2015 Ornament Swap - all done

[ladybastilla]

1. What colours do you prefer:

Ornaments can be pretty much any color.

My favorite colors normally are sky blue, bright pink, bright purple, and emerald or forest green. My favorite holiday color combinations are red and gold, green and gold, dark blue and silver or deep purple and silver. I love anything that is sparkly or glittery. I love cheetah and leopard print.

2. Do you want or are you opposed to Religious ornaments (please be specific as there are lots of different religions that celebrate holidays this season)?:

My family celebrates Christmas, but our tree is more whimsical and fun than it is religious. I wouldn't be opposed or offended by a more religious ornament, but I'm not necessarily hunting for them, either.

3. What Themes do you like (santa, snow flakes, carousels, funny, etc)?

Here are some ornament theme ideas:

Classic Christmas themes: Snowflakes, Reindeer or Carousel Horses, Bells, Angels, Holly or Mistletoe, Santa or Elves.

Classic Christmas Characters: Rudolph, Clarice, Frosty the Snowman, The Grinch, any of the Peanuts characters (my favorite is Lucy). I've loved "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", "Frosty the Snowman", "The Grinch", and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" since childhood and at 33 I still watch those every year along with "A Christmas Carol" and "Home Alone".

Toys of My Childhood: Barbie, Super Mario (Favorite characters: Mario, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi), Pokemon (favorite characters: Pikachu, Eevee, Shaymin, Bulbasaur, Mankey), Disney Princesses (Ariel, Belle, Aurora, Jasmine), Lady & The Tramp (My brothers and I use to bring our stuffed animals downstairs to help us open our presents--these were mine and I still have them. ) Ninja Turtles

Toys I Love Now: My Little Pony (g1, g3, g4--Favorite ponies include Princess Serena, Minty, and Rarity), Inside Out (Favorite character: Disgust, followed closely by Sadness and Anger), Disney Princesses (Rapunzel, Ana, Elsa), Monster High (Favorite character: Ghoulia)

Movies, TV, Books: Harry Potter (FC: Hermione, Professor Snape), Game of Thrones (FC: Tyrion, Daenerys), Sailor Moon (FC: Jupiter and Mercury), HeMan, She-Ra, Jem, Thundercats, Farscape, Batman (Favorite characters: Poison Ivy, Batman, Harley Quinn), Once Upon A Time (FC: Rumplestiltskin and Belle).

Animals: Dogs (especially Corgi, Schnauzer, Shih Tzu and Pug), Cats (especially orange owns, gray ones, brown ones or Siamese), Pigs, Owls, Penguins, Wolves, Dolphins and Butterflies.

4. What candy do you like or dislike?

Chocolate Likes: Milk chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate with peanut butter or hazelnut filling, chocolate with peanuts or almonds (one of the few things where I also like dark chocolate), chocolate with cookie or wafer, chocolate with caramel. (Favorites include: Hershey's Cookies 'n Cream, Peanut Butter Cups / Reese Pieces (!), Kinder Bueno, Twix, Coffee Crisp, KitKat, Caramilk, Wonderbar).

Candy Likes: Laffy Taffy, Airheads (just discovered these!), Starburst, Jellybeans, Skittles (Original or Darkside), RealFruit Gummies, Fuzzy Peaches, Juicy Squirts / Gushers, Jolly Ranchers.

Dislikes: Anything with coconut, black licorice, Nerds, Whoppers, Really sticky / chewy stuff, anything super spicy / hot or super sour.

5. Would you prefer one expensive amazing ornament, or lots of little cheaper ones, something in between?

I would prefer either one really good ornament or a couple nice, unique one. My ornament(s) will be going on my family's tree here at our house, so we already have lots of the more traditional ornaments. I thought it would be fun to do this swap to get something new to add a bit of variety. I love exchanging things with people since that tends to give them a story and / or memory. That seems appropriate for Christmas ornaments.

6. Are you happy to get glass ornaments (they break easily)?

Sure. We are long past the days of small children running through the living room and we even have a gate keeping our dogs out now so that should be safe.

7. What do you collect?  Would you like these collections reflected in either the ornaments or the extras in your swap box.

-- I am addicted to Washi tape

-- I collect g1, g3 and g4 MLP

-- I've started collecting Disney stuff, mostly for the princesses I listed in the themes section. I also like Lady and the Tramp, Robin Hood and The Rescuers. These can be plush, stickers, Infinity figures, pins, a notebook or pencil case... pretty much the sky's the limit really.

-- I love all of the emotions from Inside Out

-- I love anything Sailor Moon

-- I love unique mugs

-- I love coloring books that relate to any of my other interests

-- I love stickers

8. Are there any customs issues that are relevant (for example, Australia can be funny about things like straw)?

Not that I know of.

Additional Q&A:

Favorite Licensed Characters?

Disney:

Disney Princesses: Ariel, Belle (absolute favorite), Jasmine, Aurora, Rapunzel, Anna, Elsa (Close Second).

My absolute favorite Disney film is Beauty and the Beast and I love all the different characters.

I like Robin Hood, The Rescuers and Lady and the Tramp.

I love all the emotions from Inside Out. My absolute favorite is Disgust, followed closely be Sadness and Anger.

I'm also a major Star Wars geek. My favorites include Han Solo, Princess Leia, Darth Vader and Darth Maul.

MLP:

G1: Princess Serena G2: Copper Glow G3: Twilight Twinkle G4: Rarity

Anime: (ideas for handmade goods, extras, or stickers?)
- Sailor Moon (favorite characters: Jupiter and Mercury) Pokemon (eeveelutions, pikachu, Shaymin, Balbasaur, Mankey).

Favorite Animals?

-- Dogs, Cats, Owls, Pigs, Penguins, Wolves, Dolphins, Butterflies

Handmade Items?

Absolutely! I think it's wonderful when someone takes the time to make something for me.

Do you have Pets?

I have a Shih Tzu x Schnauzer x Pug mix named Maggie and a Shih Tzu x Bichon Frise mix named Coco. They can't receive treats right now because Coco is allergic to a lot of stuff and Maggie just had puppies.

Allergies?

None.

Extras?

I love candy, tea, hot chocolate, washi tape, stickers, pens, cute post-it notes, pencil cases / make up bags (I use them to keep track of small craft supplies), lip gloss, keychains (I use these to decorate my purse and sorta collect them / cycle through them throughout the year), coloring books and mugs.

Anything for family members?

My mom helps me mail all my packages. She loves Jellybeans, Saltwater Taffy, Fruit Gummies, and milk chocolate.

How do you celebrate the Holiday Season? (May help with ideas!)

Spoiler

For my family, "Christmas" starts on the evening of the 24th. We make home made pizza for dinner and play board games. As the evening progresses we open crackers, cream cheese, kabossa (possibly butchered the spelling on that), diced veggies and bottles of Baby Duck and Spoumonti wine. I often stay up late Christmas eve listening to Martina McBride's "White Christmas" and wrapping the last of the Christmas presents.

The following morning we wake up and immediately get to open our stockings. They tend to contain candy, bath products and other small things. (Nowdays my brothers tend to get Mickeys of alcohol and I get toys from whatever I'm currently collecting--as children the tradition was a coloring book, crayons and Christmas M&Ms because my brothers and I would wake up at 4 a.m., "sneak" downstairs, and try to guess the presents. By giving us candy and coloring books, we were entertained and my parents could sleep until 6 or 7. )

From there we have Christmas Breakfast, which is generally hosted by my grandparents (Dad's side). That includes scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, hashbrowns, home made rolls, juice, tea, coffee... Many people love Christmas dinner, but breakfast has been my favorite since childhood because of this. After breakfast we sing carols and then open presents.

