Hey everyone! Welcome to the 13th installment of the Holiday card exchange, except that this time is also a first. We'll be doing a joint card exchange crossing over with the MTGNexus forums as well this year!
Here is an introduction for those of you new to this - or - a refresher for the old timers:
How the exchange works
The premise is simple. First, MTGSalvation and MTGNexus members from all over the world send me personally altered cards. Then, as Christmas approaches, I randomly send their cards to someone else who participated. It's a fun gift exchange that's always a blast.
What do I mean by personally altered? Does that you mean you have to be as good as the people over in the official altered art thread? Not at all! What's important is that you personalize your cards. For example, here are just a handful of cards done over the past few years:
As you can see, there is a lot of variation in what people choose to do. Featured is wide range of artistic talent, from doodles to full-blown alters. Just make it fun. In general, if you wouldn't be happy with receiving it from somebody else, you should alter it until you would be.
How to Participate
Participating is easy! Just send me a PM with your address, and I'll send you mine back. All you have to do after that is send me your cards along with appropriate packaging and postage to mail your cards along to the next person. After that, just relax and wait for your return package to make its merry way to you. It's that simple!
All participants must have their cards to me by December 11th, 2019. This means I MUST have the cards in hand by this date, NOT that you should mail it by this date.. They will be redistributed and sent off over the weekend, and hopefully everybody will have theirs by December 25th. Please remember to budget enough time for your cards to arrive. For reference, I live in Virginia, USA.
Brand new accounts are excluded to avoid gaming the system. Please don't do it. It will just result in a sad face for both of us.
This event is not sponsored or endorsed by MTGSalvation, MTGNexus, or Wizards of the Coast in any way. It is purely something done for fun by people who love Magic, and is not for for any financial gain or otherwise.
Tips and Checklist
Over the past three years, previous exchange runners saw a lot of cards come through. Here are some recommendations to help make the holiday exchange fun for everybody!
Try and modify cool cards. They don't necessarily have to be rares, but it's great when somebody can play the cards they receive in a deck and then tell the story of how they received them! If you are on a budget, think an altered playset of playable commons, an EDH staple, or basic lands are great... as long as it's playable it's cool!
Stumped for cards to alter? Try sending cards related to your name, avatar, or signature! That way there's a connection between MTGSalvation and the card's you're altering.
What you receive is random and a gift from someone else to you. Regardless of how you feel about the quality of cards you received, please be grateful. After all, it's a gift!
Part of the fun is ripping open the package when it finally arrives to see what you received. Do not post the alters you did ahead of time - though vague hints can be fun. We don't want to ruin the surprise!
Sending items such as letters, notes, or pictures along with your cards to the other person is not only allowed, but encouraged!
You might want to take a picture of your cards before you send them so that you can still show them off if the recipient has no way to upload an image.
You may submit as few or as many cards as you would like. Take your time and make some great alters!
IMPORTANT RULES --> READ THIS!!!
1. PM me your address, and you'll receive mine back.
2. You absolutely must include a self addressed stamped envelope with enough postage for up to a 6 oz package. If you do not include one, I cannot promise you that you will receive any cards back.
3. In the past, a couple of people have sent extra large/heavy items. This is great, and often these items are very cool! However, if you're going to do this, please include an extra envelope that is the appropriate size and/or has the right amount of postage on it. Please do include some real cards as well, that way your recipient can still have something to include in a deck!
4. No proxies/fakes, no matter how cool. Sentiments on these vary across the entire range, but MTGSalvation does not support this practice. While the gift exchange isn't directly affiliated with the site, let's keep this above the belt for the Holidays. Thanks!
5. If you are an international participant, please tell me in your PM so we can discuss how international shipping will work out best in your case. The US Postal prices have done some crazy things in the last few years, and shipping times may be a concern.
6. Along with your cards and Stamped envelope, please include a slip of paper with your MTGSalvation username. There will be a lot of cards coming in and if I don't know who sent me something, I can't let the recipient know - and it also makes it harder not to accidentally send yours back to you.
