FAQ and Glossary

Glossary
Santa: The person who is making a gift. "Your Santa" = the person who is making the gift for you.
Giftee: The person who is receiving a gift. "Your giftee" = the person who you are making a gift for. ("Employee" = someone who is employed, hence "giftee" = someone who is gifted... )
Postals: The people who are participating in this project and who are opting to send and receive their gifts in the mail as well.
Non-postals: The people who are participating in this project but not sending or receiving their gifts in the mail.
Post: I realise that "post" is ambiguous because it can mean both "post in the mail" and "post on the internet". For this reason, I have tried to avoid this term when possible, but if it's not clear anywhere then do ask!
Matching: The "pairing" of a giftee to a Santa.
Helper: The Helpers are the contributors of the group, members that have volunteered to help make this project run more smoothly. See this blog if you are interested in applying.

FAQs
How long do I have to make the art?
About 3 weeks, possibly longer depending on when I can get online to give you your assignments and (if you are posting your gift) when your country's deadlines are for international postage for Christmas.

When are the "due dates"?
See this journal for 2010's timeline.

Do I have to say five things I want in my wishlist?
It can be four or six if that's easier for you, but five's about the right number.

I would like to post, but only to my country.
Since the project has now separated into a postal half and a non-postal half, I am afraid that if you want to participate in the postal half you will have to agree to post your gift internationally. I'm trying to match everyone dependent on the art they want to give and receive and on whether they're posting or not. It's complicated enough without trying to match everyone by country as well.

I would like to send but not receive in the mail/ I would like to receive but not send in the mail.
Since the project has now separated into a postal half and a non-postal half, I am afraid that if you want to participate in the postal half you will have to agree to send and receive, because the person who you will be assigned to make a gift for will be sending off their gift in the mail as well.

Is it expensive to post things worldwide?
This website calculates postage for the USA.
This website calculates postage for the UK.
If you're from another country trying Googling your country name and "postage costs", "postage calculator" or "postage rates".

Is it expensive to get a print made?
It's about $1 for a 5x7" print from deviantART, or between $5-7 for an A4. If you're mailing a digital drawing or a photo you MUST get a print made! (It doesn't have to be from deviantART but home printers won't cut it.)
You'll also need postage costs but I think you could probably mail from dA to them directly and so avoid paying postage twice.
FAQ #121: What does it cost me to buy my own prints?

How can I make a print?
Check out this guide to getting prints made on deviantART.

I'm a photomanipulator/tattooist/calligrapher/tutorial maker/something else not in the three categories
I realise there are other galleries on dA than the ones listed but the simpler it is the easier it will be to give people a matching they're happy with. I've tried to keep the categories broad enough that everyone should feel they can do SOMETHING on the list.

Why have you removed photography from the categories?
Last year we included photography but of the 136 participants, only 3 were exclusively photographers (although a lot of people listed it as "something else I can do"). Considering that it's a lot harder to make a specific request of a photographer and have the request also be something that's reasonable for them to complete, I have decided to remove it. If this makes a lot of people unhappy then I will consider adding it in again next year.
Photography is back for 2011!

Will you be participating in the Secret Santa?
Yes, I will be. Unfortunately I will know who my Santa is but I will stay well away from their page!

What about the Helpers?
It's up to them! If they choose to participate, I will keep their Santa secret from them though, and assign another Helper to that Santa

Will the matchings be done randomly?
They are what I would describe as semi-random. I have to match people up according to what their preferences are (e.g. one person wants to receive in the mail and has vetoed literature - they can't be paired with someone who is a writer and can't send it by post) and then they are somewhat randomised amongst the people who "fit". But if the first matching that randomly comes up I don't think people will be happy with, I try again. I also spend a long time tweaking the pairings - for example, maybe someone would die for a drawing of a particular anime, and I know that someone else specialises in that anime, I might nudge things around so that they get paired up. Similarly perhaps someone really wants a scarf and I see someone who makes them. Of course, not everybody will get a "perfect" matching like this, but I think that spending the extra time and tweaking things around so that everybody gets a wishlist that they're (hopefully!) happy with is worth the extra effort.