Christmas Swap 2016

Welcome to the Christmas Swap for the 75 Books Challenge Group 2016. Yes, believe it or not, its that time again. I am Jeff (mahsdad) and this is my 2nd year running the 75 Group Swap. We had a few glitches last year that I hope to avoid, I promise to get the addresses right. I'm looking forward to a prosperous book giving season.

As before, we keep this simple: Let me know if you are playing, PM me your address, I will draw names randomly and everyone will get a 75er to buy gift book(s) for.

We keep it to a $25 limit, so it can be affordable for everyone. This can be new books or carefully preserved “used” books. This will be open to everyone, everywhere, since there are free shipping options available, like Book Depository.

The cut off will be about the 23rd of November (Day before US Thanksgiving). I will pick the names and get the addresses out in PM messages as soon as I can after that.

Once that is done, you can select from that Lter's wishlist or pick something on your own. The former is a safer bet. We do our best to get the gift books to the recipients, by Christmas, so ship accordingly. International shipping can sometimes take up to 3 weeks or more.

Make sure you have Christmas Swap or LibraryThing printed somewhere on the shipping label, so your giftee "knows" and can save it for a Christmas opening. Another suggestion that I saw last year was, if the shipper didn’t allow for personal messages, put “LT” in as part of your giftee’s name.

Please feel free to use this thread to ask questions, make suggestions, or explicitly state that you do NOT want the latest YA Werewolf/Vampire Romantic-comedy series even though everyone says you must read it.

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! Merry Festivus for the rest of us.

I just signed up. Can't believe I am first this year.

I'm in!

Thanks for doing this again, Jeff. Here's your elf hat:

I'm in! (PM to follow)
Thanks for hosting us again this year, Jeff.

One thing I'll mention, because I think it was a thing last year. This is totally on us, the LT overlords don't have any say so.

When it comes to picking and shipping you can talk to me if there are any questions

Maybe this year, pm me the tracking info when you complete your order.

Thanks for setting this up Jeff. I am in.

I'm in!

Happy Friday, Jeff! I think you did a good job hosting the Swap last year and I am looking forward to doing it again this year. You are a natural.

You have my address, right?

I'm in, last year was fun and I love buying books for other people.

If you participated last year, unless you moved, I still have your address.

I'll double check with anyone that I'm missing

I'm in, too!

Oh good, something to look forward to! I'm in! Thanks Jeff! I think you have my address.

I'm in too. Sending the PM soon.

I'm in.

I'm in, too! Thanks, Jeff, for setting it up and spreading some Christmas cheer!

Count me in too. I need to feel I'm doing some positive things.

16 people and counting.

Just going to periodically post to push us up to the top of the recent post lists.

If you're reading this and thinking about it, come on join. Its fun.

:)

Those with active threads might want to post a link here, to encourage others to join in?

By all means, post a link in your own threads. The more the merrier.

I posted in the top 5 threads when I originally started, I was going to pick a few more and post again. I just didn't want to be too obnoxious. :)

We still got time to get some more people on board.

Hurray!! Thanks for doing this again this year. I'll get my info to you and whip my Christmas Wishlist on LT into shape.

If anyone wants to get Kindle ebooks from their Santa, I think all you need is a valid email address. Here's the help article. PM me your email address (if you don't want it published), and I'll pass it along to your Santa.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201964280

My wishlist can be found https://www.librarything.com/catalog/AuntieClio under 75er Christmas Exchange

Pushing the thread back up to the top. Plenty of time to join the fun.

Can you add me to the list ... PM coming

I always miss this thread until it's too late, but I found it in time this year! Please add me to the list.

I'm in. Write it down. :-)

Yay, its getting weird in here.

I got ya buddy.

We're up to 21. Not as many as last year, but we've got a few new people to join and I know there are some from last year that aren't really active on LT this year.

Well Tis the Season, and there is a person among the group epitomizes that and wants to be a Super Secret Santa.

This person PM'd me wanted to find a way to make sure that anyone in the group who didn't feel they could participate due to financial hardships wouldn't be left out. They want to know who you are and want to make your Christmas special.

PM me with your information and I'll pass it along. No one but me and them will know who you are.

Merry Christmas!

I'm in please. PM to follow :)

Though my wishlist is embarrassingly short (due to a desire to limit my new books to something I can't easily get at the library on a whim, I'll participate. How do we publish our wishlist? Do we just prepare a wishlist in our libraries? Or post a list here?

Hi Rachel, glad you decided to join us.

