Some Awesome Minecraft

Here it is! For the 3rd year, our official Secret Santa & Christmas Stockings event! 😀

~~Secret Santa~~
We have such a fun & amazing community here that our Secret Santa events are always a hit. Leaving someone presents is basically a daily thing on our servers, but the randomized drawing of Secret Santa makes it so you may get to know a completely different player when leaving a Secret Santa gift.

We have some changes, so even if you’ve done this before, please READ all the way through! 😉

WHAT is Secret Santa?

A Gift exchange, but more! You submit your name into a pool of others, when submissions are closed, you’ll be given a random name. That person will be whom you are giving a gift to!

If you submit your name, you’re not only committing to giving someone else a gift, but you should receive one as well!

HOW do we get started?

Inside the trunk of the giant Christmas Tree in the holiday area, is where you start the submission process. From ~now~ until Monday, Dec. 7^th, you will be able to join the Secret Santa event by grabbing a book* (provided via button), sign it with your name (Step 1), and drop it into the chest (Step 2).

You are welcome to submit names on behalf of other players (family/friends) if they cannot get on & do it for themselves (put their name as the book title). However please keep in mind: 1. You should have their permission first. 2. If they cannot get online to give their gift, you will be the one responsible for the gift.
*Fine print: Please ONLY grab these books for this purpose & for nothing else. Thanks!

What’s next?

At this point, some people already start planning for the gift they’re going to give or build. Others wait until they know who will be receiving their gift so they can customize it to that player’s needs or likes.

Beginning Monday, Dec. 7^th: the Admin team will work on randomly assigning Santas to recipients. This way we can make sure everyone has someone & that you don’t get your own name! 😉 We will let you know the name of the player you’ve been assigned sometime on Dec. 7^th or 8^th. This will be the person you are giving a gift to.
~The Fine Print!~ When you submit your name/signup, you are agreeing to provide a gift for someone else. If you are too busy to get online to submit your own name and have someone do it for you, please only have your name submitted if you will be available to give a gift later. 😉 We try to avoid such sadness as missed giving opportunities.

Finally: GIFT! 😀

Go forth & GIFT! Now is your time to customize something special for your recipient. YOU choose how you will reveal the gift! You can give it early, or you can wait until just before Christmas. We do ask that all gifts be given (delivered, built, etc) by Dec. 24^th at the latest.

Tips:

• Join the Event! 😀 We will have opportunities for people to list their needs/likes so that a Secret Santa might get to know a little more about the player they are giving to.
• Make sure your name & IGN are listed on the group’s IGN doc (click here) so it’s easier to match gift suggestions to players in-game.
• If you are building a gift for your recipient, pick an area that won’t be in their way. For purely decorative builds, maybe around the edges of their land would be best (i.e.: don’t place a fountain in the middle of/blocking their tree farm). If they need a new farm or animal pens, then a place they can get to them easily would probably be great.
• If you are wanting to leave a chest of goodies for your Secret Santa recipient, we will have options available where you can leave gifts *under the Christmas tree*. Of course you’re welcome to build them a decorative present at their place with the chest of goodies hidden inside. 😀

Gift Ideas (a few things that have been done before):

• Pixel art of something the receiver likes (pick a fandom, any fandom!)
• Completing or helping with a large build they’re in need of
• Chest of goodies: favorite blocks, colors, supplies needed, specially named items for decor, hard-to-get items

We look forward to another great holiday season of fun gift-giving here in our Awesome Community!

~~The Stockings Were Hung…~~

All the good little Steves & Alexes are hoping to get something special in their stockings this season! While you’re at the Holiday area, hang your stocking by the fireplace & you’ll get a gift from the Admins after Christmas! ^_^

There are buttons for red or green stockings, choose your color and rename your stocking* with your IGN on one of the anvils. Using the item frames provided, hang it on the brick wall around the fireplace. Only stockings hung before Christmas morning will be eligible for gifts.
*Fine print: Only ONE stocking per player. Please only use/take 1 item frame.

After Christmas morning, the admins will collect the stockings & you will be able to make ONE Christmas wish. It can be any one item (not a stack), or enchantment that you wish (from creative inventory, not an item that needs to be summoned).
Addendum: A power shovel or power pick is a valid option for your item. 😉 

~Holiday Area OPEN for December!~

As usual, our Holiday area isn’t without other amenities! We have festive decor to enjoy and custom villagers to trade with. This holiday our villagers have such things as festive goodies, custom outfits, banners, & more.

Trades: cobble, emeralds, diamond blocks, sticks, & white wool

See the “Gingerbread Man” with your cobble for some special treats; check where you sit on the Naughty or N’ice list with “List Checker” (bring diamond blocks & emeralds, trust me); Santa’s Elf has your custom tailored Santa Suit (he likes sticks), and Santa’s Elf2 has some of our most Festive banners for trade (bring white wool)!

Note: the collectible Christmas Map is also now available! 

Don’t forget to download the Some Awesome community’s favorite Christmas Texture pack:
XmasBDCraft 2014 from Sphax!