I should have mine sent in within a few hours.
I'll also add my own two cents to this, after reading through the thread.
I've done a few SS events elsewhere before, and just want to mention a couple things. One - I think a good wishlist should be comprised only of items that you would be stoked to find under your tree on Xmas day. I think most people probably realize this, but you probably shouldn't put anything on there that is merely just padding a collection, or something you don't care a whole lot about. Granted, it needs to be reasonable and not too tough on your Santa, but don't set them up to underwhelm you with what you might consider to be just a so-so surprise. Two - While I agree to the spending guideline and I think it's a good way to discourage effortless or thoughtless gifts, let's not forget that SS isn't about money, but rather about spreading holiday cheer. I would hope that nobody is counting dollars and change on Xmas day, and that we can trust that good effort was put into each gift, and that everyone should be delighted with what their Santa brought them, given the wishlist they have turned in.
So I'm gonna throw my mindset out here, because I'm weird. If I get anything on my wishlist, I'm probably not going to be "stoked". I'll be glad and appreciative, but I highly doubt "stoked". If I were to get something Kashell 2014 style, sure I'd lose my mind, which I read as levels higher than stoked, but that can't and shouldn't be expected. For me, I think the only reasonable way I could come out of this anywhere near surprised is if my SS saw my wishlist, looked at my collection, and saw that their favorite game isn't in my collection and thinks it is a travesty and puts a copy in my SS box. Chances are, if I don't own it or it's not on my wishlist, it is a game I've not really heard of or never really gave a second thought. And for certain, if this happens, this game will likely be Game #1 of 52 Game Challenge 2017.
And as much as I agree with your sentiment on #2, I've received a lot of thoughtless SS gifts in my experience. Shoot, one year, my SS sent out an empty box and then deleted their account. Another year USPS lost the package and it was never replaced. That last one actually happened twice. This year I think is the first year that I'm only taking part in one SS event. And most years, I wind up signing up twice at places so my wife can get her own SS box and I just wind up sending out 2 SS boxes, but that's fine because I enjoy the hunt. Some people just don't care, and that is just tragic.
