since everyone else is doing it...
Step One
Make a post (public, friendslocked, filtered...whatever you're comfortable with) to your LJ. The post should contain your list of 10 holiday wishes. The wishes can be anything at all, from simple and fandom-related ("I'd love a Snape/Hermione icon that's just for me") to medium ("I wish for _____ on DVD") to really big ("All I want for Christmas is a new car/computer/house/TV.") The important thing is, make sure these wishes are things you really, truly want.
If you wish for real life things (not fics or icons), make sure you include some sort of contact info in your post, whether it's your address or just your email address where Santa (or one of his elves) could get in touch with you.
Also, make sure you post some version of these guidelines in your LJ, so that the holiday joy will spread.
Step Two
Surf around your friendslist (or friendsfriends, or just random journals) to see who has posted their list. And now here's the important part:
If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. Sometimes someone's trash is another's treasure, and if you have a leather jacket you don't want or a gift certificate you won't use--or even know where you could get someone's dream purebred Basset Hound for free--do it.
You needn't spend money on these wishes unless you want to. The point isn't to put people out, it's to provide everyone a chance to be someone else's holiday elf--to spread the joy. Gifts can be made anonymously or not--it's your call.
There are no rules with this project, no guarantees, and no strings attached. Just...wish, and it might come true. Give, and you might receive. And you'll have the joy of knowing you made someone's holiday special.
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my mini xmas wish list:
1. any art or craft supplies, especially for screenprinting, bookbinding, a gocco machine, drawing pens, yarn, fabric, or anything that is vintage or that will be discarded so i can reuse them and save the landfill space!
2. organizing stuffs like bins, drawers, a portfolio or two
3. craft books and patterns for knitting, sewing, etc.
4. someone that will consistently help me organize and update the website(s)
5. someone in the area that can flesh-and-blood help with the distro and library; an intern?!
6. donations of $ or supplies to help maintain the distro, library, etc. such as recycled paper reams, postage, envelopes, stickers, stock, etc.
7. flesh-and-blood friends! i have very few these days since i'm back in the 'rents house
8. a digital camera, preferably slr or the kodak with the 10x optical zoom
9. a handheld voice recorder and blank tapes to fit so i can record my ideas when i don't feel like writing but have story ideas to flesh out
10. indie rock mix cds. nearly all my music is at steve's parent's house on the old computer and i can certainly list some favorites.
bonus: an espresso machine with steaming wand and an alpaca