What's the idea?

Secret Santa is a holiday activity during the Christmas season when a group of people exchange gifts, each person giving one gift to one other person in the group. However, each individual has no idea who they will recieve their gift from. They cannot alert the other person in any way who their Secret Santa is until the gift giving date.

How does it work on deviantART?
On deviantART, the idea is that the presents are pieces of art that you make for people - whether that's drawings, stories, things you've crafted... whatever.
You send ~PresentsFromSanta a note with what you'd like to receive and what you can offer to your giftee and then everyone will get matched up accordingly.

What to do

What can I offer?
There are four "categories":
Traditional or Digital Drawing
Photography
Literature
Artisan Crafts
As long as you can do something in one of these areas, you can join in. It doesn't matter how much talent you have or haven't got - the point of this project is to make something nice for someone else and hopefully make them smile.

If you can do something in more than one of these areas, that's fantastic. It will make it a lot easier to match people up. Just list all the areas you'd be happy to make art in.

Making a wishlist
List five "themes" you like (give links if possible) or would want to receive in the art you get. Try to make them as varied as possible to help out your Santa.
For example: "dragons, any characters from the anime One Piece [link], girls with swords, kittens and puppies curling up together, Fred Bloggs from the band So and So [link]"

Tips for a good wishlist
Be open to receiving all kinds of art. You can make ONE veto for ONE category if you really don't want to receive it (e.g. "no photos", "no literature"), but this project is about including everyone so try to be as receptive as possible to different media.
Think of all the categories when you make your wishlist. If all the things on it are make-believe, it will be quite hard for a photographer to give you something you'll like, for example. You can make a different wishlist for each category if you want to, but give your Santa a chance to be artistic as well. You want to make it fun for them too!
Give links and explanations! If some of the items on your wishlist are particular characters, for example, give a link to a picture of the character and tell your Santa a little bit about their personality etc. Don't use abbreviations that your Santa might not be familiar with either - write the name of the series, band or film out in full, and the character names too. It's very difficult for them to ask questions if they don't understand!

Delivering the presents
Everyone is getting special presents made for them so it would be nice if they could actually receive these presents in the real world! This part of the project is completely optional, because it's important to keep safe on the internet. But if you would like to participate, include in your note the following:
Can you post internationally?
Can you get to a Post Office and can you afford to send it (and pay for a print if it's a digital drawing or a photo)?
Are you willing to give your address to receive yours?
You're not guaranteed to be sent yours if you haven't agreed to post your own! Priority will be given to the people who are posting theirs.

Getting started

Great! How do I join?
RIGHT NOW you can
Watch ~PresentsFromSanta
Send a note with:
1. Your five "themes" and your ONE veto if you have one
2. Your skills - which of the categories you can make art in
3. Can you post it?
4. Can you receive it?
Tell EVERYONE about it - we don't have long to get the word out so the news article and tell all your friends!

What happens next?
On 19 November, ~PresentsFromSanta is closed for entries. Notes will be sent out on the 21st November telling you what your giftee's preferences are so you can begin on your art!
Remember to complete it quickly if you intend to post it - you may only have a couple of weeks, depending on your country's last posting dates for Christmas.
Note also that if you've signed up to post it, you can't now make something which is unpostable (for example, a pumpkin carving or a door or something). That wouldn't be fair.

When you've made your art
Don't upload it to deviantART! At least, not yet. It's meant to be a surprise, remember, and we don't want your giftee coming across it by accident.
If you're not posting it, you don't need to do anything else with it yet.
If you are posting it:

• If it's a digital drawing, a photo or visual lit, get a print made. It's best if you arrange this yourself (so that you don't have to upload to dA early) but if you don't know how to do this then it's easy enough to do on deviantART and I'm sure we can make an exception.
• If it's literature, write it out neatly or print a nice copy. Decorate it if you like.
• If it's a traditional drawing or artisan crafts it should be already okay to post.
• Wrap it up carefully, making sure it won't bend or break in the post. Don't fold it! Write "Don't open before Christmas" on it if you like
• Take to the Post Office and send it away!

Finding out more

Read the main journal or go to ~PresentsFromSanta's page for more up-to-date information.

Look at the timeline and the FAQ for more information, too.

Promote!

Finally, get the word out! The project closes for entries on 19th November - this is SOON so get the word out! Fav this article, write about the project in your journals or put it in your signature. If there's not enough support we may have to call it off, so tell all your friends!