Elephant muscles in on festive present-giving
Published 02 January, 2009, 15:19
The Secret Santa game is gaining popularity in Russia, and one Internet company has added a new twist, which sees people giving presents to complete strangers.
“I need to find a present that will fit into an envelope so I can mail it. I think this star and this garland will do,” said Pavel Antipov, who knows only the name and age of the present’s recipient.
Meanwhile in Krasnodar, in Southern Russia, Oksana Yefimenko is visiting a gift shop to find something special for her new internet acquaintance. She has chosen a mask.
“Today, I’ve bought a present for a 15-year-old girl from St. Petersburg. I hope my present is memorable and gives her many pleasant moments,” she said.
Oksana, Pavel, and many other internet users worldwide share the same hobby. On Christmas and New Years Eve they surprise strangers with gifts. This game is called ‘Secret Santa’. You buy a present and send it to a stranger, picked by a computer program. In return, you get a gift from a complete stranger as well. Although the idea is not new, the Russian version has attracted thousands of people.
Organised by the Krasnodar-based internet company ‘Kuban’, the project is called “the New Year's Elephant”. Most of those taking part have their own blogs, where they share gift ideas and their impressions of what they've received as presents from other people.
“There were 600 people in the first year and 1,500 in the next year. Last year, there were about 4,000 people. We don’t know how many we are going to have this time. Hopefully more than last year,” said Yevgeny Rudenko from Kuban.
So if you're an internet user, you like giving, and you're done picking presents for your loved ones, you may consider doing something different to share some Christmas joy with someone new. And you can be sure that the postman will deliver a surprise in return.
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