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[Soapbox Killer]

Long story not as long, my boss was up from the home office in Alabama to visit some of us in the Philly office and we get to talking about the office Christmas party and I asked her "What are you guys doing for 'pollyanna' and she says "what the hell is a pollyanna?"

Come to find out that is our regional term for "secret santa."

What do you guys call the gifts you give to name you pull from a hat in the office or school setting?

 

[Rest]

It's just Secret Santa.

 

[johnsmith]

Secret Santa. Never heard of Pollyanna before.

 

[nhlducks35]

Secret Santa

 

[Already Torn]

Isn't that an Earthbound song?

Also I'm from Philly and that's not a real thing OP, you weirdo. You're making us look bad.

It also sounds like you're not actually describing secret Santa, but rather Nasty Christmas/Yankee Swap.

 

[Choomp]

Secret Santa or Kris Kringle. No clue what da hell Pollyanna is

 

[BoosterDuck]

Wait that Earthbound song means secret santa? Well color me surprised

 

[SS4Gogita]

Secret Santa. Never heard of Pollyanna before.

Yep.

 

[MattKeil]

Do people really not know Pollyanna is a classic novel and Hayley Mills film, not an Earthbound song?

Never heard it used as a name for Secret Santa, though. That's weird.

 

[Already Torn]

Do people really not know Pollyanna is a classic novel and Hayley Mills film, not an Earthbound song?

Never heard it used as a name for Secret Santa, though. That's weird.

It is an Earthbound song though.

 

[brianjones]

theres like a dozen names for this but pollyanna is a new one on me

It also sounds like you're not actually describing secret Santa, but rather Nasty Christmas/Yankee Swap.

yeah thats what I'm thinking of.. it was a joke on the office

 

[Trojita]

Pollyanna

An excessively cheerful or optimistic person

 

[Jzero]

Never heard of it

 

[Prinz Eugn]

We attended a "yankee swap" this year, but never heard of pollyanna. Apparently it's pretty regional, according to wiki.

 

[Already Torn]

We attended a "yankee swap" this year, but never heard of pollyanna. Apparently it's pretty regional, according to wiki.

It should clarify that it's used by basically nobody in southeastern Pennsylvania except for apparently OP.

 

[CadetMahoney]

pollyanna reminds me of some old western type thing.

 

[Kusagari]

Pollyanna is a term for incredibly cheery and optimistic people.

How does this apply to secret Santa?

 

[WrenchNinja]

Isn't that a disney movie. I remember watching it in 5th grade

 

[Pepiope]

Philly. I call it Pollyanna

 

[Burt]

vote dispersal as is correct

you monsters who vote otherwise

Spoiler

I live in Pennsylvania, it's secret santa

 

[Rest]

Thor 2 meme keeps on delivering.

 

[Prinz Eugn]

It should clarify that it's used by basically nobody in southeastern Pennsylvania except for apparently OP.

Yeah, I've been in central PA for 2.5 years and have never heard it. Yankee swap I at least was vaguely aware of.

 

[Mike M]

It's called Pollyanna anywhere?

 

[katsubento]

I've heard Secret Santa called many things. Never heard it called that name.

 

[The Lone Courier]

Whoever is the mod is going for the throat.

 

[Soapbox Killer]

It should clarify that it's used by basically nobody in southeastern Pennsylvania except for apparently OP.

Well there it is. A term only used in Philly and South Jersey. I didn't think it was that regional. Added to the list with: Jawn, Hoagie and "Down The Shore"

Philly. I call it Pollyanna

Thank Thor, I was feeling lonely and adrift in here.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

From Alabama myself and have also never heard that in my life.

 

[Ivan 3414]

Eenie meenie miney mo
Catch a tiger by his toe
If he hollers let him go
Eenie meenie miney mo

Recently I learned that "tiger" is a regional term for the n-word! Who knew!

 

[Trojita]

It's not called Pollyanna in Pennsylvania Poll Maker!

 

[Already Torn]

Well there it is. A term only used in Philly and South Jersey. I didn't think it was that regional. Added to the list with: Jawn, Hoagie and "Down The Shore"

Thank Thor, I was feeling lonely and adrift in here.

If it it makes you feel any better, they say "Hoagie" in Asgard too.

 

[Alucrid]

poll fucked up. pollyanna is used in southern new jersey too

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

Isn't Pollyanna a movie?

 

[stan423321]

Polish name is closer to Secret Santa, but A) it goes with the Nicholas naming scheme as Santa does, B) is mostly relegated to 8th Dec since that happens to be Nicholases' nameday in local tradition, C) is mostly associated with cringey mandatory school takes on the concept and I have not once heard of adults actually participating in ones - though maybe all are and just never told me.

 

[soundscream]

poll fucked up. pollyanna is used in southern new jersey too

Im from Northern NJ and have never heard this. That Philly influence is a corrupting one.

 

[Arc]

My dads side of the family calls it Secret Santa and my mom's side calls it pollyanna. My mom's side of the family lives in Pennsylvania.

 

[yogloo]

Elsewhere it's called polyamorous.

 

[SalvaPot]

Kinda sad no Earthbound reference in the pool, but I'll take Thor 2.

 

[xk0sm0sx]

Seeing thread title I thought the Earthbound song had a christmas arrangement in the game.

 

[super-famicom]

Isn't Pollyanna a movie?

That's what I thought, too.

 

[Rest]

Isn't Pollyanna a movie?

That's what I thought, too.

Is this what you guys are thinking of?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365737/

 

[Acorn]

Pollyanna

An excessively cheerful or optimistic person

And double o santa. Dun dun dun dunnnnn jjngle jingle

 

[super-famicom]

Is this what you guys are thinking of?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365737/

Nah, I was thinking of this: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054195/

 

[MattKeil]

It is an Earthbound song though.

Named after the book and/or movie character. And certainly not the source of this regional dialect peculiarity.

 

[DragonGirl]

Eenie meenie miney mo
Catch a tiger by his toe
If he hollers let him go
Eenie meenie miney mo

Recently I learned that "tiger" is a regional term for the n-word! Who knew!

Tiger is not a regional term for n- It is a replacement word for n-, because that song was originally written with n-, not tiger.

edit: Actually there have been many variations of the song, and one of the older ones used n-.

 

[Makonero]

Isn't that an Earthbound song?

Also I'm from Philly and that's not a real thing OP, you weirdo. You're making us look bad.

It also sounds like you're not actually describing secret Santa, but rather Nasty Christmas/Yankee Swap.

Wait that Earthbound song means secret santa? Well color me surprised

It is an Earthbound song though.

Kinda sad no Earthbound reference in the pool, but I'll take Thor 2.

Seeing thread title I thought the Earthbound song had a christmas arrangement in the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hVuv7mDNqM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-iuEbozv1Y

 

[Jakten]

I live in Southern Ontario and I have heard of it referred to as Pollyanna though not for a long time.

 

[Soapbox Killer]

Also I'm from Philly and that's not a real thing OP, you weirdo. You're making us look bad.

It also sounds like you're not actually describing secret Santa, but rather Nasty Christmas/Yankee Swap.

Really? I'm in my 30's and have worked in every corner of the city (and bucks and delco) and I always heard gift giving called that. You stand with us and change whatever bunk you were saying and call it POLLYANNA from now on. I am the official GAF delegate from the Philadelphia Charter, The Motion Is Carried!

 

[Already Torn]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hVuv7mDNqM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-iuEbozv1Y

I love it, thanks!

 

[Makonero]

I love it, thanks!

I listen to the whole MOTHER soundtrack at work sometimes. The vocals are cheesy but so catchy and earnest. Love that stuff.