As far as wish lists go, do you have them in a unique collection, or under a specific tag? That's the way I have it (both actually. I have a Wishlist collection and I also use the tag "Want"). If you do that for things to explicitly want, your Santa can see it there, as well as your other collections and see what else you like, in case they have an idea for something good not on your list.

Tho, as with most things around here, whatever works for you is fine and dandy. If you want to put a list here, or in your own thread that's great too.

Well the Super Secret Santa Benefactor has been spoken for.

If there is anyone else who wishes to be an SSS, let me know in a PM. Right now, I don't have anyone else who responded, so we don't need anyone else, but it would be nice to know if someone wanted to.

Thanks to all, and especially our first Super Secret Santa.

For whoever gets my name in the Holiday Book Exchange, I've made a wishlist collection in my catalog specifically for this Christmas. Of course, I'm always open to something different that you think I'd like!

My wishlist is up to date. I like surprises, too. Lori (thornton37814) can help with books I might have read before LT that won't show up in my library.

Most of what I own and have read is in my library. My wishlist is simply called "wishlist." I'm happy with either a surprise or with something from my wishlist. If you surprise me, it's best to do it with fiction since my nonfiction allotment is full for next year. I'll read pretty much anything except romances which I'm pretty picky about.

My wish list collection here is current. I'd also be delighted with something else you think I'd like, if your brain is up to that much calculation this time of year!

My wish list is current as well. And like the rest of us around here, I'm game for just about anything. Except romances, eww yuck, romance cooties. :) Also that comment at the top about that YA Werewolf/Vampire Romantic-comedy series that everyone must read? Everyone but me. :)

Happy Thanksgiving to the US folks. Happy Thursday to everyone else.

My wishlist is called "LT Recommended" (or Maybe.) And I'd suggest not to buy me any fantasy unless it's in that collection because I've probably already read it. My library is not totally up to date.

ETA: You might also want to check with Crazymamie before purchase to avoid duplication.

Hey Morphy's joining us. Yay!

I updated my Wishlist today, so whoever gets my name and buy pretty much anything on that list. If I can get to it later today I will create a separate Christmas list, but if not the regular Wishlist will work.

I don't have a wishlist collection on LibraryThing, but here's my SantaThing page: https://www.librarything.com/santathing_thing.php?id=61, it should have all the info you'd need to buy me something.

Okay, I have my Christmas Swap Wishlist up to date. Many story collections on there. I guess, I can't get enough of those. If my "giver" wants to choose another story collection that would knock me out, I am fine with that too.

I am also fine with gently used.

Although my wish list is cleaned up, I'd love a surprise - my library has a pretty good sense of my eclectic interests. - but please no vampires, horror or "romance" . Used books are great- but not e-books.

Gently used is fine with me, too.

I've got my wishlist cleaned up, too - but every time I click on someone else's wishlist I see more possibilities! Gently used is fine with me. I'd also be happy to get one of the gifter's favorite books, even if it's not in my usual wheel house.

I'm also fine with gently used. My wish list is short and so easy to go through but well intentioned surprises work, too.

Wait, I just realized it's Saturday...I didn't miss the picks, did I...? :(

No coppers, I haven't sent them out yet. Going to do that this morning. Thanks for the reminder. :)

Okay I've sent out all the PMs to the Santas. Let me know if I missed you (geesh I hope I didn't).

Happy picking. Reminder, try to stay around the $25 mark. Look for the free shipping offers at the big box sites, or if you have a book store near you, and can swing it, I'd always recommend SHOP LOCAL (since its Shop Local Saturday around here)

Let me know if you have any questions.

Also, if you can, please ship with a tracking number and send it to me. We had a couple shipping issues last year. Having the tracking in advance would help shortcut things for the Santee, if necessary.

And on that side, when we get closer to Christmas, let me know, either here or PM that you got a package and I'll mark it off the list.

Merry Christmas!

I've got a lengthy list in my Christmas Wishlist.

I forgot to mention that I am fine with used books.

I also forgot to mention that I prefer hardcovers and used books are great! (I buy most of my books used from either Abebooks or Amazon.)

I've expanded my wishlist in the last week so there is plenty of choice.
I also don't mind used books and the only place I'm aware of that does free postage internationally is betterworldbooks.com

Thanks Jeff! Now to make my choices.....

>54 avatiakh: I think the Book Depository also has world-wide free shipping.

>55 Copperskye: Clarification: betterworldbooks ships used books for free worldwide.

I will get my Christmas Wishlist Updated today. Tagged in my books.

I will also get my collection Christmas Wishlist updated today.

My wishlist on LT is up to date. Gently used books are most welcome!

