613

I decided to start the traditional secret hats post, but instead of just another "here is how you get the secret hats" post, to also add in all the hats. There are two answers: one for the secret hats, and one for the regular hats.


Some notes about secret hats:

  • A secret hat for correctly guessing a secret hat will no longer be awarded.
  • There are no secret hats for pinging SE employees.

Note: Only edit the list of secret hats with definitive answers. This is not a place to post guesses. If you'd like to discuss hats further and/or work towards identifying what their triggers are, please do so in the chat. Comments are not meant for that type of extended conversation.

If there are regular hats that are not listed yet, please edit and add them. If you know more specific info about one of the hats, edit that in (a source would be preferable).

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  • 1
    Do we want to organize the secret hat discussion like I suggested here? Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 3:02
  • 1
    @TheGuywithTheHat there is a chatroom live right now here: chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/50144/ye-olde-hat-shoppe
    – J Sargent
    Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 4:40
  • 1
    Do you get hats for activity on Meta? Say Snapchat, do you get it for a +3 answer in a Meta question? Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 11:36
  • 26
    Am I allowed to participate if it's not winter here?
    – Tim Malone
    Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 23:17
  • 1
    @Sklivvz who knows...
    – ave
    Commented Dec 21, 2016 at 10:31
  • 1
    @fedorqui Yes. I have 4 hats on meta.SE. Also, one hat requires meta activity. ask, answer, or vote on the meta site.
    – mbomb007
    Commented Dec 23, 2016 at 14:45
  • How these Secret Hats are decided? Who make these Secret Hats, which is seen as the spoilers Answer over some Winter Bash questions?
    – shishir
    Commented Dec 27, 2016 at 6:13
  • bluefeet did, we have to find out the trigger as a community
    – bleh
    Commented Dec 28, 2016 at 1:16
  • 1
    There are too many secret hats. It's pointless if you just get one after another for basically doing nothing noteworthy.
    – Richard
    Commented Dec 30, 2016 at 1:08
  • 5
    @Richard Blasphemy! You can pry my abundance of secret hats from my cold, dead hands. ;) Commented Dec 30, 2016 at 17:32
  • @SevenSidedDie - I've lost interest. If you're not told what they're for (and when the names are utterly baffling) then they're basically meaningless. It also concerns me that some of these hats reward dumb/damaging behaviours.
    – Richard
    Commented Dec 30, 2016 at 17:49
  • 4
    @Richard Yes, if one appreciates hats mostly for their badge-like nature, it could be possible to feel as if too many secret hats that are too obscure in their awarding makes hats pointless. However, hats are for wearing, not just earning. That means that, for everyone else, there is plenty of point to having secret hats of any number. Winterbash doesn't just serve the gotta-catch-'em-all set. (Which is a perfectly fine motive! Just not universal.) Commented Dec 30, 2016 at 17:52
  • 1
    @Richard Which is delightful, if you like wearing hats. So to ground this in the original statement: pointless for some perhaps, but not pointless-without-qualification. Quite pointful for enough people for there to be a point to having many secret hats. Commented Dec 30, 2016 at 17:58
  • 2
    @Richard well good for you. but if you really don't care for the winter bash so much, there is a little button just for you called "I hate hats."
    – David
    Commented Dec 30, 2016 at 18:14
  • 2
    @Richard the vast majority of the secret hats I earned were complete surprises to me. The only secret hat I actively searched for was the Elementary one, but only because I had earned it on ELL and I couldn't figure out how, I wanted to win it on EL&U, too. I think, generally speaking, the secret hats were well thought out. Commented Jan 5, 2017 at 21:15

2 Answers 2

353

Secret Hats

Live updates during the Winter Bash can be found on this Google Doc (edit link can be found in the chatroom), discussion in this chatroom.

All criteria listed are official.


Don't Wanna Taco 'Bout it

Don't Wanna Taco 'Bout it

Edit or suggest an edit to 5 posts in a single UTC day, without commenting on the post


180°

180°

Vote to close a question, be the first to edit the question while it is closed, and vote to reopen it. Hammers are confirmed to work (for both the close and open)


This Is Fine

This Is Fine

Answer a bountied question and receive an upvote, but not the bounty. Answer must be posted during the bounty period but not necessarily during Winterbash.


Elementary

Elementary

Edit 5 questions that were posted more than a year ago


8,243,721

8,243,721

Delete 6 comments from under posts (not your own), that were edited by their owners after you commented on them


6

6

6 posts are edited by the owner after you commented on them


They Live

They Live

In the suggested edit review queue, either "Improve Edit" or "Reject and Edit" 5 times


Blue in the Face

Blue in the Face

Awarded for 10 distinct comments being upvoted, all posted during Winterbash.


