Stargate Atlantis Secret Santa 2012

In 2005, back when the SGA fandom was still wee and we had about 150 stories on Wraithbait and about 100 people on the mailing list, moonlettuce turned to me and said, "Hey, you know what would be really fun?"

Knowing Claire as I do, I immediately started looking for the nearest exit.

"No," she said. "Hear me out. We should totally run a Secret Santa for SGA. It will be awesome!" *

I eyed her warily, as is my wont whenever she gets that look in her eye. "Won't that be a lot of work?"

"Nah." She waved her hand loftily. "If we're lucky, we might get 10, 20 people signing up?" **

9 exchanges, several million words and 780 stories later...

We honestly never thought back then that we'd reach the milestone of 10 SGA Secret Santa Exchanges and yet, here we are. Yes, 2014 is our 10th exchange, and we've thoroughly enjoyed *** every single one of them.



Thank you all for making this milestone possible! ♥

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. We've therefore we've decided that this year's exchange will be the last one. 10 seems a good round number to stop at, and with the fandom becoming increasingly quiet, and the number of sign ups diminishing year on year, we'd like to end on a relatively high note rather than outstay our welcome :)

We will continue to keep the comm on both LJ and DW to serve as a record of all of the fun we've had, and I'll continue to archive all of the stories that were too big to post to LJ, so none of the stories or comments left on them will disappear. For that same reason - to make sure that everything that's ever been posted as part of the fest continues to be available - we won't be handing the reins of this particular exchange over to anyone else, although if anyone wants to run their own SGA exchange next year, we will, of course, offer any advice and support we can.

So, with the aim of going out with a bang rather than a whimper, sign ups will open tomorrow and run for longer than usual to give everyone who wants to take part in our last hurrah the chance to come and play. The deadline for story submissions will still be December 10th, and posting will start on December 14th.

So while you're thinking of all the things you want to ask for or to write, please, please spread the word of the fest far and wide to anyone you think might be interested. It would be lovely to see some past participants join us for our last big blow out.

So let's go out with a bang, and - most of all - have fun! :D



* Claire was not wrong about the awesome :D

** we had 84

*** for a value of 'enjoy' that involves swearing copiously at spreadsheets :D Damn you, conditional formatting!

If anyone is still working on Santa Madness, they need to be with us by tomorrow if you want them posting anonymously as part of the fest.

However if you're still working on something and aren't going to get it finished in time, you're more than welcome to post them to the main comm yourself (rather than have us post anonymously) even if it's after 1 January :)

And while I'm on the subject of reminders, can I ask that everyone please remember to leave feedback for your authors. Someone tried very hard to write you something that they thought you'd enjoy, so please take a moment to say thank you for their gift to you. I know sometimes it's a little embarrasing to acknowledge getting a story if you had to default, and I know that a lot of people are very busy at this time of year and are afk, but please don't let that stop you coming back later and saying something. I know your author would appreciate that, and Claire and I would, too :)

Thank you!

Pinch hitter 1: Likes McKay/Sheppard, AUs of all sorts, especially What If AUs. AUs that have them with an age disparity. Rodney as a teen meeting an adult John is a particular weakness. Alternate versions of John and/or Rodney having sex with canon John/Rodney. Main squicks are: noncon, 'gay for you' stuff, sex without affection.

Pinch hitter 2: Mitchell/Sheppard or Carter/Sheppard for preference but also Chuck/Woolsey, McKay/Sheppard, , Beckett/McKay and many other secondary pairings it's okay to include. SG-1 crossovers welcome. Likes ship fic. No femslash pairings as the main pairing, but secondary pairings fine.

Pinch hitter 3 (wrote three pinch hits): McKay/Sheppard, loves team fics and Teyla and Ronon being present and being awesome. Stargate AUs and transformation fics especially welcome.

Pinch hitter 4: Sheppard-centric fic. Sheppard/various pairings (Sheppard/Vala, Sheppard/Dex/Emmagan in particular) or gen. No Beckett, McKay or Weir as main characters.

Pinch hitter 5: Lorne/Parrish or Lorne-centric gen. Loves minor character fic.

Pinch hitter 6: McKay/Sheppard, Keller/McKay/Sheppard, Emmagan/Weir (it seems that this pairing is one of those 'always asks, never gets' ones :D), Lorne/Zelenka, Dex/Zelenka, Cadman/anyone but Sheppard or McKay, Chuck/anyone. Main do not want is McKay or Sheppard paired with anyone else.

Trying to keep them anonymous as far as possible, so I've paraphrased where I can. And our final pinch hitter didn't sign up but is quite happy not to submit prompts, so a round of applause for them instead is in order, I think :D

Okay, now I really can collapse in a heap, or at least take my son out for a walk before he forgets what fresh air tastes like. I'm planning to take tomorrow off from modly duties, so please don't panic if you don't get a reply within 24 hours to any submissions for Madness as we usually do :)

Have a lovely Christmas, everyone, and Happy Holidays!