You read it right, it's time for Star Wars Action News Santa Gift Exchange. Please take the time to read the rules first, and then take at trip on over to the link(s) provided and respond where appropriate!

We tried this last year and seemed to have success. So celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Star Warss and the joy of Christmas with your fellow SWANlings.

*** SECRET SANTA RULES ***

DATES TO KNOW

Sign ups end November 26 at 11:59 PM CST! Any information received after that time will not be included. We want to provide enough time for everyone to get a gift and have them in the mail before Christmas Day.

Shipping deadline is December 15th. This will give everyone approximately 20 days of shopping and leaves enough time so most packages should reach their destinations before Christmas.

By signing up, you must participate. If you drop out you are considered a Deadbeat Santa, and are subject to possible banning from the forums.

PRE REQUISITES

As per the usual course with Secret Santa’s, you must be a registered member of the SWAN Forums for at least three months and/or be an active poster (say >= 150 posts of substance). If you are a newer member or infrequent poster, we reserve the right to decline your participation in the gift exchange upon a review.

You MUST have valid e-mail addresses on the SWAN forum profiles. Some people's PMs bounce e-mails and it makes those people impossible to reach. So the e-mail address you use MUST match the e-mail address on your SWAN profile. This is mandatory as this is the easiest way to contact Secret Santas and parnters as needed.

SIGNUPS

As said above, sign ups end 11:59 November 26th. To sign up send an email to the following address secretsanta@reviewstarwars.com with the subject of SWAN Gift Exchange. The contents of this email must contain the following:

Forum Handle
First Name
Last Name
Shipping Address (includes street address, city, state, and zip code)
Country
EMail Address (see notes above)
Phone
Alternate Phone (if applicable)
Age
Gender M/F
Domestic (United States) or International

The gender specification will help your Santa in picking out an appropriate gift. Also since our international listenership has grown (specify if you are in the US or in another country). We will try to match up International folks to help even out shipping costs. Also when specifing an international address please use your analogs for state, zip code, etc.

Also since we can not gaurantee who will get an international target, you have the option to Opt Out of international shipping. We an understand some people not being keen on $20 shipping for a $5 toy. If you want to explicitly opt out include "Opt Out" in your email sign up.

Any email received that does not contain this information or is improperly formatted will be invalided and will not count towards entry into the gift exchange.

Once your participation is confirmed, you can find your name in the Official Participant List Thread.

SWAP RULES

The target price for these gifts is $10 (USD). THIS IS BEFORE SHIPPING. So $10 gift PLUS whatever amount it costs you to ship the package.

Try to swap with something your partner might actually want. We don't need to be sending all the peg warming Jedi Lukes and Mace Windus around - give those to Toys For Tots. Also if sending a carded/packaged collectible try to send one that hasn't been stomped on and thrown across the aisles.

When you DO ship, if you’re shipping domestic, we REQUIRE tracking numbers, and highly recommend that you get package insurance. The tracking numbers are so that we can peek in in case of a difficulty and ensure that the package is safe and sound. If we do not receive a tracking number prior to the shipping deadline, you will be considered a Deadbeat Santa and appropriate action will be taken.

As said, the minimum is $10 (this is roughly the cost of a figure with tax). There is no maximum, but no one should expect that their Santa will go over.

As a bonus you may include something of a personal touch, like a signed card, letter, sketches, trinkets, etc. This would just be a nicety to help get to know our fellow SWANlings better.

You are allowed to send stuff via a third party (Amazon, Andrew's Toyz, and other popular websites). If you do this, order confirmation information may be supplied to supplement tracking information. Many online retailers allow you to send a message with your item. Please do this - at the very least to reveal yourself to your target.

Please, please, please keep the gifts age appropriate. Do not be shipping liquor to those who are under the age of 21. Also do not sent food. Even though A&M might sample "Dagoba" chocolate and Jakob is know for eating rancid candy cirra 1999 - we don't recommend it for our larger population.

Shipping deadline is December 15th! This gives everyone about 20 days to get their presents ordered and put together. Should your shipment not reach it’s destination, YOU are responsible for replacing it. You get ONE chance to redeem yourself, and if you fail to (in the exception of severe crisis in your life) you will be considered a Deadbeat Santa.

Deadbeat Santa’s: if you do not fulfill your obligations as a participant in the gift exchange, you will be subject to banning/expulsion.

WISH LISTS

We will have a separate thread for a wish list section. One post per participant. You can edit your existing post in the wish list thread. You may link to your Bounty Hunting trade/want list or other wish lists. You can also have non Star Wars items on your list - but really why else are you here.

Official Wish Lists Thread

If you can make a list of say five items, it would help your Santa decide what to buy. You can also put in things that you like or general ideas of what you would like. Putting two words (ie: blue and cars) WILL NOT help you. If anything your wish list will give your Santa an idea of something you’d like, not the exact thing. Half the fun is the surprise!

Of course the list shouldn't contain all rare items. Be realistic. Your chances of getting a Gentle Giant Snowbunny Padme maquette is pretty slim to none.

You can also specify if you are willing to accept a handmade item. No food items please - its just easier for everybody that way.

SHIPPING INFO

As has been said before, the cost of shipping does NOT count as part of the $10. This is additional, please ensure that you plan accordingly.

Remember, the fun in this is that it’s completely anonymous until the package arrives! (So no spilling the beans, eh?)

Shipping deadline yet again (in case you didn’t get it the first couple times) is December 15th.

If you are moving or for any reason MAY not be at the address, pick an address where you will guaranteed get the package.

TRACKING is mandatory for domestic shippers. This is so we can guarantee that you have shipped it and know when it has arrived. USPS Delivery Confirmation is acceptible.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPERS CONTINUE READING HERE

You will obviously be allotted extra time for your packages to arrive, but you do need to have them in the mail and on the way by the 15th, same as everyone else please! If you can provide tracking/customs info please do so.

All of this information can be found in the Official Rules Thread.

THANKS AND HAVE FUN!