Mild Mannered

Mild Mannered

Any zero-scored, accepted answer that remains zero-scored for at least 12h after accepting.


Where in the World

Where in the World
Where in the World (alternate)

For participating on a site, when it's December 21 (the December solstice) anywhere in the World.

(This hat comes in two forms, but you can only get one.)


The Hatter

The Hatter

Post a question 6:00pm in any timezone. The question must have at least one upvote.


Trendsetter

Trendsetter

Wear 5 different hats, and change your hat by using the hat rack on a site, on five different days.


Like Clockwork

Like Clockwork

Vote between 3am and 9pm UTC (+/- 9 hours) on nine consecutive days during Winter Bash

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  • 87
    Blue in the Face - those blue feet look familiar. If only I could think of who they remind me of.. Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 7:36
  • 8
    Regarding Elementary -- "A secret hat for correctly guessing a secret hat will no longer be awarded."
    – Scimonster
    Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 10:01
  • 6
    @LPs Supposedly, it is a Sesame Street reference. See here Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 15:20
  • 15
    Trivia about the taco hat: the Community user has it.
    – Nissa
    Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 18:37
  • 9
    Where in the World theory: tomorrow is the winter solstice. badges started arriving soon after 10 UTC. Kiritimati is UTC+14. timeanddate.com/worldclock/kiribati/kiritimati 10 UTC is midnight Kirimati, where it just turned solstice day. timeanddate.com/worldclock/… Three upvotes is enough.
    – Hugo
    Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 11:21
  • 13
    Hush now @DjangoReinhardt those are feet!
    – Taryn StaffMod
    Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 13:46
  • 9
    Where in the World - I am completely sure I received for vote. I think any action works
    – demonplus
    Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 14:26
  • 6
    Don't Wanna Taco 'Bout it seems to be rewarded for 3 questions edited with no edit summary.
    – Brian
    Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 22:07
  • 38
    Secret Hat Hint #1: Blue In the Face. 10 is a beautiful number.
    – Taryn StaffMod
    Commented Dec 22, 2016 at 2:59
  • 8
    @Brian If you've met the requirements for the hat, you should receive it within 10 minutes, as that's how often we're awarding hats. If you haven't received it after about 10 minutes, then you didn't meet the criteria for the hat.
    – Taryn StaffMod
    Commented Dec 22, 2016 at 15:35
  • 11
    8,243,721 is all about deleting comments (maybe upvoted ones). The exact number is unclear, but more than 10.
    – AndreiROM
    Commented Dec 22, 2016 at 20:02
  • 24
    Secret Hat Hint #2: This time for 2 hats 6 and 8,243,721. Bert & Ernie have always been companions. As companions, they could work together with each other.
    – Taryn StaffMod
    Commented Dec 22, 2016 at 20:56
  • 9
    I agree that "Don't Wanna Taco 'Bout it" has to do with edits, but it does not have anything to do with not not providing an edit summary. I was awarded the hat right after I edited a bunch of posts, and I always include a summary.
    – Tot Zam
    Commented Dec 22, 2016 at 21:36
  • 18
    Secret Hat Hint #3: They Live. When presented with 5 possibilities, only 2 matter.
    – Taryn StaffMod
    Commented Dec 28, 2016 at 11:36
  • 12
    @BhavinRamani Answering that would defeat the secret nature of secret hats.
    – Taryn StaffMod
    Commented Dec 28, 2016 at 14:31
190

Regular Hats


I Am Your Father

I Am Your Father
Ask, answer, or vote on the meta site
In case of a post, the post must have 0 or positive score.


Running Ragged

Running Ragged
Earn 150 reputation points on three different sites (not including Stack Overflow) within 15 days.
Does not include the association bonus.
The 150 reputation per site must be earned within a 15-day period.


011

011
Collect 11 hats (from the same site)


Snaphat

Snaphat
Answer within 30 minutes of the question being asked, scoring 3 and getting accepted (no self-answers)


First Responder

First Responder
Post a message in chat within ±12 hours of the UTC New Year’s begin that gets starred (room owners pinning and unpinning their own messages works)


What's Up, Doc

What's Up, Doc?
Earn reputation by contributing to Stack Overflow documentation


Fiery

Fiery
Post five answers that each get a score of at least 3


Lifesaver

Lifesaver
Answer a question qualifying for the Tumbleweed badge. The answer must get accepted and reach a positive score.


