(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Twitter-based festive gifting initiative spreading happiness during season
Worshippers attend the Christmas mass at the St Mary’s Church in Dubai on Wednesday. — KT photo
Dubai — Some Tweeple in the UAE are rejoicing this Christmas over gifts presented to them by Secret Santas their unknown friends from the virtual world of social media.
A Twitter-based festive gifting initiative which uses the handle uaesecretsanta has seen participants sending and receiving gifts ranging from books chocolates flowers key chains dolls t-shirts wallets makeup kits personalised cards letters and other festive goodies. Some others have gone greater lengths to send imported gifts including branded watches perfumes and bags.
Albeit similar to the Secret Santa concept in schools colleges and offices the online initiative does not involve people known to each other.
Applicable across the emirates it primarily encourages Twitter users to enjoy the spirit of gifting and go beyond the boundaries of nationalities and religion in spreading happiness during the festive season. Around 200 people have become Secret Santa through the initiative this year Head Santa Monika who handles the account told Khaleej Times.
An auditor with a Dubai firm Indian expatriate Monika was inspired by a similar initiative in Mumbai. “I’d taken part in mumbaisecretsanta in 2012. Last year I was here and thought why can’t we have something similar over here” said Monika who gets a helping hand from online friends Kunal and Nazia in coordinating the project.
Secret Santa is also an attempt to give a personal touch to the festive celebrations which are getting highly commercialised. This year’s edition began as early as October when interested Tweeple were asked to contact the Head Santa to take part.
“We generally make sure these are not fake profiles and also get someone else to vouch for the fact that the participants will indeed send out gifts. Once they are in we send them the form where they can fill in their general details wish list likes dislikes and so on. ”
The ‘Secret Santa’gifts on Twitter pages.
The Head Santa then randomly allocates the Secret Santa for each participant. “The link to their Santa’s profile is sent as direct message. The gifts can be worth Dh50 and above.”
Participants can stalk their Christmas friend to pick clues about them through their posts and surprise them with gifts that are not in the wish list also. It is up to the Santa to remain anonymous or reveal the identity.
However all must post pictures of the gifts they received.
Many have expressed that they were excited like children when their Secret Santa’s gifts were delivered by courier guys. One man even posed himself as a courier staff to see the excitement of his secret friend without letting her know that he himself is her Santa.
Many like Dubai-based British author Rachel Hamilton received their gifts on Wednesday on the Christmas Eve. “Thank you uaesecretsanta for my great gifts — they arrived on my birthday which makes them even better” Hamilton tweeted.
sajilakhaleejtimes.com