Of all the forums I've been and am still currently a part of, this is, by far, the one that likes making nearly everything a Rube Goldberg process. You're going around Robin Hood's barn with this, mate; a $60 budget is plenty enough, and this is ignoring the fact the average budget for an event like this usually fluctuates around $20–$50. But, of course, we're talking about video games here, so...
And before there's any kind of talk of whether the budget should be increased, I believe no, $60 is a fair price range to adhere to. What has to be done here is the giftees taking that price to heart and properly using the wish list to add games that don't go over the stipulated price, as well as come to terms with the possibility that their Secret Santa may end up gifting just one game that could possibly cost them $60. That of course doesn't mean a Secret Santa can't throw something else in the package for the sake of Christmas, but this notion of always expecting more than one thing is, in my sincerest opinion, detrimental to the spirit of the event.
I was going to continue my train of thought, but then I remembered what I said previously (quoted above). What
NickAwesome said I feel is also quite fitting, which I'll quote below. There's really no more to this; otherwise, efface the current budget and let the gifter decide how much they want to spend based on their giftee's wish list and their own budgetary constraints. But, again, $60 is more than enough.
The only expectation any recipient should have is that you are guaranteed to receive at least $60 worth of videogames or videogame related items before shipping that is not a duplicate of anything you own on your vgcollect profile, is in the region you prefer, and is on your wishlist if that is what you express to the organizer.
If a Secret Santa wants to exceed the $60 threshold- they should be free to do so- but the expectation should not be that everyone has to do so- otherwise what's the point of even having a minimum.
There should be a budget, it's just that there doesn't have to be much of a guideline if people decide to go over it.
And there it is; there you have it: Bod's your uncle.
This goes against the basic principles of both a budget and a gift-exchange event. Budgets are meant to be adhered to as close as possible. Meanwhile, budgets are often set for gift-exchange events so that every participant receives an equal value gift. So, naturally, if one is allowed to go over-budget but is still expected to send a gift of equal value, that allowance should be minimal. If 0% is the agreed-upon budget, then one should aim to keep the additional percentage as low as they can.
Good grief, dude, cut the magniloquence a tad, you essentially repeated what
sworddude said. It's obvious that budgets for this type of event are meant to be adhered to, and it's obvious that if a gifter wishes to go over the established budget, they're well within their right to do so; it's their choice if they want to spend a few more bucks "for the sake of Christmas", especially if their giftee happens to be someone that they appreciate. That's, after all, partly the spirit of the event. A terse note saying that the budget is X amount but that going over it is left at the gifter's discretion should suffice. And as far as shipping costs go, the mere thought of mixing them with the budget is, to put it bluntly, asinine, especially when taking international shipping costs into account. When you're out and about looking to buy gifts during Christmas or for any other occasion, do you include shipping costs as part of your budget, particularly when it involves a loved one?
I mean, I'm probably going to get lambasted for saying this given the track record, but this is common sense, or rather, let's say common knowledge for the sake of the argument; it doesn't need to be made as intricate as an IKEA instructional manual. Just make sure the first post clearly enumerates the basics of a Secret Santa, as if you were explaining it to a 5-year-old, and be specific about the overall budget and the role the wish list plays in the event. And, in regards to gifts being of "equal value", since I'm sure you're still going to bring that up if I don't make mention of it, that's the point of the wish list, where users should include items that fall within the set budget. If a user only has one item that's within the budget and a bunch of other items that cost $10 where the gifter is unable to find the one of higher value but many of the lower-valued ones, then that user can't come here complaining that they somehow got fleeced or that their Secret Santa didn't "fill their quota". I'll have to cut my argument here, given that I was going to mention how the wish list function here has a dropdown menu that sets a priority flag to whatever item you add to it, which in turn could have further helped a Secret Santa know what items to zero in on for their giftees, but, as it turns out, that feature is a total bust. Why am I not surprised...?
For a whole decade, this event has seen various degrees of success, with its few hiccups here and there, sure, some due to user error, others due to miscommunication, to the point we managed to have a strong bond of camaraderie when participants were willing to pitch in given it seemed one user hadn't received their gift, in the end resolving itself when they finally did (and apparently receiving a second when someone sent a care package). Now we have to go through this otiose exercise all because of a thankless jerkwad? Fuck no. This type of event is supposed to be fun and simple, something I feel
soera abundantly demonstrated during the time he hosted the event; we're not dealing with quantum mechanics here.
I didn't want to speak to the people who had to pay for overseas shipping, but I had a feeling this might be the case.
And why would you not, especially when you yourself said that "shipping can be pricey"? If that's a truth for you, then it's safe to say it's also for someone living on the other side of the globe, especially if they're shipping internationally. The basics of Secret Santa are universal. C'mon, man, you're a mod now; look out for your fellow denizens.