Once the presents are open everyone does their own thing checking out their new goodies. There is generally a new movie (s) and / or games going on, treats to be enjoyed and everyone having fun. The Christmas day festivities officially "wrap" up with Christmas dinner, which is prepared by my mom. That involves Turkey, Roast Beef, Dressing (I think you guys call it stuffing?), Whipped potatoes, Turkey and Beef gravy, peas, corn, carrots, tossed garden salad, and cranberry sauce. Desert usually involves cookies, pastries, apple, pumpkin, blueberry and mince pies, and sometimes a cake. Oh! And Vanilla ice cream to go with whatever main desert is chosen.

The day after Christmas is "Boxing Day" here in Canada. It's kinda like Black Friday except it comes after Christmas. My family goes shopping that day since nowdays a lot of what gets given out is money or gift cards. This usually involves going to a few stores and having lunch at the mall. I've spent the past few Boxing Days hunting for Skylanders, but this year I'll be checking out MLP stuff, hitting Halmark and looking for Disney Infinity figures.

A week later we have New Years Eve which is fairly similar to Christmas Eve and then on New Years Day Mom tends to cook Lasagna. I love this time of year!

Do you love any candy or treats from other countries? Are there any that are more widely available but that you have trouble finding in your area?

I can't get Laffy Taffy in my area and I have to go hunting in the city to find Airheads. I've also started having trouble finding Darkside Skittles.

Here is a link that shows a bunch of treats we can get in Canada that are harder to get in the US: http://ibackpackcanada.com/ultimate-canadian-candy-list/

Would you enjoy receiving tea, coffee or hot chocolate in your box? What kind(s) do you like?

I adore tea, especially fruit teas (blueberry, pomegranate, peach, etc.), white tea (which often has fruit when I buy it) and Chai. The only tea I don't really like that I've tried is camomile. My grandma use to love it but its not for me.

I also really love hot chocolate: plain, with marshmellows, or in more unique varieties. My favorite is hot chocolate with mint. For some reason that just works.

Would you like to receive cookies? If so, what types do you like? (You can list brands, flavors, whatever helps.)

I ask because I think they compliment hot drinks well. I love cookies with chocolate, peanut butter, white chocolate, covered in chocolate, with cream in the center... (Are you getting a pattern here? ) I'm especially fond of Milanos (they're called Minacos up here, it turns out.) So far I've had the double chocolate ones.

Have you seen Hallmark Itty Bittys? Would you like one in your box? (What are Itty Bittys?: http://explore.hallmark.com/itty-bittys/ )

I love Yoda with the Santa hat and Christmas Chewbacca. I'm also collecting the Inside Out ones. So far I have Disgust.

Have you seen Hallmark Cubeez? Would you like one in your box? (What are Cubeez?: http://shop.hallmark.com/gifts/home-decor/cubeez/

I find these really cute and they are great for holding tea, candy or washi tape. I'm particularly in love with the Rudolph and Gingerbread Man ones that are out for Christmas.

Has anyone seen these Itty Bitty ornaments? Would you want one? (What are these?: http://shop.hallmark.com/all-itty-bittys/?prefn1=ittyBittys&prefv1=Ornaments

I like Ariel, Elsa, R2D2 and Batman. Those must've just been posted. So cute!

Do you prefer the outside of your box decorated or plain?

My boxes tend to wind up at the post office, so they can be sent either way without any risk of being stolen.

What ornaments do you already have?

Most of my family's ornaments are things we've had for decades. Lots of shiny colored balls, traditional Christmas stuff, bows, handmade crafts my brothers and I did as children, etc. I thought it would be fun to add a few more themed ornaments now that we are older. If my ornaments try to take over my mom's tree down the road I'll get a mini tree for my room, but for now all the ornaments are going to play nice and she thought the swap sounded fun, too.

What countries do you like treats from?

I'm from a tiny little town that doesn't have shops that cater to international treats (that I know of) so I really don't have a lot of experience with this. I received Tim Tams from Saja in the Little Swap and those were lovely. I also got some lovely UK Cadbury treats from Icecreamgirl over the summer and of those I believe my favorite was Wispa. I'm totally game to try new things I haven't had before where candy and chocolate are involved. Getting new to me goodies is something I look forward to in swaps.

Who are your favorite ponies? (This could be helpful for crafty ornament makers, people who decide to handmake their greeting card, etc.)

G1: Princess Serena / Cherry Sweet (yes, Serena has competition. ) G2: Copper Glow, G3: Twilight Twinkle, G4: Rarity Honorable Mentions: G1: Gusty, Pretty Beat G2: Princess Silver Swirl, G3: Desert Blossom, Secret Wish, G4: Fluttershy, Dewdrop Dazzle.

What is your favorite ornament that you possess?

We have a set of really neat Santa ornaments that include Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves. They remind me a lot of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer We also have beautiful gold and silver bells that are topped with dark red or green velvety ribbons and holly berries. My mom's tree is fairly traditional and I love it--I'm kinda getting my tree for my own stuff since adding modern stuff to hers seems kinda strange.

Is there a pet(s) you would like to have an ornament made of?

Okay, I found a cute image of Coco and D'Argo in case anyone wants to use it: (Coco's the white one and D'Argo's the black one).

Spoiler

visitors can't see pics , please register or login

Do you have any collection links we should see?

None that are relative to this swap. This will be my first time deliberately buying or receiving ornaments.

Question: Is your tree a full sized tree or a mini tree?

We have both. The larger full sized tree is going to be downstairs in the living room. It will contain my mom's traditional ornaments, home made stuff, etc. I'm also having a mini tree in my room for the first time this year. (Very excited!) That's going to have a blend of traditional beads, balls and bows contrasted with the ornaments I receive or buy for it. Both trees are (or likely will be in the case of my mini tree, since I haven't bought it yet) classic green.

Regarding hand-made items: how would you feel about receiving a gift or two that was purchased on Etsy?

I shop on Etsy now and then so that probably wouldn't bother me. There are some amazingly talented people out there who can make things which are just as lovely as what can be bought at a store. I have confidence that whoever my partner is, they're going to send me a lovely box. If they think something looks great and that I'll like it, odds are good that will be true.

What's your favorite Christmas movie? Would you like it incorporated in some way?

I'll just repeat what I have under my holiday themes list. I love animated Christmas features, and yes, I'd be thrilled to get something related to one of my childhood favorites.

Classic Christmas Characters: Rudolph, Clarice, Frosty the Snowman, The Grinch, any of the Peanuts characters (my favorite is Lucy). I've loved "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", "Frosty the Snowman", "The Grinch", and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" since childhood and at 33 I still watch those every year along with "A Christmas Carol" and "Home Alone".

Would you want an advent calander even if it got to you after the time for advent had begun?

As for whether I'd want one if it got here after the beginning? Sure, why not? Just means I can enjoy the days that have passed with a cup of tea (guessing they're chocolate. )

i got something, but the more i look at the auction pictures the more i think... oh crud this might be a knock off. do you still want it? or should i try to return it?

As long as the ornaments look nice, I'm pretty happy. I'm generally pretty willing to trust my partners instincts--do what you feel is best.

also how do you feel about figures etc turned into ornaments?

This would be totally fine with me. I got lovely Aladdin figures from Mkia9 during our Halloween swap and have contemplated finding a way to hang Aladdin, Jasmine and Genie on my mini tree.

There are always lovely holiday themed mugs around this time of year. Would you like something like that?

Definitely for me. I love holiday mugs. I use smaller ones for cocoa and bigger ones for tea, so you can't go wrong.

Partner, are there any ornaments you've had your eye on that I could get you? Or like "I've always wanted a ______ ornament, but never got one"?

If I've got a partner who is buying retail I would adore a Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, Elsa or g4 Rarity (the pony that got me into MLP last February) ornament. An actual ornament from Rudolph or The Grinch would be equally fabulous. If my partner is one of the of the more crafty swappers, I'd love an ornament of one of my mlp favorites that I can't get retail, especially "my" ponies, Princess Serena or Cherry Sweet, or Minty (who is now "the Christmas pony" to me since I've watched "A Very Minty Christmas" ) . An ornament of my little guys, D'Argo and Coco, would be appreciated from anyone, too. I hope I've given lots of ideas and choices.

Are you interested in any Disney ornaments?

