But Twitter, and its mysterious 140-character workings is not so familiar to many.
Facebook we've all mastered, even our parents and grandparents have it pretty much figured out. But Twitter and twittering and tweeting and twitting? You may only have heard it bandied about in connection with Dirty Politics or Israel Dagg's election day tweets or nude pics of attention-seeking celebrities.
Yet it's also used by thousands of ordinary Kiwis as a place for discussion, information-sharing and just a bit of fun.
It's hard to explain, but essentially Twitter is like a big room with people talking about topics ranging from the best bars in their city and who should have won The Block through to politics and current events. You can choose who to listen to, and people can choose to listen to you. You can join in, or you can just read what others have to say.
I tend to pop in only occasionally, eavesdropping on conversations, tweeting only sporadically. Lately it's been hard to miss the talk about #nzsecretsanta.
Given I usually start Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve, adding another present to the shopping list may seem a bit strange. Especially as it will be $10 - probably more, I'm never good at sticking to a budget - spent on a total stranger. But I don't like to miss out on the fun so I figured why not get into the Christmas and (Twitter) community spirit?
The concept of running a Secret Santa for Kiwis on Twitter was started in 2010 by a guy going by the handle @websam. It took off and by 2012 was too big for him to handle alone. In stepped NZ Post, which now co-ordinates it, receiving all the presents and sending them out to the right recipients.
As of writing yesterday, 2082 people were registered to take part, and I was waiting to hear which one I would be buying for.
In all likelihood I will spend more time deciding what to get this stranger for Christmas than I will for my own family. Sorry mum.
I took part for the first time last year and was assigned a young woman from South Auckland. From her Twitter profile - and yes, I also stalked her on Facebook a little bit - I gathered she was a mum, worked in a women's fashion store and seemed to like junk food. It wasn't much to go on, and from memory I went for smelly massage cream and some fancy chocolate.
Then I waited anxiously for her to tweet about receiving her gift, and how lovely and relaxing it was after a busy day as a working mum. But she never did. Guess I didn't stalk well enough, or perhaps she ended up with chocolate that tasted like flowers.
My receiving experience was equally disappointing, to begin with anyway. I got nothing. Every day checking the post. And nada.
MORE FROM 48 HOURS HERE
There was a silver lining. A number of social-media-savvy companies and individuals stepped in and provided consolation gifts for us rejected folk.
My lovely print by a New Zealand artist now hangs in my toilet.
By the time you are reading this, I will be in full stalk mode, checking Twitter, Facebook and Google for clues for the perfect gift.
It's Secret Santa, 21st-century style. I'll keep you updated.
