I didn't even get onto music in my last reply. I'm not doing a very good job of keeping up with new music these days. Big fan of U2, REM, Crowded House. I have been leaning into my 90s nostalgia recently- Blur, Catatonia, Dido, Garbage, Counting Crows. #SecretSantaAoNZ

This one could take a while! I read a lot, mostly crime/mystery novels (Michael Connelly, M W Craven, J D Robb, Tessa Gerritsen, Ian Rankin & many more) but also love Terry Pratchett. I watch way too much TV, mainly British crime/detective shows recently... #SecretSantaAoNZ

My sweet husband planted some forget-me-nots in our garden 'cos I love them so. He just bought a stem inside for me to admire. I adore the teeny tiny delicate blue blooms 💙 I tried to take a photo to share, but I'm not clever enough to get a shot without showing my messy lounge in the background

Either, or sometimes both! I wear size 9.5 shoes (US I think?). I don't know my hat size sorry, don't wear them often. Don't know my glove size either- my ancient, boring black gloves have no size label. #SecretSantaAoNZ

Thought of a few other #SecretSantaAoNZ hints. I don't have any pets, but I enjoy pics & videos of other people's pets, especially my sister's french bulldog, Jack (they live in Melbourne). I love art & trinkets with nz native bird images. I also like giraffes & tigers.

Re #SecretSantaAoNZ I wanted to re-iterate what other players have said more eloquently...it really is the thought that counts. I'm just excited to get something for me in the post that I didn't have to pay for! Whatever you have the capacity to send, whether home-made, thrifted, or re-gifted...

Happy match day to those who celebrate 🎉 I'm grateful to have matched with someone who has posted plenty of hints, got some pondering to do 🤔 #SecretSantaAoNZ

I don't have any allergies, but it doesn't take much scent to set off my hayfever symptoms. I don't have a sense of smell, so smelly things are a bit wasted on me anyway. #SecretSantaAoNZ

If you look at how I spend most of my time, you would say doom-scrolling & playing solitaire on my phone! I make greeting cards, using various techniques (e.g. stamping, stenciling, die-cutting, stitching). I watch a lot of TV, while doing cross-stitch embroidery or building Lego. #SecretSantaAoNZ

I don't wear a lot of jewellery, mostly I don't remember to put it on. I have pierced ears & I enjoy a cute earring, but nothing too big. I prefer silver or white gold, and blue stones or beads. #SecretSantaAoNZ

I guess if I have a lot of something it counts as a collection. So let's say I collect Lego, craft supplies (especially pretty papers & colorful embroidery threads & pens & notebooks), books, care bears. #SecretSantaAoNZ

Pretty much anything that's bad for me or I'm not supposed to eat! Dark chocolate, caramel, ready salted potato chips, turkish delight, cream donuts, orange choc chip icecream, all forms of potatoes (special mention for Donovans Chocolate Caramel Squares). Big no to bananas & tomatoes

let the hints begin. My fav colour is any & all shades of blue. Also, I am always on the look out for intriguing colour combinations for crafting inspiration

OK, the FOMO won, sign up has happened #SecretSantaAoNZ Let the fun begin 🤶🎄🎁

Trying to kick start some Christmas spirit by adding a festive pen to the rotation at work #SecretSantaAoNZ

Excited to see #SecretSantaAoNZ kicking off. I had loads of fun participating at mid-winter, but I'm still trying to decide if I can juggle it with all the other commitments at this time of the year. will the FOMO overcome the over-thinking?

@foxylustygrover.bsky.social Hello I thought this might be relevant to your interests... www.avclub.com/idris-elba-l...

I support the teachers, nurses, doctors, and all other workers striking today here in Aotearoa. You deserve fair pay & safe working conditions. Our awful government needs to get their priorities in order - less money for helicopters & roads, more money for education & health! #Oct23Strike #nzpol

well that's the price I pay for coming out of the shadows & actually participating in one of these things

Slaving over a hot stove is a lot more fun when you pop on Catatonia's International Velvet & holler along. "I put horse's heads in people's beds, 'cause I am the mob." (why yes, I did come of age in the 1990s, why do you ask?!?)

Enjoying some Guy Mont-Spelling Bee (Aus) on this gloomy afternoon. The homophone round is still the funniest, most devious thing ever to come from Guy Montgomery's twisted mind. "I'd like to buy Bye Bye Bye by a bi" 🤣🤣🤣

@witchnwords.bsky.social Hello 👋 You Tube served me up this video today that I thought would be relevant to your interests. It brought to mind your poem from this week. youtu.be/03iBgkXb1EE?...

How's my week going? Just ordered my inner child another Care Bear in an attempt to fight the winter blues.

Tonight's soundtrack while cooking dinner was Dido's Life for Rent. I'd forgotten how much I love this album, and especially this track... youtu.be/tLpsDamWdIM?...

