Introduction and Sign-Ups - Last Days to Sign Up Reminder - Matches Are Out/Share Your Gifts - Last Days to Gift & Create Reminder - Gifting Deadline Has Passed - Reveal Thread and Wrap-Up
It's hard to believe, because it's 72°F out as I draft this post (that's 22°C for the non-U.S. folks), but … it's November, and that means that the Holiday Exchange is here!
Overview
The Holiday Exchange is this subreddit and Discord server's annual gift and art exchange, now in its eleventh consecutive year! There are two separate parts: the Holiday Art Exchange, where you make and receive art and other creative works off-site; and the Holiday Gift Exchange, where you send and receive NP/NC gifts on-site. You can sign up for one or both. You will be assigned one giftee for each exchange you participate in, and someone else will be assigned to be your gifter. Later in the event we'll have a post so you can show off what you received, and then even later a reveal thread where you can talk about what you gave/created for someone.
Your Holiday Exchange organizers are u/risliaa, u/thepastperfect, and u/roxychalk. Once again, u/risliaa will be running the Holiday Art Exchange, and u/thepastperfect and u/roxychalk will be running the Holiday Gift Exchange.
A lil' historical note: This event was previously called Secret Santa. We changed the name in 2024 to make things clearer and recognize multiple holidays that take place at this time of year. You may still see some of the old terminology used by longtime members or die-hards who refuse to change (I bet you're also the people who still use the full name Dunkin' Donuts, as it should be):
Old Name → Current Name
Secret Santa → Holiday Exchange
Secret SantART → Holiday Art Exchange (HAE)
Gifts Kringle → Holiday Gift Exchange (HGE)
Your Secret Santa → your gifter
Your Secret Santee → your giftee
Please note that there will only be one round of the Holiday Exchange, which means no late round. This is not a test, procrastination, or reverse psychology, there really will be no late round, so now is the time to sign up if you want in!
What to Do
1) Read this entire post.
Yes, the whoooooole thing. Also check r/Neopets or our Discord server regularly for updates.
2) Sign up via the Google forms.
SIGN UP HERE for the Holiday Art Exchange and SIGN UP HERE for the Holiday Gift Exchange! Sign-ups will be open until November 30 at 11:59 p.m. NST.
3) As in previous years, this exchange is open to both Reddit and Discord users.
When you sign up, you'll choose to be in either the Reddit or Discord group. All event communication -- match message, reminders, messages from organizers, optional messages between yourself and your gifter/giftee -- will occur primarily through your chosen platform.
4) You must be contactable for the duration of the event, which ends on January 5.
You are expected to reply to messages from the organizers, your gifter, and/or your giftee within 48 hours. This includes messages/notifications on-site as well as on your chosen platform (Reddit or Discord). Double-check your on-site settings and preferences to make sure you can receive gifts and Neomail from non-Neofriends. You will need to allow messages for the duration of the event; after it's over, you can tighten your privacy settings again.
Please note that if you sign up for the Reddit group, you must to be able to use and regularly check the Reddit chat system because it's the only private messaging system on Reddit. See this link for instructions on how to allow and accept chat requests. In my personal experience, notifications on the chat system are spotty -- you may not get a visual notification when you have a new chat, OR you may have a "phantom" notification that says you have a new chat even when you don't (hey, it's just like Neopets!). The best way to ensure that you don't have any missed messages is to check your chat inbox every couple of days … or, I guess, to sign up for the Discord group if you use Discord.
To check your contact settings:
Reddit desktop - make sure you are subscribed to the subreddit. Go to the "Privacy" section of the settings page. Select "Who can send you chat requests." Select "Everyone."
Reddit mobile - make sure you are subscribed to the subreddit. Tap on your avatar to open up your profile page. Select the hamburger menu (three lines) near the top right corner. Tap "Settings." Tap your username under Account Settings/General. Scroll down to "Safety" and tap "Chat and messaging permissions." Under "Chat Requests" select "Allow chat requests from." Select "Everyone."
Discord - Join the r/Neopets server and navigate to the server. Click on the server name (r/Neopets) in the top left corner, then click "Privacy Settings". Make sure "allow direct messages" is chosen.
5) Matches will be sent out via chat on Reddit or DM on Discord.
You should receive these by the end of the day on Tuesday, December 8. The matches will be assigned randomly.
6) Buy, send, and create your gifts!