I am quite happy with used (most of my book buying in the last two years has been at library book sales). I will endeavor to create a Christmas Wish List today.

I happy to report that when I got home from work yesterday there was package from Amazon waiting at my door. It was addressed to Benita LTSwap Strnad. I think that means that I got a book from my LT Christmas Swap person. Now I just have to get busy and get my books ordered for my swapee.

I like fiction - mysteries, fantasy, historical fiction, science fiction and more.
Or surprise me with something you think I might like.
Used books are great.

Books to my swap person are on the way!

Just ordered and sent my swapee's books. The package should be there in a day or two.

I received an Amazon box today addressed to Linda LT Koons. Gotta be from my Swapper (swappee?).

Kindle and gently used books welcome here, xmas wishlist collection updated!

I've also ordered for my swapee and been advised they've all been sent.

>56 avatiakh: Of course! Sorry.

My books have been sent as well!

Hey there, if anybody is doing Santathing, post your profile link here.

For the Santas, if your Santee, is doing SantaThing, please post a comment about what you got on their SantaThing entry (not HERE. ;) ). It will be blocked for the giftee, but it will help avoid any duplicates.

>68 mahsdad: Great idea! My SantaThing profile is here:

http://www.librarything.com/santathing_thing.php?id=26

For those who may be unfamiliar with SantaThing, I can confirm that I cannot see any comments/suggestions that have been left on my profile.

Here's my Santa Thing profile.

http://www.librarything.com/santathing_thing.php?id=191

My SantaThing profile is here:
http://www.librarything.com/santathing_thing.php?id=370

Mine: https://www.librarything.com/santathing_thing.php?id=61

Mine: https://www.librarything.com/santathing_thing.php?id=2

Mine: http://www.librarything.com/santathing_thing.php?id=413

ETA: Ah jeez, it doesn't matter. I got my package already. *facepalm*

>74 Morphidae: I think it's as much to notify the SantaThing folks that you already have the other titles on the way, particularly if they are on your wish list.

I received a bookish package from Amazon yesterday but no Swap or LT info on the label?

I was expecting a package from Barnes and Noble so when one arrived over the weekend, I put it away with the Christmas gifts. But another package was waiting when I got home today and so I took a closer look at the first one and, sure enough, my name on the label includes "coppers". Thanks Santa!! Sorry I'm late in letting you know. I'm going to try to wait to open it. :)

Today a package arrived with "LT" on it. Thanks Santa. I won't open it until Christmas morning.

wow everyone has been busy posting things ..... just back from a jaunt away will be ordering mine today

My giftee should get more than one parcel, I think, judging by the fact that I got separate e-mails (all from the same source) regarding the items I ordered.

I have an extensive wish list and I recently tried to cull any that have lost their appeal for me. Gently used is fine, fine, fine.

I got a big box today from Better World Books with LT on it! Under the tree it goes.

Oh - I got a box that was from Amazon (I think) yesterday. I honestly didn't pay much attention to where it was from, but it did say LT Secret Santa (or something similar) beside my name. I forgot I'd remembered seeing the UPS man coming from the direction of my house when I turned onto my street and didn't check until late.

My recipient will be getting two packages as well. I just got notification that one had shipped today.

My swapee will get two packages. One from Amazon and one from an out-of-state used bookstore. I put LT in the name line, but it appears that the Amazon package didn't have it in the name. No clue why.

My swapee should have gotten two packages from Amazon. Delivered in the past day or two, it appears. LT Christmas Swap should've been clearly marked.

I received a package from Discoverbooks, with a LT Swap on the label. I did receive one from Amazon without a Swap designation...hmmmmm.

>85 benitastrnad: Hmmmmmmm...

Oh yeah...My Swap package was mailed today. Should arrive early next week. Just sayin'...

Found a package from Amazon on my doorstep this evening with 75Swap in my name. Guess I know what that is!

Hey everyone, I was gone for a week, but glad to find 3 packages at home when I got back from my "Secret" Santa

My swappee will be receiving two packages - both indendant sellers.

Yay! I received my package from Amazon yesterday.

I have received two packages marked "lycomayflower" on them. They have been squirreled away for the day!

Apparently it was a good day for Swapper's and Swappee's.

I got a UPS My Choice alert that I'm getting a package with "LIBRARY THING 75 SWAP" in the name on Monday!

I got a package from Amazon today!!!

I got two packages marked "LIBRARY THING 75 SWAP" today!

I will probably open them fairly soon since we're not doing much for Christmas this year, and I won't have any other presents.

I got a second package today!!!! I feel rich

So glad that people, including my swappee, have posted that they've received their packages.