Sure! I'd love an ornament from Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Frozen (esp. Elsa), Aladdin, Tangled, Sleeping Beauty or Lady and the Tramp.

Do you like Disney items / ornaments?

Absolutely.

Would you like an MLP holiday mug?

That would be delightful and would probably compliment the mini tree.

Would you enjoy ornaments made from figures?

Sure, I think that's a great idea. As long as things look nice and can be hung up easily I see no reason to skip getting creative in what goes on the tree.

What scents do you like?  Anything to avoid?

Scents I like: chocolate, coconut (I know, makes no sense!), Mango, Strawberry, Peppermint, cinnamon.

Scents I don't like: Anything really musky or heavily floral.

Lush have an amazing range of Christmas shower and bath products.  Are you interested in this kind of thing?

I mainly shower, so I love gels for in the shower and lotions for when I get out. There were a few that looked interesting when I gave the site a good luck, but most of the holiday specific stuff seemed aimed at people who take full bathes. I'd certainly love to try something from them, though.

What kind of ornaments/materials/themes do you dislike (i.e. what should your partner avoid)?

The only thing I would prefer that no one send me is tinsel since my mom says it can harm our dogs. Apparently one of our previous dogs, a Corgi named Cuddles, ate it and had to be taken to the vet.

Let's say, I wanted to include something MLP-related as an extra ... could you list a handful of accessories or (inexpensive) ponies that you wouldn't mind receiving?

A g1 brush or comb would be neat to sit with my various g1 ponies. I've started collecting the g3 jewel symbol ponies. So far I have Periwinkle, Crystal Lace, Gem Blossom and Twilight Twinkle. I'm not sure how pricey they are (I found three of the four at Value Village and the fourth was a gift) but they're an idea. I also love pony stationary, stickers and coloring books.

Dear secret partner, do you like traditional German glass ornaments like the ones pictured below? (If any of the sample ornaments appeal to you particularly you're welcome to tell me! )

Those are lovely! I really like the snowman, the rocking horse and the hummingbird (? Guessing on the species of the bird, but the colors are gorgeous!).

[Ledbyrd]

1. What colours do you prefer:

My tree is white with blue lights. We have lots of multi coloured ornaments. I especially love all shades of purple, bright pink, turquoise and lime green.

2. Do you want or are you opposed to Religious ornaments (please be specific as there are lots of different religions that celebrate holidays this season)?:

I am not opposed to religious ornaments as I am Christian but most of the ornaments on my tree are fun and non-traditional.

3. What Themes do you like (santa, snow flakes, carousels, funny, etc)?

I love ornaments that glitter, sparkle and shine the most. When it comes to shapes I adore hearts and stars.

4. What candy do you like or dislike?

I love chocolate. Milk, white, dark...with nuts, caramel, peanut butter or mint...I love it all! I also like gummy candies such as gummy bears, cola bottles and sours. Jelly Belly's are yummy too! I dislike chocolate with fruit flavours and creamy fillings.

5. Would you prefer one expensive amazing ornament, or lots of little cheaper ones, something in between?

I would prefer one or two really nice ornaments.

6. Are you happy to get glass ornaments (they break easily)?

I have no problem with glass ornaments. I have a lot of them for my tree.

7. What do you collect?  Would you like these collections reflected in either the ornaments or the extras in your swap box.

I collect MLP (G1 & G4), Peanuts, Hello Kitty, Carebears, Sailor Moon and Rainbow Brite. I would love these to be reflected in both ornaments and extras. I try to buy a few new G4 style MLP ornaments every year.

In terms of items I collect, I love stickers, pens, colouring books, stationary sets, journals, mugs, fun jewellery, key chains, and small plushes.

8. Are there any customs issues that are relevant (for example, Australia can be funny about things like straw)?

Not that I can think of.


Favorite Licensed Characters?
Any G1 and G4 ponies, any Carebears, Rainbow Brite, Hello Kitty, Lucy from Peanuts, Tinkerbelle, Ariel

Favorite Animals?
Cats and Unicorns. Do unicorns count?

Handmade Items?
Love them!

Do you have Pets?
I have a cat named Sweetie Belle

Allergies?
Nope

Extras?
I love all things that sparkle! Stickers, stationary, craft supplies, fun jewelry, fridge magnets, fun socks. Anything like that would be great!

Anything for family members?
It's not necessary but I'm sure that my four year old daughter would love something.

How do you celebrate the Holiday Season?
Christmas tree, family, turkey, presents

Do you love any candy or treats from other countries? Are there any that are more widely available but that you have trouble finding in your area?
From the USA I love See's candy and dark chocolate m&m's. I would love to try chocolate treats from other countries too!

Would you enjoy receiving tea, coffee or hot chocolate in your box? What kind(s) do you like?
Sure. I love dark roast coffees and black teas. I don't drink that much hot chocolate.

Would you like to receive cookies? If so, what types do you like? (You can list brands, flavors, whatever helps.)
Cookies are ok. I'm not sure of any particular brand. I do love Pocky though. The classic chocolate dipped kind.

Have you seen Hallmark Itty Bittys? Would you like one in your box? (What are Itty Bittys?: http://explore.hallmark.com/itty-bittys/ )
Yes, they are so cute! I have Rainbow Brite and the purple Sprite. I would love one of the other Rainbow Brite characters.

Have you seen Hallmark Cubeez? Would you like one in your box? (What are Cubeez?: http://shop.hallmark.com/gifts/home-decor/cubeez/
Cubees are super fun! I would love the Darth Vader one (for hubby) or the Peanuts Lucy and Charlie Brown ones.

Has anyone seen these Itty Bitty ornaments? Would you want one? (What are these?: http://shop.hallmark.com/all-itty-bittys/?prefn1=ittyBittys&prefv1=Ornaments
Those are adorable! I love the Frozen characters, Darth Vader and the Ariel is cute too!

Do you prefer the outside of your box decorated or plain?
I will leave that up to my partner

Are there any ornaments that you are likely to already have?
I have some of the older G4 MLP ornaments but I am purposely planning to not buy any of the newer ones this year. I also have the Halmark vintage MLP Cotton Candy and Rainbow Brite ornaments already.

Who are your favorite ponies?
G4 Rainbow Dash and G1 Nightlight

What countries do you like treats from?
I haven't tried a lot of treats from other countries but I would love too. I especially love chocolate.

Is there a pet(s) you would like to have an ornament made of?
if you would like an ornament based off of one of your pets or family members could you post a picture and their name please? Please clear as possible pictures that are easier to see. No pet ornaments for me thanks

How do you feel about Halloween candy? I like it

Is your tree a full sized tree or a mini tree? full size

Regarding hand-made items: how would you feel about receiving a gift or two that was purchased on Etsy? I would love it. I adore handmade things.

Would you like to link to any social media so we can get a better idea what you are like/pics of pets, etc (you of course do not have to do this if you feel uncomfortable doing so). No thanks.

Whats your favorite Christmas movie? Would you like it if this was incorporated into your swap box? My favorite Christmas movie is Just Friends. It probably wouldn't work as a swap box theme

i got something, but the more i look at the auction pictures the more i think... oh crud this might be a knock off. do you still want it? or should i try to return it? As long as the ornament looks nice I will be happy with it!

also how do you feel about figures etc turned into ornaments?
trying to get a good variety of stuff, but some of the ornaments i'm finding aren't as cute as the figures i can turn into an ornament. but if you wouldn't be happy with them. i obviously won't get them. I think they would be fantastic!

Holiday Mugs? I love fun mugs but would probably rather have one with a character or theme that I like on it so that I can use it all year round

Partner, are there any ornaments you've had your eye on that I could get you? Or like "I've always wanted a ______ ornament, but never got one"?
Hmmm...this is a tough question. I usually buy the ornaments that I want. I can think of anything. Maybe some of the G4 ornaments that haven't been released in Canada. I might have to think on this one some more...