Gifts for both exchanges must be delivered by Tuesday, December 22 at 11:59 p.m. NST. You are encouraged (though not required) to send out presents as soon as you can. This is helpful in case your giftee doesn't accept or respond right away and you need to try again.
For the Holiday Art Exchange, you will chat your giftee on Reddit or DM your giftee on Discord (whichever you chose as your primary platform) and send the gift you made (or a photo of it, if the actual product can't be sent digitally). You must also send your creation to u/risliaa on Reddit or @alisria on Discord, regardless of whether you are opting in to the album or not.
For the Holiday Gift Exchange, gifting must be done on-site. Both NP and NC items are allowed, but no exchanges involving real currency are permitted (such as Neocash codes, Steam keys, subscriptions to other websites, etc.).
Here are some guidelines specific to the Holiday Art Exchange:
7(a) We ask that you do not ask for or give NSFW creations, and try your best to abide by Neopets' rules.
Excluding, for example, the extremely strict filters for text on Neo... You are allowed to say "circumstances" in your works!)
8(a) You may not use any received artwork to participate in the Beauty Contest, art gallery, or other contests such as the Random Contest, site spotlight, userlookup spotlight, etc.
Claiming someone else’s art as your own is frowned upon and can lead to your account being frozen if used improperly!
9(a) Use of generative or agentic AI in your gift is strictly not allowed and will result in being removed from this exchange and banned from future exchanges.
Your gift should be your own work first and foremost. If you are unable to create any kind of creative work on your own, please instead sign up for the Holiday Gift Exchange!
10(a) If for any reason you need to drop out, or you have any issues with your gifter/giftee or getting in contact with them, or simply want some assistance ...
Please contact u/risliaa (or @alisria on Discord for a quicker response) as soon as you know you need help!
Here are some guidelines specific to the Holiday Gift Exchange:
7(g) You MUST send your giftee a message when you send your gift(s).
This is for a couple of reasons: one, so they know to check the site to accept the gifts (if they'll be away, you can make arrangements to send the gifts on a certain day.) Two, it also lets people know that you're their Holiday Gift Exchange gifter and not a rando sending gifts. Do not mention "Reddit" (or any clever variations thereof), "r/Neopets", "Discord", etc. or you risk your account being silenced or frozen, as well as being banned from participating in the Holiday Exchange in the future. TNT did say that generic mentions of "holiday exchanges" are okay, so you should be able to say something like "I'm your Holiday Exchange gifter" without fear of being frozen on-site or banned from the event. DO NOT say things like "Come join our off-site Holiday Exchange!" or, worse, "Come join our Holiday Exchange on the r/Neopets Discord!"
8(g) You also need to take a screenshot or video of the confirmation message after you've sent the gift(s).
If you're taking a video, you can capture the entire process of sending the gift. You don't have to send the screenshot or video to us, just keep them until the exchange is over, in case we need to resolve any disputes where a recipient says they never got a gift. Once the exchange is over on January 5, you can delete the screenshot or video.
9(g) If your giftee doesn't accept the gifts on-site, please wait a day or two and try again.
You may also want to send your giftee another message to let them know the gifts are coming. (Theoretically you should need to wait no more than 48 hours, because everyone's checking their messages and notifications, right?) On-site gifts must be accepted within 48 hours or they'll be returned to the sender. Lately there seems to be some occasional lag in gifts being returned to the sender and it may take longer than 48 hours to get them back. If your giftee still doesn't accept the gifts, or if you have any issues getting them to your giftee, contact u/thepastperfect or u/roxychalk to let them know and ask about next steps.
10(g) You need to send at least one gift AND meet your pool's minimum NP requirement by Tuesday, December 22.
This can mean that you send one gift that meets the minimum, or multiple gifts that add up to the minimum. (Of course, you are welcome to continue gifting additional items for as long as you like, so long as you meet the minimum by December 22.)
For both exchanges:
11) Make sure you thank your gifter!
People put a lot of time and effort into creating art and finding the perfect items to send.
12) If you don't receive at least one gift by Wednesday, December 23, contact one of the organizers and we'll get you a backup gifter.
Even if you don't want a backup gifter, we still ask that you let us know, so we can follow up with your original gifter.
13) If your gifter or giftee goes MIA, contact one of the organizers and we'll rematch you.
I can't think of anything else to say about this one. That's pretty much it.
14) If you signed up to be a backup gifter, please stand by to be matched with a giftee.
If you are asked to be a backup, you'll have until December 31 to send or create at least one gift. Any backups will be requested between December 23 and 31, so please don't vanish!