I asked for Kindle books so I'm guessing that these might be scheduled at a later date.

My swappee will be receiving two parcels too. One despatched on 8th and one yesterday. Don't worry though they are not coming all the way from Malaysia!!

Just picked up an Amazon package I wasn't expecting, and there's an "LT" in my name. I think it must be my swap package! I will exercise patience and wait until next week to open it. I will, however, open it before Christmas since I'll be flying and I don't want to carry books unless they're ones I'll likely read during the trip.

And a second package arrived this afternoon, also with "LT" in my name. :-)

3 packages arrived here about 10 days ago and I forget to say! I'll do my best to not open them till Christmas but I can give no guarantees :)

Oh boy. A package arrived today with "LT Christmas Swap" clearly marked.
Hmm. It's from Downers Grove, Illinois. How cool is that!?!? :-)

I'll resist the temptation to open early. Christmas day it is.

Wow! Everybody is being so restrained and not opening their packages! Good for us...so far! :)

>104 Copperskye: Yeah, I don't know how long my willpower will last.

...probably until my need for a pick-me-up overrides my need to "be good."

>105 Morphidae: "...probably until my need for a pick-me-up overrides my need to "be good."

I can't think of a better reason! :)

>103 EBT1002: Downers Grove? That IS cool.

Pleased to announce that I received a chunky looking package yesterday.
Like >105 Morphidae: I don't know how long I will be able to look at it without determining what's inside.

I got a package today that says LTE 75 before my name. It's from the bookstore in Texas. much fun. will try not to open it until we open other things Christmas morning

I got another package today to add to the two yesterday!

I cracked – I couldn't stand the waiting and I opened all my packages. I got seven books total!!!! Some were from my wishlist and some were surprises, but they're all right up my alley and I can't wait to dive into them. There was even a Christmas themed book! Whoever my Santa was did a truly excellent job, so thank you!

Here are the books I got:
Saturn's Children by Charles Stross
Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
Hammered by Elizabeth Bear
Impossible Things by Connie Willis
Miracle and Other Christmas Stories by Connie Willis

Hopefully I'm not spoiling the fun for anyone by opening my packages early and posting about them.

Wow. That's a lot of books!

Since I'll be opening my packages before I leave for Christmas, I'm just about to talk myself into opening them now. There's no compelling reason to favor one dy over another...

>112 cbl_tn: Do it! That way I won't feel so guilty about opening mine.

>113 kgodey: OK, you twisted my arm. I'll report back soon...

I can't imagine a better combination of books from my wishlist! I got:
A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley (a lovely New York Review edition)
London Under: The Secret History Beneath the Streets by Peter Ackroyd
When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning (really looking forward to this one!)
Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries edited by Martin Edwards (this one may be going to Mexico with me!)

Thank you, Santa, whoever you are! :-)

>115 cbl_tn: That's a great haul, Carrie. The books to war book was my favorite the year I read it. I just finished Silent Nights and loved it.

>110 kgodey: That's quite a haul, lucky you!

>115 cbl_tn: Nice! I have Silent Nights, too, but haven't read it yet.

Got home to 2 packages - Not sure how long I will last till I crack them open .... maybe next week :)

>115 cbl_tn: I was your secret santa :) I'm glad you are pleased with my picks. I was thrilled when I saw A Traveller in Time on your wish list as it is one of my favourite books of all time, and one I read incessantly as a child and still pick up whenever I am feeling a bit down or stressed, so I hope you love it nearly as much as I do (it would be hard to love it more!).

I had great fun picking, and hope you have a very Merry Christmas surrounded by books :).

>119 lunacat: Seeing this post sort of answers this question, but I've been wondering what IS the protocol for revealing our identities?

>119 lunacat: I am glad that one of your favorites was on my wishlist! I will enjoy A Traveller in Time even more now that I know that. I don't think I'll be getting any books on Christmas day (or Christmas eve, which is when presents are opened in Mexico). I have a few ebooks loaded on my iPad, and I'll take the Christmas mystery anthology and maybe one other print book as well. Gotta have something to read while the iPad charges! My brother and SIL are late sleepers, at least on holiday, so I end up with lots of time to read in the mornings when I'm with them.

Merry Christmas to you as well, and I hope Santa brings you lots of good books!

>120 laytonwoman3rd: I just figured that seeing as Carrie had opened her books, I could reveal? But maybe I've jumped the gun - if so then my apologies!

>111 The_Hibernator: >117 Copperskye: Thanks!

