The categories are basically this:
Secret Santa: Wants to buy someone a gift/gifts and wants to be gifted something themselves.
Secret Elf: Wants to buy someone a gift/gifts, but doesn't want a gift themselves.
Helper Elf: If a Secret Santa is incapable of buying a gift/gifts, one of them steps in for them, so the giftee still receives a gift.

The process in all cases is to look at the giftees wishlist (the user you are supposed to buy a gift for, the host of Secret Santa will tell you, who that is, after sign up is closed) and pick a game/games and buy it/them as a gift/gifts and send the giftcode/s via PM to the host of Secret Santa, along with an optional note for the giftee.

I hope, I got everything right. If not, please someone correct me.

Okay thanks, so secret santa gives a gift and receives a gift.
The other ones i understand

Gift wrapped and ready for delivery.

Santa is warming up the sledge's engines

"Hoo! Hoo!" came the muffled cries of my owl companion, Puffy Face. He sounded as if he was attempting to hoot with too many marshmallows stuffed inside his puffy cheeks. "Has the chimney monster gone away? Is it safe for me to come out now?"

I gazed up from the mug of hot cocoa I was sipping and noticed Puffy Face crouching behind his gigantic red cup with dramatic eyes, his feathers all ruffled. That red cup was my Christmas gift to him some years back and I had it custom made with double handles, conveniently suited for the owl that he was. Though, I never quite understood why Puffy Face insisted on filling his mug with hot cocoa, when everyone in the North Pole knew that he disliked hot cocoa very much. It was the sweet marshmallows he was after and he fooled absolutely nobody! He'd gobble those up before they even had the time to melt into that pool of hot chocolate. And then he'd politely ask for more marshmallows to top the brown brew that he disliked.

"That was no chimney monster, " I chuckled, reassuring Puffy Face. "Did you not recognize Rudolph? The red-nosed reindeer?" I paused for a moment to set my mug of hot cocoa on the table and waited for Puffy Face to respond. He was no longer crouching now, but pecking at the fallen marshmallows littering the saucer beneath his red cup.

"Well, Rudolph was here to deliver some very important messages..." I continued, though I realized I was poor competition for those squishy marshmallows. Nonetheless, I pretended that Puffy Face was attentively listening to my every word. "The first message is on behalf of Santa BranjoHello, with the wonderful announcement that we've managed to set a new record this year as the most populated Secret Santa event since 2015! That's awesome news, don't you think?"

"Hoo! Hoo! The more, the merrier!" Puffy Face's eyes lit up with delight, his face a fluffy bundle of feathers beneath his red Christmas hat. But with his beak oozing with gooey confectionery, I was beginning to suspect that Puffy Face was talking about marshmallows when he said the more, the merrier.

"The second message that Rudolph delivered is on behalf of Santa zeffyr," I carried on. "Our Secret Santa mission has begun! We've been assigned our giftee!" I showed Puffy Face the beautiful card onto which the giftee's name had been preciously penned in ink.

"Hoo! Hoo! Holy marshmallows!" Puffy Face waved his wings in excitement. "What a pleasure to have been paired with..."

I almost spat my hot cocoa in my owl companion's direction. I don't know how I managed, but with lightening precision, my fingers squished a chewy marshmallow straight into his beak. "Now, now, Puffy Face... we have a code of conduct to respect, as Secret Santas, which forbids us to utter a giftee's name. On a still and snowy night in winter wonderland, voices carry!"

Puffy Face remained silent for a moment, possibly to contemplate the faux-pas he came so close to commit. Or, maybe he was simply blissfully savouring the marshmallow I had corked up his beak?

"Hoo! Hoo!" hooted Puffy Face, "I think I am ready to take flight!"

By the looks of my owl friend's eyes and his agitated feathers, it appears the sugar rush had taken hold of Puffy Face. He was ready to jolt, alright!

"I need a moment to consult our giftee's wishlist and wrap up the presents in colourful paper and ribbons too!" I tossed my unfinished hot cocoa aside and got busy at the Christmas workshop station. Never an easy task wrapping up DRM-free games! Fortunately, the workshop was equipped with gift boxes of various sizes and colours, so it made it a winter breeze to find the right box for the right game!

Puffy Face dashed outdoors to where the magic sleigh was parked and I followed right behind, helping to carry the presents outside and load the sleigh. Puffy Face was flapping his wings manically, a bit too eager to hit the sky with a sleigh full of joy.