Checklist
Send me a PM with your address
Check you inbox daily, I'm on all the time and will generally be quick to reply.
Alter cards!
Write your MTGSalvation username on a slip of paper.
Send me your cards, that slip of paper with your MTGSalvation username, and a stamped envelope with enough postage to mail your cards, inside another envelope. Don't forget any of those steps!
Time travel to later in December and check your mail. Enjoy your gift!
Alright, now that CommandFest DC is over - time for an update!
I have received SEVEN packages so far, and I know of TWO more on the way, which seem to have taken a circuitous route. Adding myself in, there are currently 8(10) participants. I'm going to wait until Wednesday (my typical Magic Night), and then ship off everything on Thursday. Should any other late arrivals come in, I will pair them with each other, to ensure that people get their holiday cards!
Currently, I have received packages from the following users:
Void Nothing (Nexus)
Mohawk Dan
Slavan K Guiser
DeCayNine
tappwater
Stoogeslap
Elemental
. (+myself)
I am expecting packages to arrive from:
Feyd Ruin (Nexus)
Henlock (Nexus)
If your name is not up there, and you sent something, please let me know!
I have additionally received from Feyd and Grant1 today. Only one that I'm currently expecting and have not received is the international package. Keeping my fingers crossed for that one.
OK, just as said before, will post the spoils of evil here once they arrive (page 1 is best, right {in a poorly attempted Russian accent}
Bob, is Wednesday or Thursday a safe guess for when you will be sending out?
Side-note: too bad there is only 10 of us participating out of ALL of the users. Would've hoped more Admin. (from either site) would've gotten involved. I did mine in one sitting, watching Youtube.
*** NOTE: will edit out most of this to show off the bling-bling ***
The international package has not arrived yet, sadly, so my own recipient may change. I'm also preparing another set of cards of my own to send, in case that package truly is well lost, so that the person gets something at least. (you know who you are!)
In each package, there will also be two pieces of paper - one with the name of who did your cards, and one with "to <your own name>". If the "To <you>" paper is incorrect... something went really really wrong, let me know asap! (though that should not be the case).
Here's the breakdown of who got matched where (spoilered if you'd like to keep who you're receiving from a surprise!):
Random numbers were selected based on number of participants left in the pool -1 (cant send to yourself). Names were counted down (skipping self), until match found, and that user was then removed from the pool, making the next rand number 1 smaller, etc.
rand: 7, 4, 5, 2, 6, 4, 2, 2, 1, (last)
OMG! Every year I don't think my haul can get any better and yet it does! Mohawkdan sent six unbelievably altered cards that fit into 6 of my EDH decks perfectly! He also posted deck lists from the EDH decks he took them from as well as an explanation about the history of the deck and the altered card. My phone is not letting me post pictures right now so later tonight I will get to my laptop and put the pictures on here. Thank you very much Mohawkdan!
Ummm, Feyd.. you really outdid yourself... All are amazing. Really digging the Sterling Grove w/ the elven Santa and the fully decorated trees in the background. Kind of amazing how just adding drops to a scene can make it go from ordinary to festive (well... Jackson Pollack sorta made a name for himself out of it, lol).
Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a Happy Festivus for the Rest-of-Us!!!
Grant1 gave me quite the gift yesterday in the mail! Thank you! These will be making their way into my 5 Color EDH deck. Yes, it is made entirely out of Christmas altered Cards (or will be, once I get that magic 99).
ATTACHMENTS
IMG_5955[1]
IMG_5954[1]
IMG_5956[1]
IMG_5957[1]
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Proud Owner of: Extremeicon's Hamster-balled soul Istanbul's Soul, Bidder of Myself votan's Linux-loving Soul grappler12's Poop-smithing Soul Sir Blakely's Fencing Soul CraZedMiKe's Soul Transferred Back at His Request HAWKEYE 7's Calvin and Hobbes Loving Soul Tanthalas' Greek Alliance Soul Avatar of Kokusho's Island-Hating Soul Salubrious' Rather-Belatedly Added Soul
DCI Advanced Organizer
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The deadline: December 11, 2019.