>120 laytonwoman3rd: My secret Santa left me a PM on my profile once I talked about opening my books; I think once your swapee opens their packages, it's fine to reveal yourself in whatever way you prefer. I was very curious about who my Santa was, and my first guess ended up being right!

I'll chime in on the reveal question. We didn't really have a protocol. But I think its fine that once the Santee opens up their bundles of literary joy, the Santa is free to chime in.

Unless of course the Santee hates their books, then by all means keep your mouth shut. :) JK.

>124 mahsdad: Eminently sensible. When we open up the packages we obviously want to know who to say thank you to.

>124 mahsdad: But who would hate their books - we all have such impeccable discerning book taste :)

On That subject I opened my parcel tonight (it is Friday evening & weekend before xmas) .... Thanks to Santa - must be said took a lot of skill to dive into my wish list & select books added in 2012! most impressed with the surprise!

Oh I agree Alex, but maybe there's a hidden Scrooge amongst us. ;)

I put my name and a message on the packing slip. Am I the only one who did this?

One package I can just about keep myself under control with but 2!!!

I have a confessions to make - I folded; couldn't wait for Christmas under the heat of a Malaysian sun and I so rarely get packages that I don't organise for myself, that I couldn't resist and I opened the 2 packages I have received.

VERY VERY PLEASED with what I found there:

Galore by Michael Crummey



&

Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham



Thank you so much Secret Santa! I am thrilled.

>129 PaulCranswick: I'm unfamiliar with the Crummey title, but it sounds interesting! And I'm glad that Kriti and I have another early opener. It's getting less lonely. :-)

>128 Morphidae: I didn't have the option, Morphy. I would have done that if I could.

>126 roundballnz: Ah...glad you were pleased. I admit to being your Santa, Alex. I like to dig deep into the lists, mostly because there are books on mine that have been there for years, and I do wish someone would go back that far on my behalf! I forget what's there, and it does make a bit of a surprise.

>132 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks was a lovely surprise ....

just realised forgot to post what I got:
My Name is Asher Lev
Gillespie & I

Ooh, so many people buckling!! Where is that good old restraint? Grins...

>129 PaulCranswick: I LOVED Galore. Fine pick.

Okay, I now have 3 packages from DiscoverBooks, all clearly marked LT Swap. Rubbing hands with anticipation...

And yes, I will wait until Christmas morning. Shuffles away proudly...

>135 msf59: Always one teachers pet ......

Wheee another parcel arrived

I'm with you Mark. My packages will remain firmly packed until Sunday. Damn is it only a week away?

>136 roundballnz: Yes, Mr. Jeff says I am his favorite...

>129 PaulCranswick: I loved Michael Crummy's Sweetland.

Haven't gotten anything yet, which is probably for the best, since I'd just open it right up.

Ha ha ha ho ho hoo hoo Boo hoo . . . *sniff sniff*

>133 roundballnz: I have to further confess that I chose those two in particular because I have read and loved both of them. AND, you should expect one more.

>136 roundballnz: Oh...I see you have received another. Very good.

>129 PaulCranswick: *raises hand* Ooo! It was me. I was your Santa. So glad you are pleased with them! (And if memory serves, there ought to be one more coming your way!)

>142 lycomayflower: Yipeeee Laura. Thank you so much. Choices are great and I look forward to reading them in the new year. xxx

A second package with LT75 in the address arrived today. I'm hoping to hold out to Sunday to open.

Five days to go......

Not that we're counting or anything.....

I woke up to a pleasant surprise this morning, two emails from Amazon with Kindle Christmas Swap books sent to me from Ellen.

Two great choices. Faithful, a book about the 2004 Boston Red Sox, by Stewart O'Nan, which will be perfect for O'Nan month in the AAC.

The second one will fit perfectly in my World War 2 category challenge. The Rape of Europa by Lynn H. Nicholas, which is about the looting of Europe's art treasures by the Nazis.

Looking forward to reading both of these.

Thanks Ellen!!

I keep meaning to say that I got two packages! Thanks!

I hope my swappee got my books already.....no news.

Rachel, you're welcome! I was frittering away wondering if you'd gotten them. Please PM your email address to me, there's something else for you.

Sorry Stephanie! I kept meaning to say I got them, and I kept forgetting whenever I was on LibraryThing.

>147 lindapanzo: You are so welcome, Linda! ENJOY!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think I mentioned that a package arrived from Downers Grove, Illinois (hmmm, I wonder who my Christmas swapee might be?). I opened the package and peeked inside just enough to see that there are THREE books within! P has promised to wrap them for me and put them under the tree for Christmas morning. Oh boy.