Partner, are any of the Disney store ornaments of interest to you this year?Any of the Elsa from Frozen or ornaments would be lovely

[Mkia]

1. What colours do you prefer:
My favorite color is orange, especially with pink, red or yellow. But for Christmas, I like traditional red and white or blue and white.

2. Do you want or are you opposed to Religious ornaments (please be specific as there are lots of different religions that celebrate holidays this season)?:
I'd prefer no religious items, thank you.

3. What Themes do you like (santa, snow flakes, carousels, funny, etc)?
I'm usually more partial to the shows, movies, books, etc themed ornaments.
My favorites are DISNEY!, Harry Potter, Doctor Who and Once Upon a Time.
Favorite disney characters are: kittens from Aristocats, Pocahontas, meeko, flit, Percy, Chip and mrs Potts, Mickey and Minnie, Ursula, and elsa.
I'm a labor and delivery nurse, so any cute or witty ornament related to that would be cute.
I love zebras, chihuahuas, pugs, and other small cute furry animals.

4. What candy do you like or dislike?
Dark chocolate is always a win! Especially with mint or caramel or wafer cookie. Love Andes mints. Lindt bars, Hershey bars, etc.
Love cookies i can have with cocoa or coffee. Favorites include Tim tams, milanos, and pirouette.
To add to my likes:
I like hot cocoa! I have it almost nightly in the winter. I love mint flavored or I'll put a candy cane in it to make it minty . Love it with marshmallows too.
I also like coffee! .

Dislikes:
Not a fan of fruity chocolate mixes. Not a fan of crunch bar. Black licorice is a no. I'm actually less of a fan of candy bars, and more a fan of chocolate with maybe nuts in it or mint chocolate.

5. Would you prefer one expensive amazing ornament, or lots of little cheaper ones, something in between?
I'm happy with either .

6. Are you happy to get glass ornaments (they break easily)?
Typically I stray away from glass because we have cats and dogs.

7. What do you collect?  Would you like these collections reflected in either the ornaments or the extras in your swap box.
I collect Aristocats and Pocahontas merch as well as disney merch in general. I'd love to have my ornament(s) or extras reflect these! I do have the Duchess and Omalley ornament released by disney already. But I still need the marie one from this year. As far as extras go, I collect all things from these movies. Literally anything.
I'd also be happy to receive an ornament or extra from any of my favorite characters or shows listed above.

8. Are there any customs issues that are relevant (for example, Australia can be funny about things like straw)?
Not that I'm aware of.


Questions from the group under the Spoiler:

Spoiler

Favorite Licensed Characters?
Disney
Aristocats- marie, Toulouse, Berlioz, omalley
Pocahontas- Flit, meeko and Percy. Pocahontas and nakoma.
Beauty and the Beast- Chip and mrs Potts
Mickey and Minnie
Chip and Dale

Doctor who-
Favorites are David tennant and Matt smith. I also love the TARDIS and daleks.

Harry Potter-
Harry, Ron and hermione of course. Also love dumbledore, snape, and hagrid

Big Bang theory-
Leonard and Sheldon (even named a dog after Sheldon)

Once upon a time-
Emma, hook, Henry, rumple and Regina are my favs.

Favorite Animals? 
I love all animals! Favorites are zebras, dogs, and cats. Love chihuahuas and pugs. Any small furry creature is welcome also!

Handmade Items?
Sure!! I just ask that it not be edible to animals lol. By that I mean none of the applesauce and cinnamon ornaments.

Do you have Pets? 
Yes! Many! I have five dogs, three cats, five guinea pigs, six rats, and a fish.

Allergies? 
Nope!

Extras? 
I'm so in love with extras. I don't know why, but sometimes I'm more excited about extra shopping than regular shopping!
I love pens, stickers, collection related knick knacks, chocolate, cookies, coffee, hot cocoa, cute little disney things, small plush, etc.
I just ask no lotion or bath products please.

Anything for family members?
Totally up to you if you want to include something for my fiancé or not. Either is fine.
She likes doctor who, Chip and Dale, lion king, pugs, peanut m&ms, rainbow sour belts.

How do you celebrate the Holiday Season? 
There's quite a few things we do each holiday season. There's a fair called Glendale Glitters here that we go to at least once a year. We also go to the Phoenix Zoo for Zoolights.
Usually we pick a night around or on Christmas and all stay the night at my brother in laws house. In the morning "Santa" has come and we all open gifts and make breakfast.
All of our gifts are addressed from cartoon characters, movie stars, christmas characters, etc. So a gift may say: "To Hailey" from "The Doctor" or something like that. It's just a fun tradition and makes it more about giving anonymously rather than who got what for whom.

Do you love any candy or treats from other countries? Are there any that are more widely available but that you have trouble finding in your area?
I love to try new things, so I'm up to that. But as for ones I actually know I like: TIM TAMS! Lol these are the best. I love kinder eggs, but those are illegal here lol.

Would you enjoy receiving tea, coffee or hot chocolate in your box? What kind(s) do you like?
I love hot cocoa and coffee! Particularly hot cocoa in the wintertime. I'll have it almost nightly. I love hot coca with mint, sometimes I'll just pop a candy cane in it . I do like coffee too, but I don't have a grinder so it'll have to be ground.

Would you like to receive cookies? If so, what types do you like? (You can list brands, flavors, whatever helps.) 
Love cookies!! Especially with my hot cocoa. Favorites are tim tams, Milano, pirouette, etc. I also love wafer cookies. Not a huge fan of oatmeal or any fruit in my cookies.

Have you seen Hallmark Itty Bittys? Would you like one in your box?
These are so cute! I have mickey and Minnie.  I'd be happy to receive any of the disney ones. (Not Star Wars or Oz though).

Have you seen Hallmark Cubeez? Would you like one in your box?
I have seen them. Depends on the character for me. I have Ursula so far . Ariel could be fun to go with her.

Has anyone seen these Itty Bitty ornaments? Would you want one?
Super cute!! I'd like mickey, Minnie, Anna, elsa, ariel, or Olaf.

Do you prefer the outside of your box decorated or plain? 
I don't have a preference per say, but my cats usually get the box to play with. So non-decorated is totally fine lol.

Are there any ornaments that you are likely to already have? 
This is a tough question... I have lots of ornaments lol.
I have a glass TARDIS and dalek ornaments. We have the glass rarity from last year. I have the old hallmark pocahontas ornaments (except for this one which I'd love: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/36732553183814018/).
I have this years Duchess and OMalley ornament from disney store, but I DO NOT have the pocahontas or marie ones from this year so those are fair game.

Is there a pet(s) you would like to have an ornament made of?
Sure!! I would love an ornament/extra made of my pet! Or even something made in the likeness of one of my pets.

If you would like an ornament based off of one of your pets or family members could you post a picture and their name please? Please clear as possible pictures that are easier to see.
I would definitely love something made of my kitty, Muffin. She's my little love.
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I would also be happy to receive something of any of my doggies. The top pic here shows Carsyn and Sheldon (who unfortunately passed away in 2013). The bottom left is Carly and Blayne, our girl doggies. Blayne is the tan one and Carly the brindle. And the bottom right is Brody...he's our oldest pup!
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And this pic shows "my" babies. All our animals are my loves, but these four are my special ones <3
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How do you feel about Halloween candy?
I mean, candy is candy, but I think I would prefer christmas themed stuff for this swap.

Is your tree a full sized tree or a mini tree?
We have both! We used the mini tree last year, but I'm not sure which we will use this year. They are both white

Regarding hand-made items: how would you feel about receiving a gift or two that was purchased on Etsy?
Sure, as long as it's well made.

Would you like to link to any social media so we can get a better idea what you are like/pics of pets, etc (you of course do not have to do this if you feel uncomfortable doing so).
My instagram is private, so that would be useless lol. I supplied pics above, but if you need a better/different one, you can ask xeevee!

Whats your favorite Christmas movie? Would you like it if this was incorporated into your swap box?

My all time favorite Christmas movie is "The Year Without a Santa Claus". It's so nostalgic for me. I would LOVE an ornament with characters from this movie. Especially the Heat Miser and Snow Miser.

