The answer: very ridiculous.
I'm getting fed up with all the drama and inconveniences related to this game since I purchased it. First, it was that I only had a 4 GB HardDrive and couldn't install multiplayer, then all the server issues, and now this. I understand that 343 wants to be "neat" and "cool" by having a specialization code to allow you to access other parts of the game... however, just like you did... I paid money for the game. It's silly that I spend money on a game and I can't even access all of the features without this "Free Gift" that they are offering. It's certainly not free, and can hardly be considered a gift since it cost $60 and the time and effort of the 1000s of people who are trying to retrieve their missing code. Also, this is coming from a company who didn't give out an instruction booklet because they are "eco friendly." Of course, we all know that's not the real reason... the real reason is because they want to utilize every penny that they can. However, this specialization code is costing much more than those instruction booklets ever could have cost (I remind you, the codes could have been placed in the instruction booklet, with an access restriction until Nov. 30th). I called XBox and they are flooded with calls from people not receiving their codes, the forums are flooded, and all the subsequent entities forums are flooded... all over a simple code that allows us access to the game that we paid for.
I know it's too late for anything to be done, but I am posting this message because I hope that somebody from 343 reads this message and thinks to themselves "wow, she is right, that was really dumb of us, it won't happen again."