Since I'm going out of town, I opened my Christmas Swap package before I left. My Swap Santa did a great job choosing books from my wish list. I received:

Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries edited by Martin Edwards
Dying in the Wool by Frances Brody
The Cozy Cookbook (which includes recipes from Avery Aames, Daryl Wood Gerber, Ellery Adams, Connie Archer, Leslie Budewitz, Laura Childs, Cleo Coyle, Victoria Hamilton, B. B. Haywood, Julie Hyzy, Jenn McKinlay, and Paige Shelton. It also includes excerpts from the books!

Thank you, Joanne. (The gift notes said Joanne sent them.)

>153 thornton37814: You're very welcome, Lori! I have Silent Nights and it has some good stories in it. I went ahead and added Dying in the Wool to my own list of books to check out, and the cookbook, with both recipes and book excerpts, sounded great! I hope you like them all! Merry Christmas!

Hohoho! Merrrrrry Christmas! My swappee came through perfectly, causing the delivery of books right on Christmas Eve and bringing warm feelings to my core with the perspicacity of his/her selections. To wit: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell and Consider the Lobster and other essays by David Foster Wallace. I have not read either author.

Thanks, whoever who are.

Now, how did I miss this? Wish I had joined you . . . my SantaThing gifts were kind of bummers.

Linda Panzo you are fantastic!!!! Thank you from the bottom of my reading heart.

Linda sent Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami, Flight, My Life in Mission Control by Christopher C. Kraft, and 11/22/63 by Stephen King

Linda, please PM your mailing address so I can send you a proper thank you.

>155 weird_O: Twas me - perfectly planned to arrive on xmas eve :)

^Hooray, for Christmas morning Swap books! Yeah, baby! Nice variety too.

The Gathering Storm- This makes me wonder if my Santa was Paul...hmmmmm?
The Good War- Ditto!
Battleborn: Stories- I have wanted to read this collection forever!
Man Walks into a Room- I loved The History of Love and I have wanted to read this one too.

Bernie- Not sure this should be included but I did receive it, from Amazon, unidentified. It sure looks like a promising GN.

>155 weird_O: Cloud Atlas & Consider the Lobster . Someone has exquisite taste!

Opened my swap gifts this morning, and my Secret Santa was most magnificent: Genesis by Bernard Beckett and The Pendragon Legend by Antal Szerb, both books I've been on the lookout for for yonks and which I am thrilled to have. Thank you!

My secret Santa chose well with "shipwrecked at the edge of the world" and "Sidney Chambers and the perils of the night". I had only recently become aware of the crew it nonfiction through the person I bought so I books for and had added it to my wish list so great timing. Thank you, thank you. And merry Christmas to us all

I opened my package from Book Depository this morning and had ELEVEN books, a whole range. I'll download a picture and post the list later--fantastic choices. Now I just need to know whom to thank!

Eleven?? Wow! Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas, everyone. Especially to my Secret Santa Morphy who gave me

Ninefox Gambit - a book she never heard of
Ready Player One - a book she loves
White Trash - a book she wants to read

Awesome!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Santa Kriti got me 5 books...

An Abundance of Katherine's - John Green
Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri
Period Street Station - China Mieville
The Windup Girl - Paolo Bacigalupi
Among Others - Jo Walton

From Santathing, I got...

Empire Falls - Richard Russo
The Sellout - Paul Beatty

A great success

My Secret Santa did a wonderful job of selecting from my wishlist: The Gap of Time, by Jeannette Winterson (which means I now have or have read all of the Hogarth Shakespeare series published so far); The Siege, by Helen Dunmore (whidh has been on my list for a looong time); and His Bloody Project, which must have been barely settled onto the list before Santa ordered it! Thank you so much, Santa. Now please step forward and make yourself known.

Wow! I received Among the Creationists, which I have been wanting for several years. I also received The Beekeeper's Apprentice a series I've been wanting to try for several years since it is a favorite here on LT! Thank you so much! Wonderful choices!

>162 Helenoel: Helennoel, I was your Santa. Merry Christmas!

>165 drneutron: You are very welcome. I hope you love Ready Player One as much as I did!

My Santa was Catarina, someone I'm not familiar with. Raise your hand!

She got me:

The Round House by Louisa Erdrich
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
Jimmy Bluefeather by Kim Heacox

I'm looking forward to reading them all, especially Jimmy Bluefeather which has been getting a lot of praise here in the 75ers group. Thanks!

