2012 has been a year of growth for Elfster. We’ve seen unprecedented numbers in exchanges, new users, return users — and most important to YOU, the elf, we’ve been growing in usability too! Some of these we’ve talked about before, but here’s a list of some of the best features we’ve added or improved on in the last year! 1. CHILD ACCOUNTSChild accounts are for any account you need to care for, and now you [...]

Sending your child off to college can be one of the most bittersweet moments for any parent. There is joy to see the success and independence that your child has achieved, as well as worry and sadness at the thought of your “little one” being out there on their own. Nowhere is this more apparent than when you are sending your child off to not just college, but to a career in the military. Elfster [...]

Halloween is almost here, and by now most people have their costumes ready to go.  For some people, they may not want to commit to a full costume, but there’s a whole world of ways to celebrate with a special Halloween accent!  Recently, an Elfster group celebrated Halloween by exchanging spooky nail polish and nail designs.  We asked one of the participants, Jessica Beswick, the nail blogger behind Ruby’s Nails to help us with some [...]

Everyone knows that our elves rely on magic to get things done.  We know that magic can come in many different forms, and that there are different ways to celebrate what you believe in.  Of course, we are attracted to stories that contain elements of fantasy and fairytale, much like the story of elves.   Imagine how excited we were to discover a group of fans of the TV show Once Upon a Time using Elfster [...]

It sneaks up on us so fast…one minute the kids are going back to school.  Suddenly, it’s time for Halloween.  Soon, you’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving.  Then it’s just a short month until Christmas.     Before it’s time to trim the tree and deck the halls, we suggest these tips to make your holiday life a little less frantic :) 1. Plan for salesBlack Friday?  Cyber Monday?  While these sales are rooted in American holiday [...]

You may not be thinking of the holiday season yet; after all, it’s still three months until Christmas.  But the holidays can be a frantic, if amazing, time of the year when you don’t want to lose out on any memories.  A bit of head-start planning can save you heartache and headache in December.  So here’s a list of Elfster tips for things you can start thinking about and plan ahead of time:   1. [...]

If you have been following our blog you may already know that this summer the elves here at Elfster were busy as bees.  Elfster loves the many creative users that are building community and having fun on the site.  By popular demand, we have added some great features. We know that using Elfster and sharing your information about your gift exchanges will be more fun and easier than ever before. Here is a brief rundown [...]

You may or may not be familiar with the term, “brony”. That is the word used to describe any fan of the My Little Pony franchise that is outside the typical target group of young girls. This group includes both males and females, and is growing rapidly. In 2010 the re-envisioned television show, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic was aired, and the current fan movement began. Groups dedicated to the love of the show [...]

Elfster loves the many creative users that are building community and having fun on the site.  Every once in awhile we share fun and unique gift exchange stories like Joy to the Dorm and Secret Olympics Swap.  Recently Linda Gardner, the blogger behind the awesome crafting site, Craftaholics Anonymous, hosted an international gift exchange for over 600 Craftaholics worldwide and her exchange is the focus of this Elfster customer love spotlight. Linda has “an obsession [...]

  Whether you are rooting for the home team, or inspired by the athletes from all around the globe, millions will tune in to watch the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics.  We know that one group of moms will be celebrating by opening a gift from their very special Elfster exchange! These ladies all met via a Facebook page dedicated to cloth nappies, or diapers as we say in the United States.  The [...]