Internet Phenomenon | Secret Pal

About the Internet Phenomenon of Secret Friend-clubs and Link Rings where a Secret Pal will send you a little something through the mail…

In English we have the Secret Pal of Step into my Thimble’s Blog and in the Nordic countries the Nordic secret friend at Strikkemor’s blog. In that swap you have to send out four packages and she writes:

Den første pakken skal være noe strikkerelatert, dvs. garn, oppskrifter, pinner etc. Verdi sånn ca. 100,- (vi ligger vel såpass likt at vi sier 100,- i hvert sitt lands valuta). Jeg må også si at hvis man spinner selv eller lager noe annet utstyr til strikking, så er det absolutt perfekt gave her.

Pakke nr. 2 kan være hva som helst. Sjokolade ;-) , sukkertøy, servietter, såpe, lys, garn… you name it. En liten koselig oppmerksomhet til en verdi av ca kr. 50,-. Denne skal være sendt senest 30. august.

Pakke nr. 3 skal være noe selvlaget. Her står man helt fritt ved valg av teknikk, det behøver ikke å være strikket. Lurt å begynne å tenke på hva man skal lage allerede nå, så ikke det blir hastverksarbeid i siste liten. Størrelsen/verdien på arbeidet bestemmer man helt selv. Denne skal være sendt senest 15. oktober.

Den siste pakken synes jeg også skal være som nr 1. Denne skal være sendt senest 30. november.

The next time to join is Secret Pal 4, starting next year.

So, what is it, really?

Getting a Secret Pal

You sign up when the ring-thing starts, and agree to send about 4 packages to 4 different strangers. I’ve seen the great gifts people send each other all around in Blogland, because one of the main goals is to show of what you have received in pictures and say thank you so that everyone can read about the gift, and be really envious.

The gift are knitting related of course, coz we live in Knittingville, even though we don’t wear our Knittyville hat all the time.

I’ve been envious sometimes, but I have no urge to sign in, even though I love to get pressies and surprises. I don’t have the time to do my own projects – and I don’t find presents to the people I really love, so how could I find great things to give to strangers?

But I really think this phenomenon is a cool thing, a good thing for people involved. It’s like trading something you don’t need for something you have no idea what it’ll contain! Something for the adventures perhaps? Or maybe mostly for people who enjoys good surprises, even though the might get something they hate. It’s the expectation of an arriving package that counts, I guess, and on the way, maybe you’ll find new friends?

So for me, no secret friends. Well… that is if you don’t feel at real urge to send me a present anyway? I’ll accept it!

And who needs secret friends anyway, when you have a mum like mine. She sent me these Christmas quilt pot-holders and a blue fabric star for the window in the mail this week.

I love them!

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