> 168 Thanks so much streamsong- this swap was lots of fun. I hope you enjoy the Laurie King series, she is one of my favorites.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Thank you to my Secret Santa for sending me The Round House from my wishlist and a new one to me, The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner. Both look wonderful! Thank you so much Rachel from MN, who I believe is The_Hibernator. Thank you, thank you!

>169 Morphidae: My son gave me A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. I don't know why I haven't read it yet!

>169 Morphidae:
Hi. I'm glad that you liked the book selection and that you enjoy reading them. It was fun selecting them for you. I've been around here for several years but this past year I've not been very active.

>166 mahsdad:
My books actually arrived a few weeks ago and surprisingly I was able to wait until this morning to open the package. Such as nice selection:

Dandelion Wine - Ray Bradbury - a book that I have wanted to read for a long time
And two that are new to me:
The Financial Lives of the Poets - Jess Walter
Grief Is the Thing with Feathers - Max Porter - which had a very good review in this morning's NYT Book Review - It also "had" me when I read that the author lives in South London. I've been working on my family's genealogy for years and my grandmother was born in South London - Norwood/Lambeth to be exact.

thank you, Jeff. And merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and your family.

>160 msf59: Of course I do Mark ..... :D

>171 Copperskye: Yes, that's me. I hope you like them. The Serpent King was one of the better books I read this year. Hopefully you enjoy it as much as I did!

Stephanie gave me

The Hakawati, by Rabih Alameddine; Binti, by Nnedi Okorafor; and Moby Dick, by Herman Melville. Thanks Stephanie! I look forward to reading them! I'll put them right on my "this year" pile, and try to get to them ASAP. :)

>175 The_Hibernator: I love that you sent me a book that you read and loved! Thank you for your thoughtfulness!

I won the jackpot with my 75er Christmas Swap Santa. I received 11 lightly used books, 7 from my wishlist (3 from my xmas gift list, but I'm pretty sure my Santa was working from my main gift list) and 4 surprises!

From my wishlist:
Queen of the Night by Leanne Hall recommended by Kerry
Mortal Fire by Elizabeth Knox also recommended by Kerry
The Kindred of Darkness by Barbara Hambly
The Humans by Matt Haig recommended by Rhian in 2013
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park recommended by Amber
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison recommended by Judy
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueling Winspear recommended by almost everyone!

Surprises!
Caravan by Dorothy Gilman--I love her Clairvoyant Countess books
Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper--a cat book!
Mrs. Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn--along the lines of The Uncommon Reader, Katie read this recently and I first heard of it from David (Tapestry) back in February
The Moorchild by Eloise McGraw--a YA fantasy

And I have read NONE of them and I want to read all of them. Thank you, secret Santa. I feel like you really considered my tastes and carefully selected this wonderful collation--I feel loved!

>177 ronincats: Wow! And I loved Homer's Odyssey!

>175 The_Hibernator: Oh, three of my favorites! The Hakawati and Binti were two of the best I read in 2016.

I love how excited we all are about the books we received for Christmas!!

Mark was my not-so-secret Santa and I received three books that I happily opened on Christmas morning:

From Mark/not-so-secret Santa:
Full Woman, Fleshly Apple, Hot Moon Poems! by Pablo Neruda
The Gap of Time by Jeanette Winterson
The Book of Night Women by Marlon James

Thank you, Mark!!!

I still don't know who my secret Santa was .... my guess is someone who took part in the Among the Creationists group read a few years back. I'd love to know who it was!

>180 EBT1002: Hooray for your "not-so-secret Santa."! (I should have put a false address. Duh!!). Grins...

Glad you are happy with the books, Ellen. I may have to join you with The Book of Night Women.

>159 msf59: I am still waiting to hear the identity of my Secret Santa...

>183 msf59: Me too!

I am quite delighted with the wonderful books selected for me by my Secret Santa!

I confess I opened my package soon after I got it. (Some of you above, who admitted to the same thing, set a bad example!)
I was thrilled to see The Found and the Lost: The Collected Novellas of Ursula Le Guin, all 800 wonderful pages of it - just published in 2016.
I liked it so much, I immediately ordered it for my nephew and my niece.

Then to my surprise, ANOTHER package arrived on Christmas Eve - The Haunting of Hiram by Eva Ibbotson, a favorite author of mine.

Many, many thanks to my Secret Santa, whoever you are! These were on my wishlist and I'm so pleased with them. You were VERY generous. Yours are the only books I got for Christmas even though I had books on my list as I do every year.

Happy New Year!
May you all discover many great and amazing books in 2017!

