Thoughts on Virago Secret Santa 2021

Dear Virago friends,

It's the time of year when we normally start putting together our Virago Secret Santa threads, creating wishlists and writing letters to Santa as part of what has been a wonderful annual tradition in the group.

However, I thought I would start a thread to gather opinions on whether we'd like to take part in VSS this year. 2021 presents some new challenges in that postage between countries is causing major issues, which is also hitting some of our favourite indie publishers. The subject was brought up in our sister LT group for Persephone Books, and the shipping issue may have an impact on what we want to do.

I would therefore love to hear from group members as to whether they would like to participate in a VSS this year, and if so whether they would need to limit shipping to their own country. I know some online stores such as Blackwells and Book Depository ship free overseas, but this does remove the pleasant element of shopping and wrapping for your recipient.

So please do let me know your feelings - either on this thread or by sending me a message - and I will feed back to the extended Elving group and we can have a think.

Will look forward to hearing from you!

Karen

I would really like to have something to look forward to this year, as I'll be most likely spending Christmas alone, but of course whatever is best for the group.

Edit: I think within own country might be best.

Hello Dear Virago Friends,

Just thought I'd bump this thread to the top as a gentle nudge to get your thoughts on this year's VSS.

>2 toast_and_tea: - thanks for your input. As Karen mentioned, having a VSS in the same country is a perfect option to avoid postage challenges.

I'm happy to participate but completely understand if this year is one we should pause and revisit next year.

Hope to hear from everyone!

Cate

I would be participating if the VSS was taking place but also understand there are lots of reasons that make it difficult this year.

>3 bleuroses: thank you Cate! 😊 Unfortunately numbers are low at the moment so we do need to know if anyone else wants to take part - so please do let us know! 😀

>4 Soupdragon: there *are* more issues than usual this year, though it would be lovely if we could run the VSS this year!

I would like to join, I've loved it the previous years, but I might be travelling too much to make it practical this year. If there is sign up deadline I will try to figure out whether or not I can join before the deadline.

If I can join I would prefer if the exchange was not exclusively within ones own country, I doubt anyone else will join from Norway, but I also don't want to cause anyone financial hardship. I'm fine with sitting this year out if it will make it easier to keep the VSS tradition.

With regards to sending VSS gifts abroad I do have some practical experience. My first VSS, Laura, used an online bookseller to ship the actual books, but added a personal touch by sending a nice Christmas card directly to me, that worked really well.

Personally I do like to do the shopping and sending myself, so I instead try to ensure that my selection will be light enough to be sent as a large letter rather than a parcel (so my santees tend not to get any of the thickest books). I note that Royal Mail's size and weight requirements are a bit more restrictive that the Norwegian ones, but I believe two normal-sized Viragos (e.g. molly Keane's Good Behaviour) should fit (Slightly Foxed sends all their books as letters). I certainly have no problem with receiving lighter parcels than someone in the same country as their VSS do. However, if the VSS tradition is getting too expensive in general, it might be reasonable to aim for mostly letter-sized gifts also for those not sending internationally?

Sending the gifts personally also allows me to send it as a gift, so that my santee don't risk having to pay VAT or custom duties on the books. This is not possible if the books are sent directly from a commercial seller, so if you use one it is best to use one based in your santees country (Norway has no VAT for books, so I can receive books, but nothing else, from commercial sellers abroad without having to pay).

Like >7 alvaret: above, I live in a country, where I don't think there are any other participants, so I agree with her remarks: If I can join I would prefer if the exchange was not exclusively within ones own country, I doubt anyone else will join from Norway, {Canada in my case} but I also don't want to cause anyone financial hardship. I'm fine with sitting this year out if it will make it easier to keep the VSS tradition

I also love to do the shopping and sending in person. However, should anyone ship to me directly from a Canadian source, that is fine.

I do have one other question. In this year of mail holdups and delays, could we possibly extend "Christmas" as the expected ultimate delivery date, to the 12 Days of Christmas, just in case?

Thanks for the input ladies, and I will add you to the list - we are getting a little more viable now.

Some good points about how to gift abroad, and I think it will be possible (and is indeed often very nice) if we can send overseas. Assuming we go ahead, I will ask everyone to state if they can send abroad or not.

Re dates, I think that's a very sensible suggestion re extending the delivery date - we are already edging closer to November and so allowing time for getting this set up, we will I think be starting later.

I will approach those who took part last year just to see if they are interested and then we can perhaps come to a decision. :D

Dear Virago Friends,

Thank you to those of you who've responded to me directly or on this thread about the possibility of doing a VSS.

Unfortunately, the numbers are too low to really make a VSS practical this year, and after consulting the other Elves we feel that it is probably best to miss this year and hope to restart our tradition in 2022.

I hope no-one is too disappointed for this year, but VSS is something which does need a reasonable number of participants to make it fun and viable.

Karen

>10 kaggsy: Completely understand and sympathize with the difficulties around this. Thanks to you and all the Elves for working on it. Maybe we could each just treat ourselves to a much wanted book and wrap it up under the tree, with best wishes from all the rest of us.

>11 SassyLassy: that’s a really nice idea! Hopefully we can restart the VSS next year, but events seemed against it this year… 😕

>11 SassyLassy: I 'd already ordered the new NYRB classics version of Edith Wharton's ghost stories with this in mind. Then my husband came home from Sheffield on Thursday telling me that he was my Secret Santa this year. Apparently he found four grey Persephones in an Oxfam shop that I didn't already have. There were also VMCs but I already had them all (he checks against my LT library.) Thank you Mr Dragon!

>13 Soupdragon: Gosh, how wonderful! Mr. Dragon is obvs very well trained - lovely! 😊😊

Yes! Is he also a reader?

Funnily enough he does not read books but he creates and repairs them as he is a bookbinder. I hope I'm not breaking any spamming rules if I post a link to some pictures here of books he and his business partner Dave have bound:
https://www.haveitbound.com/gallery

>16 Soupdragon: Those are absolutely stunning - how wonderful that he works with books! Loving all those marbled papers! 😊😊

OMG - what a wonderful job to have. And how lucky you are to have him. Well done that woman!

>17 kaggsy:, >18 lippincote: 😊 Thank you, I think so too.

>13 Soupdragon: Mr. Dragon is ACE!!

>16 Soupdragon: Wow, Dee! He does amazing work! Is that him in the photos too?

>11 SassyLassy: A great idea! I'm sure all of us have a special book on our wish list. I'll set up a thread in December where we can share our gifts to ourselves!

>16 Soupdragon: What lovely work. I've always been interested in the process.

>21 bleuroses: Thanks. I like the idea of a thread to post.

>21 bleuroses: >22 SassyLassy: That is a great idea and it would be lovely to have a thread for it. Thank you both.

That's not Mr Dragon in the pictures but his business partner. I think Steve took the pictures!

Thanks for the update! A pity but understandable x

I'm happy to be my own VSS this year. In fact, I've just made a rare visit to my favourite bookstore in Norway, it is so good that I once sneaked out on my own wedding day to visit it, and I should be able to save one or two of my finds for Christmas. I just have to forget what I bought...

I did that with Persephones for years. I'd order them in October and then wrap them and put them under the tree at Christmas. No one else was going to buy them for me!