2007, 2008, 2009 , 2010.,2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Here is an introduction for those of you new to this - or - a refresher for the old timers:
The premise is simple. First, MTGSalvation and MTGNexus members from all over the world send me personally altered cards. Then, as Christmas approaches, I randomly send their cards to someone else who participated. It's a fun gift exchange that's always a blast.
What do I mean by personally altered? Does that you mean you have to be as good as the people over in the official altered art thread? Not at all! What's important is that you personalize your cards. For example, here are just a handful of cards done over the past few years:
As you can see, there is a lot of variation in what people choose to do. Featured is wide range of artistic talent, from doodles to full-blown alters. Just make it fun. In general, if you wouldn't be happy with receiving it from somebody else, you should alter it until you would be.
Participating is easy! Just send me a PM with your address, and I'll send you mine back. All you have to do after that is send me your cards along with appropriate packaging and postage to mail your cards along to the next person. After that, just relax and wait for your return package to make its merry way to you. It's that simple!
All participants must have their cards to me by December 11th, 2019. This means I MUST have the cards in hand by this date, NOT that you should mail it by this date.. They will be redistributed and sent off over the weekend, and hopefully everybody will have theirs by December 25th. Please remember to budget enough time for your cards to arrive. For reference, I live in Virginia, USA.
Brand new accounts are excluded to avoid gaming the system. Please don't do it. It will just result in a sad face for both of us.
This event is not sponsored or endorsed by MTGSalvation, MTGNexus, or Wizards of the Coast in any way. It is purely something done for fun by people who love Magic, and is not for for any financial gain or otherwise.
Over the past three years, previous exchange runners saw a lot of cards come through. Here are some recommendations to help make the holiday exchange fun for everybody!
1. PM me your address, and you'll receive mine back.
2. You absolutely must include a self addressed stamped envelope with enough postage for up to a 6 oz package. If you do not include one, I cannot promise you that you will receive any cards back.
3. In the past, a couple of people have sent extra large/heavy items. This is great, and often these items are very cool! However, if you're going to do this, please include an extra envelope that is the appropriate size and/or has the right amount of postage on it. Please do include some real cards as well, that way your recipient can still have something to include in a deck!
4. No proxies/fakes, no matter how cool. Sentiments on these vary across the entire range, but MTGSalvation does not support this practice. While the gift exchange isn't directly affiliated with the site, let's keep this above the belt for the Holidays. Thanks!
5. If you are an international participant, please tell me in your PM so we can discuss how international shipping will work out best in your case. The US Postal prices have done some crazy things in the last few years, and shipping times may be a concern.
6. Along with your cards and Stamped envelope, please include a slip of paper with your MTGSalvation username. There will be a lot of cards coming in and if I don't know who sent me something, I can't let the recipient know - and it also makes it harder not to accidentally send yours back to you.
Checklist
Questions?
Please post below.
bobthefunny
grant1
void_nothing
Mohawkdan 2.0
Slavan K. Guiser
Cactuscorpus
feyd
DeCayNine
tappwater
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Proud Owner of:
Extremeicon's Hamster-balled soul
Istanbul's Soul, Bidder of Myself
votan's Linux-loving Soul
grappler12's Poop-smithing Soul
Sir Blakely's Fencing Soul
CraZedMiKe's Soul Transferred Back at His Request
HAWKEYE 7's Calvin and Hobbes Loving Soul
Tanthalas' Greek Alliance Soul
Avatar of Kokusho's Island-Hating Soul
Salubrious' Rather-Belatedly Added Soul
DCI Advanced Organizer
Credit goes to Brofoux for the Sig pic.
Current Modern Deck
Black Licorice
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?p=11006564#post11006564
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
ed and missed it last year...BUT not this year!!! Count me in!!!Realized a few days ago that I did make it... but it was a post-Xmas send out and had gotten some cool cards that were not sent to others.