"Be sure to deliver our giftee's gifts straight to Santa zeffyr," I pecked a kiss on Puffy Face's forehead. "Have a safe journey! And, please, try not to eat them all at once..."

I handed Puffy Face a stash of squishy marshmallows, for the road.

What a wonderful piece of storytelling! :)

Another wrapped package sent to central delivery hub.
With around two days remaining, it's getting to be overcrowded there :)

They may seem like empty words because...easy to claim before the date, but I'll see you all here next year to join in! Hope all who joined in this year had a blast!

This old Santa just delivered to chief Santa-zeffyr - he was fast asleep and snoring.
But just like last year, I drunk all the eggnog and ate all the cookies, so had none to leave him for all his hard work.
Perhaps a kind Helper Elf can come forward and save the day?

As I wrote in PM to one of our Santas, it's so nice the Santa's warehouse is magical and expanses accordingly. Otherwise it wouldn't be possible to fit such a huge pile of gifts within it! :-)

Almost all of the gifts are already waiting to be delivered to you, piling up, creating a wonderful Christmas Tree of Gifts!

Hey, Rudolph, stop eating all the ribbons! Excuse me, but orange ribbons look like shredded carrot to him :)

I'm just waiting for few last ones, and soon I'll be ready to put them on the sleigh. Be ready, make some room, as these gifts are huge! :)

Once upon a snowy December evening, the Good Old Games community was buzzing with excitement. The 15th edition of the Secret Santa event was about to kick off, and everyone was eagerly awaiting the gift exchange. The forum was alive with chatter, and the contributors were ready to spread some holiday cheer.

In the heart of the North Pole, Santa zeffyr was busy organizing the mountain of gifts that had piled up in the magical warehouse. "Rudolph, stop eating all the ribbons!" Santa zeffyr exclaimed, as the mischievous reindeer mistook the orange ribbons for shredded carrots.

Meanwhile, in a cozy corner of the workshop, Puffy Face the owl was sipping hot cocoa with extra marshmallows. "Hoo! Hoo! The more, the merrier!" he hooted, his eyes twinkling with delight. Puffy Face was eagerly waiting for the moment when he could take flight and deliver the gifts to all the good gamers.

Back in the forum, FlockeSchnee was explaining the Secret Santa process to Fonzer, who was new to the tradition. "It's simple, really," FlockeSchnee said. "You just pick a game from your giftee's wishlist and send it to them. It's all about spreading joy and surprises!"

Lone_Scout, the halfling cook from Spain, was busy wrapping gifts with precision. "Gift wrapped and ready for delivery," he announced proudly. The excitement was palpable as everyone prepared their presents.

Matterbandit, with his trusty owl companion Puffy Face, was getting ready for the big night. "Hoo! Hoo! Holy marshmallows!" Puffy Face exclaimed as he saw the beautiful card with the giftee's name. "Remember, we have a code of conduct to respect. No revealing the giftee's name!" Matterbandit reminded his feathered friend.

As the night grew colder, the forum contributors gathered around the virtual fireplace, sharing stories and laughter. HypersomniacLive, the reluctant voter from Vatican City, recounted last year's adventure of delivering gifts while Santa zeffyr was fast asleep. "I drank all the eggnog and ate all the cookies, but it was worth it!" he chuckled.

With the sleigh loaded and ready, Puffy Face flapped his wings excitedly. "I think I am ready to take flight!" he hooted. The sleigh took off into the starry night, carrying the joy and warmth of the Good Old Games community to every corner of the world.

And so, the 15th edition of the Good Old Games Secret Santa began, filled with laughter, surprises, and the spirit of giving. Happy holidays to all, and may your game libraries be ever-growing!

*chuckles*

Excuse me, but I'm incorrigible and did the same thing this year, hence the call for a helping hand.
Fortunately, there are better Santas (even Elves!) than me, and an offer has already been made, so there's still hope for Chief Santa-zeffyr to enjoy some well-deserved eggnog and cookies before the season ends.

~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~

Keep the stories coming folks, it's such a joy to read them.

That was a fun read, nmillar! Thank you! :)

Yes, please! :D

I would like to inform my Secret Santa that, considering that at Christmas is also my Name Day, it is most probable that I won’t be getting online on Christmas Day (and maybe not on the 26th too). So, don’t be alarmed if I don’t activate the code on those days!

Χρόνια πολλά και καλά, Χριστάρα!

Ευχαριστώ πολύ! Καλά Χριστούγεννα να έχεις! :)