Mmmm Bacon

Mmmm Bacon
Ask, answer, or vote on December 30th


The NeverEnding Story

The NeverEnding Story
Create or update at least two items in your Stack Overflow Developer Story
(this means updating or creating two or more items in the timeline section of the story)


925

925
Earn a silver badge


Philantropist

Philantropist
Award a bounty, to someone else, on the last day of hats


Abominable

Abominable
Participate in successfully closing or deleting a question
(note: flagging for closure counts; flagging as spam does not count)


Third Time's A Charm

Third Time's A Charm
Hit the reputation cap on three different days
Get at least 200 rep on 3 different days - regardless of the reputation cap.


Just Here for the Hat

Just Here for the Hat
Own any hat while the entire site collectively has at least 20 distinct hats


Search You Must

Search You Must
Use a site's search functionality on three consecutive UTC days (same site every day, the main http://stackexchange.com one does not count)


Bûche de Noël

Bûche de Noël
Ask, answer, or vote on December 25th


Cutting the Cord

Cutting the Cord
Vote on seven questions or answers using the Android or iOS app


Polymath

Polymath
Post at least one well-received answer on three different sites during Winter Bash (not including Stack Overflow)


Epiphany

Epiphany
La Befana vien di notte con le scarpe tutte rotte
Post or vote on January 6th


Hero of Questions

Hero of Questions
Edit a closed question (that you did not participate in closing) that gets reopened after your edit


I Have A Little Dreidel

I Have A Little Dreidel
Ask, answer, or vote on any of the days of Chanukah starting December 24-Jan 1


Maverick

Maverick
Answer +5 a -3 question that goes to +3


Egoist

Egoist
Ask a question and answer it yourself, with both posts getting a score of 3


Amped Up

Amped Up
Share a link to a question on social media that gets five clicks
(All this has to be is five unique clicks on a share link.)


24

24
Earn a gold badge


Loungin' Around

Loungin' Around
Post a question using the Android or iOS app that earns you the Nice Question badge


No Longer Grinchy

No Longer Grinchy
Participate in successfully reopening or undeleting a question
The question needs to remain open or undeleted. (When the hats award script is running, for this hat it's 10 minutes interval.)

15
  • 55
    Why do we need an answer for regular hats, when they're all listed at winterbash2016.stackexchange.com anyway? Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 0:31
  • 7
    @randal'thor chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/34196361#34196361
    – David
    Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 0:31
  • 6
    I just earned Abominable on SU, where I don't have close/delete privileges. It seems that flagging would also count towards this hat (if if eventually gets closed/deleted). Should I edit this info into the post?
    – Mureinik
    Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 13:28
  • 1
    Shouldn't "Philantropist" be something more like "Philmyrmínkipist"? Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 14:01
  • 2
    What counts or doesn't count as social media?
    – Glen_b
    Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 1:59
  • 1
    @Glen_b see edit to this answer.
    – David
    Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 2:09
  • @Glen_b nothing (or anything, actually), it's just a misleading description. See this comment. Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 7:16
  • i have 150 rep gained on movies, arcade, and sff each, over the last 2 days, and have yet to receive my running ragged?
    – Himarm
    Commented Dec 22, 2016 at 15:45
  • 1
    @Himarm well you have it now. Like all things in the winter bash Just be patient.
    – David
    Commented Dec 22, 2016 at 16:36
  • @David yep quite the slow one, oh well :D
    – Himarm
    Commented Dec 22, 2016 at 16:36
  • 1
    I just received "Bûche de Noël" hat ... yeah, that's the "ask, answer, or vote on December 25th" one... yeah, it's still 24th here, I think.. unless I overslept a bit.
    – Ped7g
    Commented Dec 24, 2016 at 11:30
  • 1
    I just earned the "Bûche de Noël" hat!? But it's the morning of the 24th here (not 25th as per the requirements) and neither did I "ask, answer, or vote"!? (However, I have since voted.) Yet, my friend, who's in the same office and has answered a question has not received anything (but neither would he have expected to get anything, since it's not yet the 25th). @Ped7g Ah, the same! :)
    – DocRoot
    Commented Dec 24, 2016 at 11:32
  • What about what's up doc? for me, edit is not applicable, i guess. so what's the way? Commented Dec 27, 2016 at 14:58
  • Thumbs up for the epic Italian quote in the description of the "Epiphany" hat!
    – Andrea
    Commented Dec 28, 2016 at 10:08

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