>185 nrmay: I confess it was I, Nancy. So pleased that they made it in time my dear as I am always worried about the vagaries of ordering from here in Malaysia. xx

>186 PaulCranswick: I though you might have been my Santa, Paul, with those particular selections. My next guess would be- Benita! Will I strike out again?

>187 msf59: :) You are correct sir!

Nancy (nrmay) has revealed herself as my superlative Secret Santa. She really outdid herself, as you saw above. Thank you so much, Nancy.

>188 mahsdad: Whew! She did a great job!

>181 streamsong: I was your Secret Santa, Janet. I chose Among the Creationists simply because it was clear from your thread that it was what you WANTED. Hope the other book was a satisfactory pick.

So now you know. Trust you had a Merry Christmas.

>191 weird_O: Thank you, Bill. Santa Claus himself couldn't have picked better!

>142 lycomayflower: Laura, I am pleased to tell you that #3 arrived safely this afternoon. I love Simon Armitage. Thanks so much. xx

The lovely Lori thornton37814 has sent me a message identifying herself as my Secret Santa. She's been having some internet issues and therefore trouble reading and posting on the threads. I want to publicly thank her for excellent choices, as noted in >167 laytonwoman3rd: above. Thanks, Lori!

Thanks again to Jeff for organising the Swaps again this year. Top man.

My Pleasure.

>194 laytonwoman3rd: The hotel I was in during Christmas supposedly had wireless Internet, but it wouldn't stay connected. Pretty worthless!

I don't think I have publicly thanked my secret Santa here, so thank you again ronincats! I couldn't have gotten better picks!

#190
thank you. I was your Secret Santa. I got you the first of Winston Churchill's histories of WWII because he is a really gifted writer and I think you will like his style. I hope you will read the other four in that series - at some point. I got you a Studs Terkel book because I can't believe that somebody from Chicago hasn't read his groundbreaking oral history work. I had a really hard time deciding between Good War or Working. Both are good. The other books were straight out of your wishlist.

I also got you thee Bernie book because I liked Bernie and I figured he needed the royalty money so that he can pay down his campaign debt. (Actually, I finally broke down and got an Amazon Prime membership and wanted to try it out. I put the word Librarything on line two of the address, but apparently it didn't print out.)

Sorry I have been late to post but have been in Kansas without internet access.

Thanks to my Secret Santa. I got three wonderful books from him or her. There was a slip inside the Amazon box that told me who it was, but it got thrown out with the wrapping paper. Yes, I did wrap it and put it under the tree with the other Christmas presents.

Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes
Why Homer Matters by Adam Nicolson
Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson

It is a great Christmas when I get books.

>199 benitastrnad: Thank you so much, Benita! That was a fine bunch of Swap books and I am glad the "Bernie" was from you as well. I hope to read that soon. I also have Bernie's latest HB, Our Revolution waiting nearby. I think I have the audio too!

>200 benitastrnad: I was your Santa! It wasn't easy to shop from your wishlist because there were so many good choices there! I went with the D.E. Stevenson since she's one of the 2017 BAC authors. I finally got around to reading The Seven Daughters of Eve earlier this year and it made my top 20 for the year. Why Homer Matters is one of my favorite ER wins.

I'm still waiting for my parcel to arrive but my Santa has just been in touch through a PM so I know it was sent well before Christmas and is probably caught up in the NZ Post Christmas mail backlog.

I've also been in touch with lunacat who I bought books for, she received all 4 before Christmas and is very happy.

#201
I thought you would like Bernie. However, the real reason you got Bernie was that I ordered the other books from the website Alibris. Plus, I got all of the books from the same used book store so that cut down on shipping charges. That enabled me to get the Churchill and the Terkel books, which I am surprised you haven't read.

Terkel's Working and Good War are my go-to gift books. Everybody finds something interesting in them.

Well late for Christmas but my swap books arrived today and I'm very happy. My santa had made contact, thanks helenoel for a great selection from my wishlist. Helen went to betterworldbooks for my books so I was always confident that they'd arrive.

The mote in God's eye by Larry Niven - scifi first contact novel
The sound of the sundial by Hana Andronikova - a Czech novel, sad that the author died after writing a couple of books
The bone season by Samantha Shannon - dystopian novel
The Ten Thousand Things by John Spurling - historical novel set during the Yuan Dynasty
The husband's secret by Liane Moriarty - Australian writer

I'll also note here that I was @luncat's santa and as she's already noted on her 2017 thread she received from me:
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
The Long Ships by Frans Bengtsson
The war that saved my life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
The dervish house by Ian McDonald

>205 avatiakh: I am glad they finally got to you and bring the good wishes of whatever the current season is.