To return my winning hamper?

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ADVICE NEEDED BEFORE COLLECTION TOMORROW PLEASE

So
We won the hamper from the preschool nativity
It’s huge
And the 2nd hamper I’ve won in a week 🙈
The first one (from works Xmas do) we are giving to grandparents for Xmas
This other one is ginormous, there is so much stuff, we do not have a big enough house for all this stuff 🙈, I don’t want to seem ungrateful but we just don’t need it and want to do something better with it than take it home.

Here are some options that I can see

1. Ask them to give it to the staff to take home if they are short of any gifts for staff
2. Ask them to hold another raffle in the new year - not sure how easy this would be - surely a sign on the door would suffice?
3. Take it to the food bank - removing booze and donating that to the village hall raffle tomorrow night for the brass band carol concert we are going to.
4. Take it to the food bank but ask preschool to take the booze for staff.

One massive thing to remember here though is that the staff all donated this stuff for the hamper so I don’t want to appear ungrateful by offering it back to them 🙈

I just don’t want to come across as ungrateful or rude

Please help

I’m open to other suggestions too 😊

First you said you didn’t have room for the stuff, then that you could have actually used most of the stuff but want to “do good” with the winnings. Fair enough, but check the contents against what the food bank actually want and will accept.

Option 3 would be a lovely thing to do.

From what I have see about food banks they don't want stuff that will go out of date, or bakery items.

I have also seen that some offer a cup of tea and biscuit, so in that instance mince pies would likely be useful.

Last year we were given far more hamper type items than we could use, so took a few for family and put the rest of the jars of luxury jams, marmalades, pickles, biscuits etc. in the food bank. I notice that most of the donations in the basket are basic value brands. A jar of something other than basic jam with no actual bits of fruit might just brighten someone's breakfast on an otherwise shitty day.

The one we donate to most often rarely changes the list of things they want, it has been updated once in the last 7 years and that was because it fell off or fell apart, so it is not easy to know what they actually need. In fact they don't even say where the stuff goes and I keep forgetting to ask. I prefer to use the other one on that basis.

The Trussel Trust foodbank I work for would most certainly welcome treat/luxury food!

Food bank or split it up and share amongst your neighbours.
Just saying this because I got one from a company that we do business with it was delivered to my home .
Don’t Feel I need most of it but our local food bank is miles away .
I have decided to give it to my elderly neighbours there are 3 of them as I still know them and they would appreciate the gesture.
I know exactly who would like the port and who would like the white wine all the other bits will be given to the 3 rd neighbours who lost his wife some years back.
These hampers must cost a lot.

Option 3 for me.

I think it's nice you aren't keeping it for the sake of it and just because you won. I think the food bank would be best.

Also the people asking why you entered if you didn't want to win - way to miss the point.

Definitely No. 3 Food bank and raffle - a really good use of everything in the hamper.

Food bank or homeless shelter.
I won a small hamper at work this week and gave the cake to a man who was begging. Plus a quid and a chat.

Foodbanks DO have a list of essentials that they need - but ours will accept much more besides this! The list is what they need if you are buying specifically - the OP is doing that, she is donating stuff that is already bought.

Our Trussel Trust gets donations from KFC, Greggs etc as well as the usual tins. The KFC stuff is frozen, and the Greggs bakery stuff is from the previous day. Everyone deserves a treat and no food should be wasted!

Food banks don't want this sort of stuff. They need the basics

The one near us says that luxuries (like you’d get in a hamper) are much appreciated, especially at Christmas. Obviously apart from the alcohol.

Donate to foodbank.

Our ones have detailed lists of what they want, and what they don’t want or have too much of at present.

Best take the hamper apart and check with the food bank first, and only take items they want or will be able to use, so as not to inconvenience the volunteers.

I’d donate to the local church, they can choose to raffle it off or use it as they see fit. Ours have regular lunches so that people have company at points in the week and would be grateful for the donations.

I don’t know why you just don’t keep it.
It can’t be that big you haven’t got room for it.
No need for all this hand wringing and guilt just keep it.

Food bank or an organisation like Crisis

Well said Lllot5

I think it would be rude to offer it ba k, especially considering the staff supplied the contents. Just take it, there is bound to be stuff in there that you will use. The booze can be re gifted, if not immediately throughout the year, and I'm sure you could even remake it into a smaller hamper then as a gift for someone.

Do check your local foodbank. We put all such goodies on the Help Yourself Shelf or make up smaller parcels for people we know who have very little. We even pass stuff on to our local homeless shelter and food kitchen. Yours will have its own methods and links.

Volunteers are usually quite happy to have a look and make suggestions. That's what we volunteer for! PLEASE dn't assume that the lists we put up are ALL we want... they are what we MOST NEED.

But don't offer the alcohol, we don't take any of that in. We even turned down chocolate liqueuers - and I know that sounds OTT, but we have a blanket ban (though we do sneak in take christmas puddings (smile) )

OP, I realise you’ve made a decision now but if your local school is still open I’d be taking the hamper there and asking them to make somebody’s Christmas by giving it to a family who won’t be able to afford Christmas presents.

Been reading news stories this week about some schools opening on Christmas Day to give a meal to families that otherwise wouldn’t have one. I’m sure wherever you are the local school will know of a family that will be going without this Christmas.

3

Donate the whole lot to the village hall raffle. It will boost their ticket sales

csa26

Lovely idea

We had something similar once. We gave it to the priest at our church and asked him to pass it on to someone who could make good use of it. Even if you aren’t a church goer I am sure any local faith-based organisation would be delighted to take it off your hands ( but take the alcohol/pork based products out if it’s going to a synagogue or mosque!).

Why wouldn't you keep the booze?

It won't go off.

Donate the rest to a food bank.