to think that secret santa recipents shouldn't have got more than one donor?

[Sadsecretsanta]

Some people got two or even three donors. I wouldn't have bothered if I knew that was the situation.

I'm new to MN so not sure what this is, am I right in thinking that MN run a secret santa for people to give pressies to nominated MN members at Christmas. That these MN members get pressies for their kids because for whatever reason they've had a hard time this year?

Yes weedle.

It might have been useful if the organisers (MNHQ in this case, but not always) had said "we have had lots of generous donations this year....nominations still welcome".

But if you give a gift for Secret Santa, once you have given it, you don't then have a say in how it is used. It is an unconditional gift. If you want to decide who is worthy, donate privately.

Basically weedle yes.
People contact MN or it's chosen candidate to tell them they can donate and what they are going to donate.
Then other people contact them with names and details of people who they feel would benefit from getting a gift.
It is then down to MN (or candidate) to best decide how to distribute the gifts and match the donations to appropriate families

That attitude isn't really all that charitable. I think you my have missed the point, OP.

I'm sure your recipient was delighted with your SS gift. Your generosity isn't lessened just because someone else was generous too.

I think its perfectly fair that MN allows everyone who wants to donate a gift to participate, however many nominees there are. It's a really good thing that there are more donors than recipients. Think how awful it would be if it were the other way round and some nominees couldn't receive anything.

The OP is surely joking. So only 1 person should give money to Oxfam to help 1 person etc etc Don't be so very very small minded and silly.
The generosity of mumsnet and support not just at Christmas is amazing and you should just be glad to be a part of it whether a person gets 1 or 10 gufts or posts of help and advice.

Rosa, how could you joke about something like this though?

Exactly - maybe the wrong turn of phrase but I really couldn't believe this post when I read it.

Ahh, I get it. Thanks to those for explaining. How lovely!

OP if I give a fiver to a homeless person and so does the next person walking by should I be allowed to take it back? Or do I not bother next time?

I think you've done a lovely thing sending a gift, if anything you should be happy that there are more people who can send a gift than people who need it...

weedle, I just should point out that as I understand it, the secret santa isn't a kind of 'for the needy' thing - some people nominated other MNers who'd helped them a lot, that sort of thing.

I didn't donate this year as our financial circs. weren't great (they're getting better - hopefully next year! ). For me, something that slightly put me off was the thought that if I could only afford something small, it'd look a bit crap.

I'm really glad to know that recipients get more than one donor, because it means someone like me can send a little present and MNHQ can pair my donation up with someone else's.

That didn't even occur to you, did it, OP?

I sent a Secret Santa this year via MN (not that it has arrived/been lost in the post/the receiver can't get on a computer to say it arrived/didn't want to let me know it arrived ....but that is another thread !!)

This is my first time sending something and I think it has been very well organized - however I do think that:

They should let you if the recipient is a bit skint or has had a (emotional) hard year (I didn't know it could be either) and this would make a big difference to what I sent.

I also think they should get a rough idea how much people will be spending because it seems to me that there is some big differences in this area.

OP YABU