Elfster is a proprietary software application providing social networking features related to "

secret Santa Secret Santa is a Western Christmas tradition in which members of a group or community are randomly assigned a person to whom they give a gift. The identity of the gift giver is to remain a secret and should not be revealed. Deriving from the ...

" style gift exchanges. It is available, without charge, as

software as a service Software as a service (SaaS ) is a software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted. SaaS is also known as "on-demand software" and Web-based/Web-hosted software. SaaS is co ...

, via a

website A website (also written as a web site) is a collection of web pages and related content that is identified by a common domain name and published on at least one web server. Examples of notable websites are Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Wikip ...

and via

mobile app A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on ...

s for iOS and

Android Android may refer to: Science and technology * Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human * Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system ** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...

. The website's features include a universal wishlist, an anonymous Q&A section, personalized gift recommendations, activity updates, and forum discussions. The company is headquartered in

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacen ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

History

Elfster was founded by software engineer Peter Imburg in 2004 after hearing about the difficulty his wife and sister had when trying to organize a Secret Santa for their family. In November 2011, the website reached 2 million members. In

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

of the same year, the Elfster Facebook App was launched for mobile device users. The app also serves as an extension of Elfster.com's service.

Services

Elfster can be used to create wishlists and organize online gift exchanges. Users can find friends in Elfster, and follow their wishlists. Items can be added from any site online, and with the Elfster mobile app, bar code scanning allows items to be added on the go. When organizing an online gift exchange, Elfster draws names randomly and allows users to ask their draw partner questions anonymously - maintaining secrecy in a "

high-tech High technology (high tech), also known as advanced technology (advanced tech) or exotechnology, is technology that is at the cutting edge: the highest form of technology available. It can be defined as either the most complex or the newest tec ...

way". Elfster provides a series of tools for organizing secret gift exchanges such as automated event-organization, name pairing, draw restrictions, gift guidance, wishlists, and anonymous questions and answers. Elfster helps with the logistics of determining who wants to participate, drawing names, and communicating the names that were drawn, while identities remain secret In December 2009, Elfster collaborated with

Claire's Claire's (formerly known as Claire's Boutiques, Claire's Boutique and Claire's Accessories) is an American retailer of accessories, jewelry, and toys primarily aimed toward tween and teen girls. It was founded in 1961 and is based in Hoffman E ...

to create Secret Santa Circle, a temporary Secret Santa website for the jewelry retailer. In November 2010, new features were added including trending gifts, activity updates and the ability to suggest and share gift ideas.Bonjour Events
Elfster: When Secret Santas Need an Elf - Fresh Event Tips -
November 2, 2010

References

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External links

Elfster website

Elfster.com Brings Secret Santa to Facebook

* ttps://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/01/fashion/recent-college-graduates-wait-for-their-real-careers-to-begin.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Generation Limbo: Waiting It Out

History

Services

References

External links

See also