Other favorites include The Grinch, The Santa Clause, and Elf


There are always lovely holiday themed mugs around this time of year. Would you like something like that?

Oh I have such an obsession with mugs!! I usually host the mug swap every year (skipped it this year ). I would love a mug . I'd prefer it to have something to do with my collections, but I would also love a neat christmas-y or winter-y one. I prefer bigger mugs

Partner, are there any ornaments you've had your eye on that I could get you? Or like "I've always wanted a ______ ornament, but never got one"?

Well I've never had a Harry Potter ornament, but would love one! Other than that, not really! I'd love any ornament from my likes above.


Partner, are any of the Disney store ornaments of interest to you this year?
I do like the pocahontas one. And love marie one. I've already bought the Duchess and Omalley one though!

[ringwraith10]

I just sent in the form. I've always thought about doing this swap but never did it before, so yay!

[xeevee]

Looks like we're shaping up for another good swap.  11 people so far.  Yay!

[ringwraith10]

Yay, I'm in!

1. What colours do you prefer: Any color is good for my tree! But my favorite colors are green, blue, purple, black, and gray.

2. Do you want or are you opposed to Religious ornaments (please be specific as there are lots of different religions that celebrate holidays this season)?: I am not opposed to religious ornaments, but they're not prominent on my tree and they are not usually my preference. I was raised Lutheran but currently most closely identify as Buddhist.

3. What Themes do you like (santa, snow flakes, carousels, funny, etc)? I have a lot of "collections" on my tree. Of course I have a lot of pony ornaments (usually given to me as gifts). I also like animal ornaments, especially dogs (primarily poodles). I also have a large Nutcracker/general ballet themed collection. And there's a Rocking Horse collection in my ornaments that was actually started by my mom before I was born, but I would always love more rocking horses! Of course, I also like Disney ornaments. But really, I like all kinds of eclectic things!

4. What candy do you like or dislike? I like chocolate. I'm not a big fan of many other types of candy, and I am allergic to artificial food coloring. Favorite chocolates include Cadbury, Reece's PB Cups, Lindt Truffles, Hershey's Milk Chocolate or Cookies n' Cream, and many others. Mint and caramel are good, too!

5. Would you prefer one expensive amazing ornament, or lots of little cheaper ones, something in between? I'm really fine with either, or whatever my partner wants to give. I would even be fine with all handmade ornaments.

6. Are you happy to get glass ornaments (they break easily)? I have a few glass ornaments, but I would prefer not to get any more, since I do have a cat. So far she's never broken an ornament, but you never know what may happen in the future...

7. What do you collect?  Would you like these collections reflected in either the ornaments or the extras in your swap box? My collections can influence the ornaments or extras. I collect lots of things. Ponies, of course -- all gens. Also Monster High, Disney (favorites are animal-related animated movies like TLK, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, etc.), Pokemon, various video games and merch (Animal Crossing, Final Fantasy and other J-RPGs, Vocaloid [not really video games, but yeah], playstation games, lots of other stuff!), dog and horse figurines, books, LPS, Funko Pops (though I only own 2), Puppy in my Pocket, Playmobil, pony "friends" like Darlin' Dinos and other 80s toys... yeah. And lots of other things that I probably can't remember right now.

8. Are there any customs issues that are relevant (for example, Australia can be funny about things like straw)? I live in the USA, so as far as I know there isn't anything specific. I know fruit can't be mailed... but that's basic mail rules.

And I'll answer any other questions as they come up! Oh, also, I have three pets: Merry, a female poodle, Pippin, a male Pomeranian/Yorkie mix, and Theodora, a tortie cat.

Additional Questions:

Favorite Licensed Characters?
Oh wow, what a long list! Let's see...

MLP: Gusty, Gingerbread, SS Fifi, Nightmare Moon, Luna, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Wysteria (these are so not in order)
Disney: Scar, Nala, Flower, Bambi, Maleficent, Belle, Gaston, Ursula, Ariel -- seems like there's a theme here.
Monster High: Venus, Operetta, Ghoulia, Lagoona, Abbey, Jane Boolittle
Pokemon: Team Rocket, Team Aqua, Team Flare, Vulpix, Shiny Furfrou, Lapras, Eeveelutions, any dog Pokemon, Persian, Furrett
Tokidoki everything! Also Harajuku Lovers/Gwen Stefani stuff (No Doubt is my favorite band)
Anime: Hatsune Miku (and all the other Vocaloids), Hellsing characters, Black Cat Manga characters, and... man, this list would just be too long if I listed everything.
Video Games: Zelda/Sheik, Amataratsu, Kuja and Freya from FFIX, Fran and Balthier from FFXII, Zoe from SSX, and many more.
I also like Batman stuff, and my favorite Batman character is The Riddler.


Favorite Animals?
Literally all animals except cockroaches and mosquitoes. And anything closely related to them. But I love all other animals. Favorites I guess tend to fall in the canine family (or is that genus?). Poodles most specifically.

Handmade Items?
Absolutely! Handmade items can be so much more creative than mass-manufactured items.

Do you have Pets?
Yep, as I said before -- two dogs and a cat.

Allergies?
About a million medical allergies that shouldn't matter here... Oh, please don't send me flowers or purfume! And I am allergic to artificial food coloring. Also, I'm a vegetarian, so don't send anything with animal byproducts (besides milk and occasional eggs), please and thanks!

Extras?
Stationery, office/school supplies type things, chocolate and x-mas candy, anything related to my collections and interests...

Anything for family members?
My only family members are my pets. If you want to send dog or cat toys they would like that.

How do you celebrate the Holiday Season? (May help with ideas!)
Christmas music and lots of hot chocolate. For Christmas Eve Day and the day of, I go to my mom's house and we celebrate a traditional Swedish-American X-Mas. Traditionally my mom tries to force us all to go to church and we may or may not go, but either way lots of fighting always ensues. Yay holidays! Oh, and Santa still comes to our house and fills our stockings. All the pets have stockings, too, of course.

Do you love any candy or treats from other countries? Are there any that are more widely available but that you have trouble finding in your area? I love European chocolate -- especially Cadbury! Also, they don't sell vanilla coke in my area and it's my favorite thing ever (though I don't think coke can be sent through the mail, unfortunately).

Would you enjoy receiving tea, coffee or hot chocolate in your box? What kind(s) do you like? Yes! Hot chocolate would be awesome! There's this Betty Crocker hot chocolate that is extra tasty, and a few years ago I had some Nestle caramel flavored hot chocolate that I haven't been able to find since then. FYI, though, please nothing with marshmallows since that's not vegetarian. As for tea, I like green tea and various types of mint tea. I don't drink black teas -- just green and herbal. I'm willing to try new things, too, but I can't drink chamomile (yet another allergy...).

Would you like to receive cookies? If so, what types do you like? Yes! I love cookies, and these questions are making me so hungry! I'll eat home-made cookies. I love Christmas sugar cookies! Also chocolate chip, chocolate anything, Snicker Doodles, and pretty much anything else! I'm a cookie monster.

Have you seen Hallmark Itty Bittys? Would you like one in your box? I hadn't heard of them before, but yes, those seem really cool! They would be perfect for my tiny tree that I sometimes put up (though I need to find it!)

Have you seen Hallmark Cubeez? Would you like one in your box? Never heard of those, either. Loving the Ursula and Greedo ones. I'm cool with anything Disney, of course.

Do you prefer the outside of your box decorated or plain? Hmm. I have seen some really great decorated boxes that I was super jealous of for other swaps, but for practicality's sake, it might be better not to decorate the box. My bike was stolen right off my own porch, so I'm afraid the thieving children in my neighborhood might steal a pretty box, too. :/

Are there any ornaments that you are likely to already have? Probably not. I have some of the older G3 MLP ornaments, but I didn't collect all of them and I haven't gotten any new pony ornaments since G4 started (for no reason other than that my family has been slacking on getting me pony ornaments as gifts!). I don't even have last year's Hallmark Cotton Candy ornament! Which I really wanted (and still want)!

