Sleepy reindeer are waking, Christmas elves are busy mulling wine, and we at MNHQ - and you lovely lot - need to get cracking. Yes, we know it's only October, but the Mumsnet Secret Santa waits for no one
For those of you who are new to our seasonal spreading of goodwill, the idea is that Mumsnetters nominate fellow Mumsnetters whom they feel particularly deserve some festive cheer to receive an anonymous Christmas present. We also open a thread asking for gift donations, and match these to the nominees as part of a HUGE anonymous Secret Santa operation. For more on how the whole thing works (clue: as smoothly as a rocket-powered sleigh), take a look here.
This Christmas tradition was a scheme cooked up by Mumsnetters themselves, and it has thrived over the years due to their generosity (you can find out more on how it came about over here). It generally goes without any major hitches , but there are just a few rules and regs which it's worth brushing up on.
And now, to business. The nominations page is live, and you can add your nominee's name at any time from now until 29th October, when the page will close. We'll then drop all nominees a line to ask for their addresses, the ages/sex of their DC, if they have them, and any further family details they're happy to share with us and their donor. This information needs to be with us by 7th November.
The donations thread is also live, so please pop on and let us know if you'd like to make someone's Christmas a little bit more special by showing them that they're in your thoughts. In terms of what to donate, we love vouchers because they're easy to match, but we're delighted with all sorts. Remember, nothing is too small, and please don't worry if you're thinking of donating a gift with a low cash value, because money is really not what this is about.
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your awesome generosity. You amaze us every year.
It's all now in your capables, but if you have any queries we're happy to hear from you at [email protected].
'And the bells were ringing out for Christmas day.'