Ten writers by whom I've read more than five books Terry Pratchett L M Montgomery Jane Austen J D Robb Michael Connelly Ian Rankin Harlan Coben M W Craven Kathy Reichs Tess Gerritsen

anyone else totally bamboozled by going back to work on a Monday after a three day weekend? or just me & my tiny, broken brain??

Caught up on the feed after a break when the muse struck! #MWSecretSantaAoNZ has been good for getting a head start on making this year's Christmas cards. I got inspired by the wrapping paper on my gift, and I used a few of my new stickers to embellish

Thank-you Santa, such a lovely haul! Enough chocolate to fuel my crafting for a day or two 😉, cute pens & stickers, & a funky card. #MWSecretSantaAoNZ

Merry mid-winter secret Christmas to all who celebrate 🎄🎅 Enjoying the opening joy while waiting for my breakfast. I'll get to mine once I've been fed. #MWSecretSantaAoNZ

After a flurry of #MWSecretSantaAoNZ posts, I've gone a bit quiet on here. But I'm still here & getting excited for opening day. It won't be a midnight opening for me, this old lady can barely keep her eyes open past 9pm on a Friday night 😴

My cute new wallet arrived today. Thanks to @thesewphist.bsky.social for upgrading my card storage with some of my fav chonky birbs 😍

Giftee has confirmed receipt, so I can stop worrying if they got it & go back to worrying if they'll like it. 2 weeks to go 😬 #MWSecretSantaAoNZ

Had enough of work today, just wanna curl up in a ball under my desk. Getting asked to deal with things way outside my area of expertise is making me anxious.

Not me stalking my giftee's feed, hoping they mention that a package has arrived 🤞 (and hoping they post pics cos I forgot to & my box was a work of art if I may say so myself) #MWSecretSantaAoNZ

Getting whiplash from some of music contrasts on Coast in the office this morning - from the lovely croon of Dido's Thank-You (which I'm slightly embarrassed to admit I quoted in a speech at my wedding in 2001 😊), to Def Leppard 's Pour Some Sugar on Me 😜

The Secret Santa Gods smiled on me - no queue at the PaperPlus NZ Post counter, handed over the parcel, waved my credit card, and presto, my gift is on its way #MWSecretSantaAoNZ

Having a delightful day in my craft-room wrapping & labeling & writing notes for my giftee #MWSecretSantaAoNZ

3 batches of afghans baked, 1 batch iced so far...gonna be up all night. My contribution to a 70th birthday lunch tomorrow. Gotta get it done tonight as our power is scheduled to be off from 9am tomorrow. So tired 😴

I'd love a card. I make & give a lot of cards & so rarely get them back.

Yay, it's here. Thanks to my efficient Santa! 7 June feels like a long way off... #MWSecretSantaAoNZ

So happy to be making good progress with my #MWSecretSantaAoNZ gift. All online purchases have arrived & all hand-made items are complete. Found the perfect box for shipping today in my collection of boxes too good to throw out. Just a few notes to write & some wrapping to do & we'll be good to go.

we know how to rock a Saturday night here at my place. I built Lego pandas while watching a Mission Impossible movie.

Spent way too much time this afternoon making a birthday card for a family member. Having too many craft supplies might be a good problem to have but also leads to a lot of decisions to make - the creative process starts to feel like work. die cut or stamped sentiment? what shade of green cardstock?

Update: while hunting for snacks tonight I found a box of the caramel squares hiding in my pantry😃 Made my whole night. Now let's see if I can stop myself from eating them all tonight 😬

I highly recommend Kat's excellent, prompt service. Ordered & received some goodies this week. No cats at my place, so no pics to share. I'm looking forward to gifting it to some special people in my life & their cats 🎁😻

I don't know what they put in those Donovans dark chocolate caramel squares, but it's been 5 days since I had one and I am jonesing hard. They're sold out at the only local supermarket I've ever seen them at. No other treats seem to satisfy the craving.

I just want to say ditto to everything Jaide says so eloquently. It's the thought & the fun that counts. And a big thank-you to all Santa's elves for their prompts, encouragement & enthusiasm! #MWSecretSantaAoNZ

I'm not a gamer, but I do enjoy board games when I can find someone to play with. Exploding Kittens is a favourite to play with our nephew. I do enjoy my daily puzzles, including Wordle, Waffle, Connections & others. And I often do Sudoku on the bus to work, the tougher the better #MWSecretSantaAoNZ

I do have pierced ears, just one in each. I prefer silver. My wedding/engagememt/eternity rings are white gold with a sapphire & channel set diamonds. I have necklaces & a charm bracelet that I hardly ever wear, I find them quite distracting when I do remember to put them on #MWSecretSantaAoNZ