<p><strong><a href="https://stats.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1486">For the fourth year running</a>, the Stack Exchange team is organizing a "Winter Bash".</strong>  Users earn "hats" for their gravatars by completing novel tasks (analogous to badges). Certain specific actions will trigger access to a (graphical) hat, which their gravatar can then "wear" at the user's option. Users will be able to see all the hats they've earned on <a href="http://winterbash2015.stackexchange.com" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://winterbash2015.stackexchange.com</a>. That site will also have an FAQ to explain how things work. </p>

<p>This event will run from 14 December 2015 to 03 January 2016. Individuals who don’t want to participate, don’t want to see hats, or are generally anti-hat will have an "I hate hats" option available (which will cause you not to see hats at all). The only visual change to the site itself will be the presence of the hats and the "I hate hats" button in the footer. Participation on one site does not affect accounts on other SE sites.</p>

<p>Two answers aim to collect votes for a community poll: <strong>Please, indicate whether you think Cross Validated should participate in this event or not</strong> (1 vote per user). Responses from the community are due by December 10.  Moderators will inform the SE team of our collective decision.</p>

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<p>Since results are effectively "due" about now (in fact this year we only need to say anything if the answer is no), I'm removing the "featured" tag now. People are still free to vote but I think the opinion is clear.</p>