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Hints? Is that what I heard?
Well:
That's a colossus of a snowman.
Oko was here.
And finally.....
Snow better place than home!
I'm excited! I loved the alters this year especially. I hope you do too, mystery person who receives them!
Proud Owner of:
Extremeicon's Hamster-balled soul
Istanbul's Soul, Bidder of Myself
votan's Linux-loving Soul
grappler12's Poop-smithing Soul
Sir Blakely's Fencing Soul
CraZedMiKe's Soul Transferred Back at His Request
HAWKEYE 7's Calvin and Hobbes Loving Soul
Tanthalas' Greek Alliance Soul
Avatar of Kokusho's Island-Hating Soul
Salubrious' Rather-Belatedly Added Soul
DCI Advanced Organizer
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
I have received SEVEN packages so far, and I know of TWO more on the way, which seem to have taken a circuitous route. Adding myself in, there are currently 8(10) participants. I'm going to wait until Wednesday (my typical Magic Night), and then ship off everything on Thursday. Should any other late arrivals come in, I will pair them with each other, to ensure that people get their holiday cards!
Currently, I have received packages from the following users:
I am expecting packages to arrive from:
If your name is not up there, and you sent something, please let me know!
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Proud Owner of:
Extremeicon's Hamster-balled soul
Istanbul's Soul, Bidder of Myself
votan's Linux-loving Soul
grappler12's Poop-smithing Soul
Sir Blakely's Fencing Soul
CraZedMiKe's Soul Transferred Back at His Request
HAWKEYE 7's Calvin and Hobbes Loving Soul
Tanthalas' Greek Alliance Soul
Avatar of Kokusho's Island-Hating Soul
Salubrious' Rather-Belatedly Added Soul
DCI Advanced Organizer
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Bob, is Wednesday or Thursday a safe guess for when you will be sending out?
Side-note: too bad there is only 10 of us participating out of ALL of the users. Would've hoped more Admin. (from either site) would've gotten involved. I did mine in one sitting, watching Youtube.
*** NOTE: will edit out most of this to show off the bling-bling
18!!! Wow... way to go!!!
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
The international package has not arrived yet, sadly, so my own recipient may change. I'm also preparing another set of cards of my own to send, in case that package truly is well lost, so that the person gets something at least.
In each package, there will also be two pieces of paper - one with the name of who did your cards, and one with "to <your own name>". If the "To <you>" paper is incorrect... something went really really wrong, let me know asap! (though that should not be the case).
Here's the breakdown of who got matched where (spoilered if you'd like to keep who you're receiving from a surprise!):
Random numbers were selected based on number of participants left in the pool -1 (cant send to yourself). Names were counted down (skipping self), until match found, and that user was then removed from the pool, making the next rand number 1 smaller, etc.
rand: 7, 4, 5, 2, 6, 4, 2, 2, 1, (last)
grant1
void_nothing
Mohawkdan 2.0
Slavan K. Guiser
feyd
DeCayNine
tappwater
stoogeslap
Elemental
=>
=>
=>
=>
=>
=>
=>
=>
=>
slavan
decaynine
grant1
elemental
stooge
void_nothing
Mohawk Dan
bobthefunny
feyd
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a Happy Festivus for the Rest-of-Us!!!
Stoogeslap, many thanks for the wonderful alters, as always! I especially love the grinch!
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Proud Owner of:
Extremeicon's Hamster-balled soul
Istanbul's Soul, Bidder of Myself
votan's Linux-loving Soul
grappler12's Poop-smithing Soul
Sir Blakely's Fencing Soul
CraZedMiKe's Soul Transferred Back at His Request
HAWKEYE 7's Calvin and Hobbes Loving Soul
Tanthalas' Greek Alliance Soul
Avatar of Kokusho's Island-Hating Soul
Salubrious' Rather-Belatedly Added Soul
DCI Advanced Organizer