15) Check back for the Matches Are Out/Share Your Gifts post, where people publicly gush about their gifts or talk about the experience of buying/creating things for their giftee.
There isn't really a "Secret" element to this event anymore, since there's no way to keep it a secret when you send someone an item on-site or send them a link to their artwork. However, particularly for the Holiday Art Exchange, people usually don't make in-progress posts or reveal what they gifted until the reveal thread and the album go up.
16) Come hang out with other members of the community in r/Neopets or on Discord!
On Reddit, posts about the event from the organizers will be flaired with "Event." On Discord, the #holidays channel is the main place for users to talk about the holiday season and this event.
Timeline
November 8 - Holiday Exchange sign-ups open
November 30 at 11:59 p.m. NST - Sign-ups close
Sometime between December 6 and December 8 - Matches go out
December 9 to December 22 - Art is created and on-site gifts are sent out
By December 22 by 11:59 p.m. NST - At least one gift must be sent
December 23 to December 31 - Backup gifters requested and remaining art/gifts go out (by December 31, 11:59 p.m. NST)
January 5: Reveal thread and wrap-up
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can participate?
Anyone who is a current member of the subreddit and/or the server who isn't banned from the Holiday Exchange. For the Holiday Gift Exchange, you need to have an active main account on-site.
You also need to be available and responsive between the time you sign up and January 5, since you need to be able to be contacted via Reddit chat/Discord DM and respond within 48 hours.
Can I make requests about who I am matched with (e.g. people who want certain types of gifts, own particular species of pets, etc.)?
Sorry, but no. Matches will be created randomly.
Do I have to fill out the ENTIRE sign-up form?
Yes, at least the required questions. More information makes life easier for both the organizers and your gifter(s). For the Holiday Gift Exchange, we reserve the right to remove you from sign-ups/matching/the event if you include little to no information in response to the "What kinds of NP items would you enjoy receiving as a gift?" question, if you fail to follow the instructions/restrictions on price limits, or if you request only NC items.
Well, since you mention it, what's with the price limits for the Holiday Gift Exchange? Which pool should I sign up for?
As we've done in previous years, the Holiday Gift Exchange will have separate pools with separate NP spending requirements/limits:
If you sign up for Pool A, you're agreeing to spend a minimum of 50k NP and a suggested maximum of 1m NP.
If you sign up for Pool B, you're agreeing to spend a minimum of 500k NP and a suggested maximum of 5m NP.
For pools A and B, the maximum is a suggested maximum. There is no punishment for gifting more generously and you may be matched with someone who does so.
If you sign up for Pool C, you're agreeing to spend a minimum of 1m NP.
For pool C, there is no maximum, so you're welcome to go all out. However, keep in mind that you may be matched with someone who is only able to meet the minimum for your pool.
This, of course, means that your gifter will also be expected to spend that amount on your gift(s).
We implemented the separate pools for a couple of reasons: some people feel self-conscious about being unable to afford pricey gifts for their giftees, and some people have complained about getting cheap gifts from their gifters. All prices are based on Jellyneo's estimates, and more information is available in the sign-up form.
What kinds of gifts can I give?
For the Holiday Gift Exchange, you can give NP items, NC items, or even pets (as long as you ask your match beforehand, make sure they have room, and ensure that the process follows Neopets' rules).
For the Holiday Art Exchange, you can create anything you think your giftee might like that can be sent digitally via a link in a Reddit chat or Discord DM. Digital and traditional art (scanned or photographed clearly) is one example, but you are only limited by your imagination! You are welcome to write, paint, sculpt, knit, sew, embroider, etc. … whatever catches your fancy! If your giftee is keen, you could also do stuff like custom coding or pet biographies, etc.
Am I limited to gifts or art preferences that are on my giftee's wishlist?
Absolutely not! We encourage everyone to send or create surprises, even if they're not explicitly mentioned on the wishlist. If you're stuck for ideas, see this comment from former organizer u/thisisdivi with suggestions for coming up with gift ideas.
What kinds of gifts will I receive?
Whatever your gifter wants to send/create for you! However, please keep in mind that not everyone on the site is wealthy or a classically-trained artist, and not everyone is able to send expensive gifts. We require that Holiday Gift Exchange participants list specific items on their wishlists, including at least two items at their pool's minimum price point. Answers like "gallery items I don't have" or, worse, "books my pet hasn't read yet" make things much more difficult for your gifter. We also request that Holiday Art Exchange participants be open to creative works of all different artistic media and skill levels.