Who are your favorite ponies? G1: Gusty, Fizzy, Gingerbread, Tales Ponies, Rockin' Beats, Ballerina Ponies, Big Top and Toppy, Tappy, and many others. G3: Wysteria, Denim Blue, Breezie, Piccolo G4: Blossomforth, Nightmare Moon, Luna, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Mane-iac

What countries do you like treats from? Well, all countries, really! Anything from another country is really cool for me. I especially like Swiss and UK chocolate, though.

Is there a pet(s) you would like to have an ornament made of? Yes, I have three pets: Pippin, a pom/yorkie mix, Merry, a black mini poodle, and Theodora, a tortie cat. There are pictures all over my Instagram (linked in my sig) but I'll also find some good pictures and post them here. If you find ornaments for sale that look somewhat like my pets that would be cool, too!

How do you feel about Halloween candy? I'm cool with any kind of candy, but I would prefer that for this x-mas swap the candy not be themed for another holiday. But I know that there's a lot of generic candy (like plain Reece's Cups, etc.) that is sold around this time. No cheap candy for me though, please! I won't eat it and it'll be a waste of money (by cheap I mean store brand or icky cheap chocolate, etc.)

Is your tree a full sized tree or a mini tree? I have both! I am not sure where my mini tree is, but I hope to find it before Christmas. It's probably in a box with my AG dolls, since it's a "doll-sized" tree (I moved recently so I'm still trying to find things).

Regarding hand-made items: how would you feel about receiving a gift or two that was purchased on Etsy? That would be great! I love all kinds of well-crafted handmade things.

Would you like to link to any social media so we can get a better idea what you are like/pics of pets, etc? There are lots of pictures on my Instagram, which is linked in my signature. You can also see my Goodreads to see what books I like if you want...

What's your favorite Christmas movie? Would you like it if this was incorporated into your swap box?
My favorite Christmas movies are mostly muppet movies! Muppet Family Christmas (which, if my partner can find a DVD copy of this I would love them forever! It's so hard to get a copy! I wouldn't care if it were a different region coding or anything.), Muppet Christmas Carol, and Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. I also like Claymation Christmas and a bunch of old classics like that (my family still watches our old tapes where we had recorded dozens of Christmas specials).

i got something, but the more i look at the auction pictures the more i think... oh crud this might be a knock off. do you still want it? or should i try to return it? Hmm, I guess I would leave that up to your discretion. You should probably wait until you actually get it to try to figure out if it's a knock off or not.

also how do you feel about figures etc turned into ornaments? This really depends. I've seen people take valuable ponies and drill loops into them, and that made me really cringe. But if you're customizing a cheap figure, that might be okay. But if it's just a figure that isn't meant to be an ornament and it's not being customized at all, I guess it wouldn't be that special of an ornament for me... I know this is a long and convoluted answer. Sorry!

Mugs? I have a lot of mugs, but I wouldn't mind more.

Partner, are there any ornaments you've had your eye on that I could get you? Or like "I've always wanted a ______ ornament, but never got one"? Well, I never got that G1 Cotton Candy Hallmark ornament from last year, and I've had it in my Amazon.com cart forever (it's currently $11). I was going to buy it this year, but then I got into this swap and I don't want to buy any ornaments that my partner might happen to buy for me.

Partner, are any of the Disney store ornaments of interest to you this year? I don't usually follow what is released every year... I don't have many recent Disney ornaments, so I'm sure I won't have whatever they are currently selling.

What scents do you like?  Anything to avoid? I like wax tarts to melt in my wax melter-thingy... I like vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, cookie-scents, etc. I do NOT like floral scents and am very allergic to evergreen types of scents.

Lush have an amazing range of Christmas shower and bath products.  Are you interested in this kind of thing? Totally, yes! I love bubble baths. Just make sure that whatever you get me doesn't have artificial red or yellow dye in it (i.e. red #40, etc.).

What kind of ornaments/materials/themes do you dislike (i.e. what should your partner avoid)? Um... well, I'm not a fan of Olaf from Frozen. I generally like the movie, but I think Olaf is seriously overrated. Also, I hate minions! At least, I hate minions of the yellow variety. If you follow what I do like, though, you should be fine.

Let's say, I wanted to include something MLP-related as an extra ... could you list a handful of accessories or (inexpensive) ponies that you wouldn't mind receiving? I think my wishlist (linked in my sig) is up-to-date, so you can check that out.

Do you prefer ornaments with hooks or ribbons to attach them to trees? Either is fine!

Do you like traditional German glass ornaments like the ones pictured below? I am fine with that sort of ornament. Like I said, glass ornaments might break, since I have a cat, but so far she hasn't actually broken anything... YET...

Also, my Instagram is linked in my sig, so check there for pictures of all of my interests, pets, collections, etc. And my wishlist, also in my sig, has an overview of all the stuff I collect.

[aintnobuffalo]

So excited for the holiday swaps starting! I have to head off to bed, but I plan on filling out my forum after work!

[Princess Lala]

Princess Lala's Q&A

1. What colours do you prefer:
Our tree theme (was) silver, white, and blues. My favorite ornaments are those irridescent ones! Ya know, the ones that shine rainbows in different colors of light! However all our Disney, MLP, and cartoon characters have turned it into a rainbow tree so color isn't too big of an issue! My favorite color is actually lite Pink!

2. Do you want or are you opposed to Religious ornaments (please be specific as there are lots of different religions that celebrate holidays this season)?:
Please no religious items, athiest household! We celebrate the season with the Winter Solstice, similar to Juul, but in a non- religious way. We actually have this weird mix of both non-religious Scandinavian + Japanese traditions in our home when we celebrate the holidays because my husband and I are born into a northern European families but at the same time we are both otaku anime loving dorks with a bff living with us that is actually from an island close to Japan! xD

3. What Themes do you like (santa, snow flakes, carousels, funny, etc)?
Disney characters are my favorite, literally anything Disney!  I would say Disney and MLP makes up most of our tree LOL! I like anything relating to stars, moons,  and animals such as:  Foxes, Ferrets, Reindeer, Racoons, Fairies, Squirrels, Birds, Butterlies, and even Fish! I love anything from Scandinavian or Oriental cultures! Of course love snowflakes! Mcdonald toys of my favorite things make lovely ornaments too! Also love cute things like rubber ducks, candy ornaments, and cupcakes! Im pretty easy to please! (--3-)
 
Oh yes! I forgot to mention my spouse and I are renewing our vows in a few years at WDW so anything bridal so any fairytale wedding related anything, especially handmades, would be some nice additions to throw in!

4. What candy do you like or dislike? Cookies?
Any kind of sour fruity candy! When it comes to chocolate I love ghirardelli peppermint bark, hot chocolate, coffee, any kind of seasonal tea, caramels, lindt lindor truffles, Freia brand chocolates, ANYTHING Meiji, Ferraro hazelnut truffles, salted licorice, Reese's Trees, and Snickers nutcrackers!

For cookies I love me some Anna's ginger thins! Im huge on pocky, waffers and japanese panda cookies too! Ooo Tim Tams are also awesome! I sadly cannot eat most cookies because of my egg allergy but I still try some things like Keebler and not have a negative reaction to them!

5. Would you prefer one expensive amazing ornament, or lots of little cheaper ones, something in between?
I will leave this up to my partner! I'm happy either way!

6. Are you happy to get glass ornaments (they break easily)?
Yes! I just adore the craftsmanship of  glasswork!

7. What do you collect?  Would you like these collections reflected in either the ornaments or the extras in your swap box.
Disney stuff! ANY Tsum Tsums, dolls, Stickers, ornaments, omg really anything Disney! I also collect weird stuff like Iwako erasers and foreign candy wrappers! I obviously collect ponies but I'm caught up collecting! I am happy with bootleg Tsum Tsums from China ha-ha we are obsessed with them here! Also stickers, we love stickers in the house LOL!

