirely - music, theatre, gifs, photography, mixed media, anything.

The deadline for Wild Card request submissions is the same as the regular volunteer/request deadline, but Wild Card prompts can be claimed at any time before January 25th. A full list of Wild Card prompts will be posted in the main Secret Santa thread either immediately after assignments are sent out on January 3rd, or on January 6th.



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can [COOL ARTIST] do my request?
They have to sign up first, and then you have to be lucky with the RNG.

I can't draw/write/make graphics, should I even bother with this?
If you're interested in volunteering and think you'll have time for one or two requests, then by all means, do it! If you're interested in my opinion, one of the nice things about Secret Santa is that the list of volunteers isn't a straight copy-and-paste of people who post work in the Fanart and Fanfiction forums - we get people who are active and people who don't usually post.

I can't make the request deadline!
I'll usually accept requests that are up to a few hours late as long as there's room in your chosen request medium.

Is there a word count requirement for writing requests?
No, though your requester can specify length/word count. It doesn't have to be a novel, but it should be complete.

I don't like this request, can I get a reassignment?
No.

I'm not sure about something with this request!
If you have questions about your request, PM me and I'll ask your requester.

Heeeeelp! It's almost Christmas and I won't be done on time!
If you're not finished with your request by December 25th, you can still complete your request and post it in the presents thread whenever you wish.



A TIMELINE OF IMPORTANT DATES
December 23rd
Secret Santa main thread goes up, and volunteer sign-ups/request submissions open! If you're wondering why it's around Thanksgiving: Sign-ups used to open on December 1st, but were pushed back to allow volunteers more time to work on requests. *sweats nervously*

January 3rd
Volunteer sign-ups and request submissions will close around 6 PM EST, confirmed by a post in the main thread. After this, requests will be assigned via RNG to volunteers, who will then receive a PM detailing their assignment(s). The RNG process generally takes 30-45 minutes, will take some time! I don't know how long! PMs taking at least one and a half hours to send. take some time to send also! If at least six hours pass from the confirmation post and you don't have an assignment (or PM clarifying lack thereof), please let me know! If there are no volunteers who have asked for priority on Wild Card requests but have received no requests, all Wild Card prompts will be posted after PMs have been sent out. If there are volunteers needing to pick Wild Card requests, a list of Wild Card requests will still be posted in the main thread within a few days.

January 25th
The deadline for finished requests, and the day that the Secret Santa presents thread will go up. All completed work will be posted, likely around late morning, sometime that day (because I'll be at school) in the presents thread. If you do not complete your assignment by then, you may still complete it at any time and post it in the presents thread.



VOLUNTEER SIGN-UPS
This is from the volunteer section, but let's paste it here without all of the pesky details. Please answer these three questions if you wish to volunteer:
-Would you like to sign up as a writer, an artist, or a sprites/graphics maker? (Pick up to two.)
-Would you like a maximum of one or two requests?
-Would you like to have priority on Wild Card requests if you do not receive a request when assignments go out?

Writing Volunteers
Request count: 3
1. phoopes
2. Emi
3. Connor
4. Shuckle
5. Chiko

Art Volunteers
Request count: 5
1. phoopes
2. Daisy
3. lilbluecorsola
4. Heather
5. Mew the Gato
6. Coolz

Sprite/Graphic Volunteers
Request count: 0
1.

Wild Card request count: 3

To reiterate, you will have until Wednesday, January 3rd, at approximately 6 PM EST to sign up and send in requests. Any questions about the rules can go in this thread. If anything is unclear, please feel free to ask about it.
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Okay! That should be it! For you other Secret Santa veterans, let me know if I messed anything up, and hopefully this goes just as well as other years! Though I know I'll never measure up to Hana's awesomeness.

[DaisyInari]

Lemme just say I was DEVASTATED when I thought there wouldn't be any Secret Santa this year but

I'm really happy you took the reins to make it happen, Phoopes, you're the best ;v;

I read the thread title and no matter what I am gonna put myself down as an artist because TRADITION

I'll read the whole thing when I get back from work xd;

[lilboocorsola]

Ohey this is happening cool

Signing up to take one art request.

[Emi]

One Writing request please w priority pls.

[Heather]

Oh hell yes! One art request for me, please!

[Talon87]

Kudos to you for doing this, phoopes. It completely slipped my mind, but seeing the thread tonight I immediately realized that we hadn't had one posted yet this year. I won't commit to signing up, but I still wanted to duck in and say, good job.

[Connor]

I'll throw my hat in for a writing request. No priority, I'm pretty flexible.

[Mew The Gato]

One request, either of writing or art, please.

[phoopes]

Originally Posted by Mew The Gato

One request, either of writing or art, please.

I'll put you down for art since IIRC we tend to get more of those!

[Coolz8]

One art request although I might need to work on it as soon as it comes out because I'll be extra busy as the semester starts

[Shuckle]

Since I completely dropped the ball last year I will just do a writing request this time around and not bother with any kind of artistry.

[DaisyInari]

HEY IT SEEMS WE'RE ACTUALLY SHORT ON REQUESTS

SO SUBMIT SOME IDEAS FOLKS I WANT TO SEE SOME CONTENT

[Emi]

To be honest, I would make a request except I have absolutely no desire for anything Pokemon related.

It may be the right time to lift that restriction.

[Talon87]

I have a Pokémon-related request but only Daisy could do it. :x (And that's not the spirit of Secret Santa! ) As for a request that anyone could do, hmm ...

EDIT: Alright, request sent to phoopes via PM. I hope whoever gets it has as much fun with it as I have had.

[Chiko]

I'll take a writing request

Will also put down a writing request soontm

[phoopes]

Hi! Thanks y'all for submitting stuff. Requests are now closed.

...It's late and I'm tired so expect your PMs and such by tomorrow (1/4/1.

[lilboocorsola]

Oh whoops I thought we had until the 6th to send in requests for some reason. Is it too late to toss mine in?

[phoopes]

Originally Posted by lilbluecorsola

Oh whoops I thought we had until the 6th to send in requests for some reason. Is it too late to toss mine in?

okay you can send yours in

once Yuki sends me hers I'll RNG the stuff (and probably extend everything by a day since I'm late on this)

[phoopes]

Okay, requests are about to go out! This should take a little bit but not too long. I'll post here when they're all sent out. If you signed up to do a request and you didn't get a PM please PM me ASAP! I think we got an exactly right number of requests and volunteers this year but let me know if I'm wrong.

[phoopes]

Okay great! Everyone who signed up to take a request should have received a PM! Please let me know if you didn't. And if you have any questions about your assignment or anything please let me know that too!

Also... here are the wild cards for this year! As a reminder, you don't have to have signed up to take a request to snag a wild card! PM me if you want to pick one of these up.

Angel Taken
Flowers Taken
Mata Hari
Jenetta (this person requested that I include the link)
5 Minutes
Ocean
A torii gate

Yay!

[phoopes]

aaahhhh sorry everyone I'm at college and today is super busy! I'll try to get around to posting the presents thread tomorrow! (we've already waited a month so what's one extra day am I right?)