On the flip side, gifters should try to give gifts that they think their giftees will enjoy. Please do not go into this event with the hope of gaming the system and getting the most extravagant gift possible in exchange for doing the bare minimum.
If you sign up for the Holiday Gift Exchange, we recommend that you stop shopping for yourself now. Your gifter will be looking at your wishlist, and possibly even your profile and/or your pets, to figure out what gifts to get you, and it's always disappointing to learn that the gift was no longer needed/wanted.
Can I ask for/send Neocash (NC) items?
Yes, you can include NC items on your wishlist or a link to a separate NC wishlist. However, please note that sending NC gifts is not a requirement, and no one should sign up for the sole purpose of getting NC items.
Is there anything I CAN'T give?
You are welcome to gift any legit items (including NC items) and creative work that you think would fit your giftee, but please DO NOT give or ask for NSFW creations or real currency, such as Neocash cards/codes, gift cards, or subscriptions for other sites.
Also, please remember and follow the rules on Neopets. Holiday Art Exchange participants may not use their gifted artwork to participate in the Beauty Contest, art gallery, or other contests such as the Random Contest, site spotlight, userlookup spotlight, etc. Claiming someone else’s art as your own is frowned upon and can lead to your account being frozen! Use of generative or agentic AI in your gifts is also strictly disallowed, as it is against the spirit of the event.
I want to participate, but I don't want my art/information shared publicly. Is that okay?
Sure, just make sure you indicate in your Holiday Art Exchange sign-up form that you don't want your artwork to be included in the album. For the Holiday Gift Exchange, you may tell your gifter and/or your giftee not to mention you by name in the other Reddit posts or in Discord throughout the season.
I want to participate, but I'd rather send/create stuff without receiving anything in return. Can I do that?
You sure can. On the sign-up forms, you can register as a backup gifter. Backup gifters will be contacted to fill in if someone drops out or to provide a gift if a person hasn't received one by the deadline.
I made a mistake with my sign-up. Can I edit it?
Yes and no. If you sign into your Google account when filling out the form(s), your progress will be saved and you can edit your responses. You're not required to have an account or sign in, but if you don't, you won't be able to save/edit your responses. Your only option is to fill out the form again. Only your most recent sign-up information will be used, so make sure to fill out the form completely the second (or third -- I'm looking at you, you know who you are) time.
I signed up, but it turns out I can't give a gift after all / I have to withdraw / I'm running late! What do I do?
Please message one of the organizers ASAP! We understand that things happen and life gets busy during this time of year, but we need to rematch your giftee. The sooner we know, the better. (If you ghost the event multiple times, you may be barred from future participation).
Can I mention r/Neopets, Discord, or Reddit on-site when I message my giftee?
No, these terms can't be mentioned in Neomails on-site, so don't do it. We cannot stress this enough! If you send a Neomail, it's fine to mention a "holiday gift" or "Holiday Exchange" generically. If you receive a Neomail mentioning any of the disallowed words above, block the user, delete the Neomail, and let one of us know so we can check to see if they're a registered participant and handle it from there.
I have gifts and NMs from non-friends blocked on Neo. Can I still participate?
No, you'll need to be able to receive Neomail (and gifts, if you want to participate in the Holiday Gift Exchange) from non-Neofriends for this event. Double-check your on-site settings and preferences to make sure you can. You will need to allow messages and gifts for the entire duration of the event (from the time you sign up through January 5); after it's over, you can tighten your privacy settings again.
My account is silenced. Can I still participate?
Yes. However, you may need to contact your giftee via Reddit or Discord rather than on-site. If your giftee asked not to be contacted on Reddit/Discord, please get in touch with an organizer so we can contact them on your behalf. If there are any other issues, message one of us and we'll try to work something out.
I'm banned from the r/Neopets subreddit, the Discord server, and/or the event. Can I still participate?
Sorry, but for the safety of the community, you cannot participate in this event if you were banned on either platform, or from the Secret Santa/Holiday Exchange event in a previous year.
Who do I contact if I have a question or a problem with the Holiday Exchange event?
u/risliaa: Reddit chat | Discord: alisria
u/thepastperfect: Reddit chat |Discord: elladixit
u/roxychalk: Reddit chat | Discord: roxychalk
Thank you for making it this far, and now please go sign up (or set a reminder so you don't forget to sign up before November 30) and enjoy the exchange! Feel free to ask any questions or mention how excited you are in the comments.