8. Are there any customs issues that are relevant (for example, Australia can be funny about things like straw)?
Yes! Here in the United States we cannot have non-food items inside foods- perfect example is a Kinder Egg! But Lollipops are fine because the stick has a function. America is weird.

Additional Q&A:

Favorite Licensed Characters?

Disney:
-Elsa -Anna -Nemo -W.I.T.C.H. -Ariel -Rapunzel -Sofia -Mickey and Minnie -Stitch -Jack Skellington -Disney World or Disney Parks -Emotions Inside Out
-Arlo the Dinosaur
*in order but I love anything Disney! ANYTHING!

MLP:
-Princess Cadance -Fluttershy -Twilight Sparkle -Pinkie Pie

Sanrio:
Mostly HK but ANY!

Anime: (ideas for handmade goods, extras, or stickers?)
- Sailor Moon -Himouto Umaru -Pokemon (eeveelutions, pikachu, milotic, dragonair, dratini, dragonite, charizard, kingdra)  -Digimon (Gatomon and Renamon) - Hatsune Miku  -Legend of Zelda (big nerd) -Madoka -Ichigo Mew Mew  -Cardcaptor Sakura

Favorite Animals?
-foxes -ferrets - seahorses -snakes -orcas -marine animals -racoons -sharks -Dinosaurs! -hedgehogs -dragons -alligators -dragonflies -unicorns (in order!)

Handmade Items?
Yes! Feel free to get crafty, handmade items are always so thoughtful!

Do you have Pets?
Yes! I have a solid white ferret named Miku, a bearded dragon Zoe kenyan sand boa Nirobi, leopard gecko Kiyomi, and a tank of no name marine hermit crabs.  ***I would actually love a white ferret/mink/weasle ornament for Miku if it exists! I say this because she is new to the family and doesn't have an ornament for the tree! *can add pictures if needed

Allergies?
I'm allergic to consuming egg whites but traces of egg are safe! It's the whites in particular.

Extras?
Can't go wrong with candy! I also like pens and small cute things. Hot chocolate of any kind or peppermint sticks are great too! Ooooo also tea or k cups I will enjoy! Don't overspend on extras!  :-P

Anything for family members?
Will leave this up to my partner but its not expected! Our roomie might like dried mango or Asian candy, and my hubby loves Reese's Trees and G4 Pinkie Pie!

Hallmark Itty Bittys or Cubees?
Oh yes! I love the Bambii, Ariel, Nemo, and Dory ones most! I only own one so far which is Snow White. Those Nemo tins are cute!

Favorite Countries?
Tops are: Japan, Sweden, and Norway! I also like Germany, Canada, and China! Aaaah so many cool countries! Hands-down I love Japan the most because of anime, awesome food, and amazing folk stories about animal gods. Sweden and Norway will always have a very special place in my heart because my family is from there. I also have strong German roots but I grew up with mostly Scandinavian traditions and I just looove how beautiful Norway is! Sort of relevant, but I love Florida! I spent a good chunk of my life there so I fancy alligators and sea life lol!

*BTW I will never turn down foreign candy from across the globe! I'm always willing to try new confections- even if it has a little egg white in it. I actually collect foreign candy wrappers! I've got em framed ha-ha! You don't have to get me foreign or fancy candy though, I'm fine with Reese's Trees or a classic Snickers bar!

How do you celebrate the Holiday Season? (May help with ideas!)

Spoiler

Well, like I mentioned in my house we have a mix of traditions between Norge and Japanese cultures! Its weird but its not home to me without it.When it gets cold we make hot chocolate and eat frozen Kvikk Lunsj candy with the hot drink- its like kit kat but better! We decorate with white stars and snowflakes-especially our windows! We also put our couch in the bedroom and put out what is called a "Kotatsu" which is this table with a heater and a blanket in it we all cozy under as we watch tv. On the night of the Winter Solstice we have a big sleepover party late at night and spend the night looking at Trees and lights on peoples houses. Its popular to go downtown this time of year too and look at lights! Later we all get chili from Wendys and go home to exchange a few gifts with friends and light our Tree and this friendship candle. We also drink this special non-alcholic pear, apple, and lingonberry fizzy drink I had since I was little. The candle we light that one night, but we keep the tree lit until its spring or gets warm outside. It's called a "Tree of Light" my family calls it to light your way through the dark vinter. On actual Christmas Eve, we have another party with friends hosted by our Asian buddy and eat fried chicken, drink wine, and a sponge cake with strawberries! In Japan they also associate Christmas as a family and nature holiday rather than a religious thing so Im happy to blend his traditions with mine in the home! Later we also exchange gifts in the morning to follow as well as candy goodie bags and stockings for guests. We always as tradition eat my recipe for pancake pops rolled with light powder sugar dipped in hot lingonberry sauce. The best part of the holidays isbwhen we get our first snow or even ice storm of the year! It happens later in Texas as opposed to where I lived in MN, but its still magical in its own way! I also wanted to add I just love all my friends and animals who make up for my family as I have none in Texas. I'm the first one here in my bloodline!  I just love being close to the ones who care because they are family too! I love to spoil them with goodies and they look forward to my food every year! Our little holiday sleepovers are the best!

***will add pictures of Ornament collection later***

[Einhornbaby]

Additional Q&A :


Favorite Licensed Characters?

MLP : G1 Fizzy, G1 Sugar Apple, G1 Sugar Sweet, G3 Minty, G4 Twilight Sparkle and Rarity

anything else : Pikachu, Doctor Who (11th Doctor), Piglet, Zero from Nightmare before Christmas, The Last Unicorn / Amalthea, Share Bear and Wish Bear (vintage Care Bears only), Pegasus from Disneys Hercules, Donald Duck

Favorite Animals?
Eagle Owls, Cats, Horses, Squirrels

Handmade Items?
ok to me

Do you have Pets?
Yes! I have 5 cats (4 european shorthairs and 1 british shorthair mix).

Allergies?
As stated above, no relevant allergies

Extras?
No candy please! Im diabetic and Im not allowed to eat it so please dont tempt me Ill be suuuuper happy with the following things : anything Pokemon or MLP, tiny plushies, stickers, pens, tiny accessories that fit to MLP size-wise, socks and anything funny

Anything for family members?
Will leave this up to my partner but its not expected of course!! In case you are looking for something : my daughter (will be 12 in november) loves any kind of erasers and pencils and my husband loves Pokemon (Lucario especially), chocolate with nougat and foreign stamps (hes a stamp collector) <3

Knockoffs?
Hm... if its really obvious and does not look good I wont be happy with it (ie: a green Pikachu with badly drawn face expression...and so on). If it looks good then Id say alright Trusting my partners judgement here!

Figures turned into ornaments?
Id prefer regular ornaments / figurines produces to be an ornament but It depends... if its a light figure it might work and will look nice... but nothing too heavy please or it will tear the branch down and that wont look good

Holiday Mugs?
Absolutely, yeeeees

[nessy_86]

1. What colours do you prefer:
Pink & Blue are my favorites, but honestly any color/combination is fine! My tree has no theme and has all kinds of different ornaments on it.

2. Do you want or are you opposed to Religious ornaments (please be specific as there are lots of different religions that celebrate holidays this season)?:
 I'm not overly opposed to Religious ornaments-- I was raised Lutheran, but religious themes are not necessarily the center of my holiday celebration.

3. What Themes do you like (santa, snow flakes, carousels, funny, etc)? 
Reindeer, snowmen, santa, snowflakes... I'm pretty open to anything. Like I said before, everything and anything goes on my tree! I do like the "cutsey" ornaments but I'm a little hesitant on ornaments like shoes and things like that. I guess I like more traditional type ornaments. 

4. What candy do you like or dislike?
I'm in love with Milky Way simply caramel. The only thing I don't really like is licorice, Swedish fish, dark chocolate, candy with fruit in it, and salted caramel flavor. I love gummy worms/bears and sweet/sour things. Between my husband and I we eat anything.

