pic by the talented @dayleeo

You know I like to come up with creative ideas right? :) so I was thinking of something we could all do in the next three weeks before christmas really rolls in and I’ve had this idea in another format for a while but maybe we can make it a reality, even on a small scale I think it would be pretty bad ass, here’s how it worked — these are the things you will need to have.

psstttt - smarturl.it/sssanta — locker me up friend!

first off, it’s not as simple as it could be. .. .

So the first thing I’ve discovered is that you CANNOT SEND FROM A PUBLIC WISHLIST TO AN AMAZON LOCKER ADDRESS which really blows because it would be super surprising for someone to just get an email to say here is the code and go and fetch it from a local locker — no sharing of your address details and you have no idea who it is, you just get a code and have to pick it up within four days, it’s kinda exciting — so we did some tests from our own public wish lists to see what would happen if we set NONE on the receive address to see if it would allow us to set where we receive it.

HO HO HO - Share Steemit Christmas! :)

• amazon locker location nearby (www.amazon.com/findalocker)
• your own public wishlist on amazon with items under £10/$10 on it
• fill in spreadsheet to be matched with someone in the same country
• probably best if you have an amazon prime account
• retweet, share the heck out of this, I want lots of christmas cheer! :)
• tag anything you talk about or do (even list name) with #SSSANTA

a quick video tutorial of going through the process ;)

So the idea is quite simple really, I’m not sure if amazon lockers are worldwide but I know for a fact that the US and the UK has them so I’m presuming you can find them in other countries, if so please let me know in the comments, I’d love this to be a global thing as it’s something I want to build on in 2018 for another side project.

Also if you don’t have an amazon account or amazon lockers nearby but you do have another service that works in the same way please suggest it so I can add it to the list/form that way I can match people in the same part of the world so they understand how that company or locker works in your ‘neck’ of the woods.

if this goes anywhere I think this would be a really cool yearly project to do — basically, fill in the form, say where you are at, add your Wishlist public id with the items that are $5 and set it up for the delivery address for the amazon locker, this way we don’t need your address or any details and I can just match someone with you via DM message to look at your list, a total surprise and it could be super fun! :)

Remember to find a local amazon locker to your area and that your public wishlist is linked to that location, that way we should be able to send fairly anon packages (secret santa) style and the person receiving it will either get it to their home address (if setup) or to the locker. Would prefer the locker as it’s part of the experience having the code and the magic door opening at the machine like an advent calendar! :)

For Amazon Locker Pickup Locations, you can select One-Day or Standard Pickup. If your order includes £10 or more of eligible books, or £20 or more of eligible items across any product category, your order will qualify for FREE Standard Pickup. Terms and Conditions apply. One-Day Pickup to an Amazon Locker is free for Amazon Prime members - if you're not an Amazon Prime member, you'll be charged £1.99. Click here for Standard Pickup rates.

if you get a package then please do this! :)

If you get matched on the list (my intention is to do two people at a time so I know that someone is getting something from someone else, I’m hoping we have enough interest in this to make it so everyone that takes part get’s something back so it nulls the cost as such but you get something random from someone else.. . some things to do if you get a package.. .

• make a post/vlog on steemit about it picking up the package :)
• do an unboxing, especially if you have no idea what it’s gonna be :)
• let us know if you took part who the person was you sent something too ;)

the wish lists are public, the urls are public too

You don’t have to take part in the spreadsheet if you don’t want too, I’m hoping that people will put a number of funny/silly items on their amazon public wishlist for people to make a selection from, if you just want to send something cute, funny with a little message inside from you at christmas time do that as well, just put your public amazon wishlist url in and see what happens, completely pot luck right? — this could be fun! :)

things to make this a success

• you wishlist should be set to NONE for address delivery
• add the locker of the person you get matched with to your address book
• you are delivering the wish list item to their local locker
• you MUST send the pickup code on the day you receive the email
• they have four days to pick up the package from the locker
• do NOT make the pickup code public, someone will potentially steal it!
• forward the pickup code via email to the email we give you for the person
• sometimes the lockers can be full, make sure to put two alternate lockers.
• gift wrapping is extra but would be a cute touch for someone ya love!
• please add useful stuff you will use to wishlist, have fun but use as activator!

You can google you secret santas relevant location to where you live just by finding out the name of the locker, I also put a review and linked up my steemit account and a picture (from @dayleeo, fire picture lady!) about the project for a bit of extra steemit juice, they might ask me to correct it but lots of people are using these lockers so the project might be discovered who knows.

either way, whatever, maybe amazon locker friends this year regardless, take the idea, run with it, use it, make a blogpost out of it, send something to a remote friend near a digital locker and put a smile on someones face this christmas! :)

I’ll be sending any names we get on the spreadsheet to someone in the respect same place in the country and I’ll try and match one for one, or just freestyle it yourself and find a public wishlist from the spreadsheet, add the relevant locker near to them they have put and go for it — I suggest you all add a few fun items under the amount to the list in case other people outside of the idea send something, it removes the item from the list once it’s been bought — I want to improve on this idea next year for sending food and supplies to people in need in different places in the country too but it needs a bit more thought ;)