5. Would you prefer one expensive amazing ornament, or lots of little cheaper ones, something in between?
I'm open to anything, but opening a few packages would be fun! Anything that there is thought behind I would appreciate greatly!

6. Are you happy to get glass ornaments (they break easily)?
I have tons of glass ornaments (a bunch from the 50's/60's) so glass ornaments are welcome at my house-- they may not necessarily end up on my tree (3 curious cats). I do have other places to put ornaments though!

7. What do you collect?  Would you like these collections reflected in either the ornaments or the extras in your swap box.
Ponies (of course), Care Bears, Strawberry shortcake, Rainbow Brite, fairytale birds, keypers, Polly Pockets, and all other kinds of stuff. Extras don't need to reflect this though, but I certainly wouldn't be opposed to getting anything related to the above mentioned.

8. Are there any customs issues that are relevant (for example, Australia can be funny about things like straw)?
Not that I know of.

Favorite Licensed Characters?
See above for likes

Favorite Animals?
Dogs, cats, ratties

Handmade Items?
Sure... I'm not too crafty myself

Do you have Pets?
1 dog, cats, and fishies

Allergies?
I'm highly sensitive to anything with a strong smell... florals, woodsy smells, anything like that. I would prefer no lotions or scented candles.

Extras?
Extras are always welcome. I listed pretty much all of my collections above.

Anything for family members?
Nothing is expected. But my husband collects Mater from cars and likes dark chocolate if my partner is so inclined to include him

Do you love any candy or treats from other countries? Are there any that are more widely available but that you have trouble finding in your area?
Sure. I would be interested in trying out something new.

Would you enjoy receiving tea, coffee or hot chocolate in your box? What kind(s) do you like?
Nope. I don't drink tea, coffee, and rarely ever drink hot chocolate.

Would you like to receive cookies? If so, what types do you like? (You can list brands, flavors, whatever helps.)
Sure. I'm not too picky in this department either.

Have you seen Hallmark Itty Bittys? Would you like one in your box?
Not really-- unless they fit in with my collections above. I'm not looking to start anymore collections.

Have you seen Hallmark Cubeez? Would you like one in your box?
Nope.

Has anyone seen these Itty Bitty ornaments? Would you want one?
Nope.

Do you prefer the outside of your box decorated or plain?
Plain is better as I don't want to draw attention to a gift sitting on my porch.

Are there any ornaments that you are likely to already have?
Any pony ornaments available in the United States I most likely own.

How about listing some of our favorite countries!?
Norway, Italy, UK, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, France, and probably a whole bunch more that I'm just not thinking of.

Who are your favorite ponies?
G1: Star Dancer is my army pony, any teeny tinys, any boys, or baby boys.
G4: Fluttershy
the other two gens I have none really.

Favorite ornament?
Not sure really. I have quite a few that have sentimental value (first house ornament and things like that) but I don't think I have a favorite one.

Is there a pet(s) you would like to have an ornament made of?
I'll pass on this. Too many pets

Do you have a link to share of a site where you have pictures of your collections, tree, pets, or anything else you want us to see (something like Instagram or Flickr)?
Not really. I have facebook with all of my ponies but that's pretty much it. I have shared pictures of my pets before on here. And I can share pics of my tree if needed. My ornaments have no rhyme or reason- they are just whatever my husband and I like. All of my ornaments from previous ornament swaps are always on the tree so I think of the person who sent them to me as I'm putting them up 

How do you feel about Halloween candy?
If it has anything with peanut butter in it I would prefer fresh. Peanut butter cups tend to go stale fast.

Is your tree a full sized tree or a mini tree?
I have two full size trees

Regarding hand-made items: how would you feel about receiving a gift or two that was purchased on Etsy?
If the items match my tastes I'm just fine with that

Would you like to link to any social media so we can get a better idea what you are like/pics of pets, etc (you of course do not have to do this if you feel uncomfortable doing so).
My profile is set to private on facebook so you would need my friend to see any pictures there.

Whats your favorite Christmas movie? Would you like it if this was incorporated into your swap box?
I have too many. I love Rudolph, Frosty, the year without a Santa Clause, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, and pretty much all the rest like that. All of these tend to fall into my ornament likes too so that would be fine if they were incorporated into my box somehow. Another one of my favorites is Mickey's Mouses Christmas Carol

Any ornaments out right now you want or plan to buy?
I haven't really looked at any but I tend to not by myself any ornaments except the few pony ornaments/care bears I have seen this year.

So I guess... lets say you live in America, and knowing that currently kinder surprises contain ponies, would you like your partner to risk sending them to you?  Or just no don't do that?
I would be fine with just the pony

The other thing I'm thinking about at the moment is Germany is huge on Advent Calendars.  Like they're everywhere.  There are just the kind you open and there is a picture behind, there are chocolate ones, toy ones, I've even seen ones with cosmetics.  I kind of want to include one in the box, but there is no chance its going to arrive in time to start at the beginning of advent.  Should I bother doing it anyway?  What do you guys think?
I would be fine receiving one late. I think I sent my partner one year before last.

i got something, but the more i look at the auction pictures the more i think... oh crud this might be a knock off. do you still want it? or should i try to return it?
I would probably still want it.

also how do you feel about figures etc turned into ornaments?
I guess it would depend on what the figure is. As long as it isn't anything super rare then I think I would be ok with it.

Holiday Mugs
No thanks. I don't really have any use for them.

Partner, are there any ornaments you've had your eye on that I could get you? Or like "I've always wanted a ______ ornament, but never got one"?
Not that I can think of off the top of my head. There are some vintage care bear ones I don't have.

Partner, are any of the Disney store ornaments of interest to you this year?
Beast in the bathtub is pretty cute.

What scents do you like?  Anything to avoid?
Nothing floraly or woodsy. I think sweet smells-- cookies, cheesecakes and fruity-- lemon, strawberry.

Lush have an amazing range of Christmas shower and bath products.  Are you interested in this kind of thing?  Here's a link so you can have a look:  https://www.lush.co.uk/products/christmas
No thanks.

What kind of ornaments/materials/themes do you dislike (i.e. what should your partner avoid)?
I'm not sure if there is really anything I dislike.

Let's say, I wanted to include something MLP-related as an extra ... could you list a handful of accessories or (inexpensive) ponies that you wouldn't mind receiving?
G1 accessories are always awesome. Anything you would like to include would be most welcome. I collect accessories and ponywear.

[ringwraith10]

Okay, I answered all of Lala's new questions. I was going to ask some of those, actually, so that worked out!

[icecreamgirl]

I have answered new questions on page 1!

I'm really hoping my partner likes Disney as my trip to Disneyland Paris is perfectly timed for this swap and they had some gorgeous christmas ornaments when I was there in the summer ~ I couldn't resist bringing a couple back! Here they are:

visitors can't see pics , please register or login

[ladybastilla]

Icecreamgirl, those are adorable. I love how they blend traditional colors and themes with Disney, turning the two separate things into one complete and beautiful whole.

[NovelNerd]

Sent my form in. I love this swap!

[xeevee]

IMPORTANT POST!  PLEASE READ!

I've just spent a little while editing the original post. Everyone who has applied so far should be listed as a member.  You may want to check that you're there in case I've made a mistake.

If you look at the list of names you will notice that some of the names are also hyperlinks.  Those links lead you to the post where that member has answered the initial set of questions.  If you haven't already, please post your answers.  There are also already some questions that have been asked by others.  PLEASE KEEP YOUR ANSWERS TO ALL THE QUESTIONS WITH THE OTHER ANSWERS.  You're welcome to answer them separately as they come up as well.  This will help bump the thread up and allow your partner to see the answers as soon as you've posted them.  But, it's important to also have all your answers together.  That way your partner can go to the first page click on your name and see all the information in one go. 

As I've already said you guys are super keen, and have already asked some questions.  They are now all at the bottom of the original post.  If I've missed a question be sure to let me know. 

I think that's it.

Also... I have already bought stuff even though I don't know who my partner is.  I may be a little excited.