To be disappointed, should I email again?

[Nellytheele]

Booked a Santa's grotto visit for my daughter and my nephew at a local venue at £10 per child. Each time slot is 15 mins. I booked my daughter for one slot and my nephew and sister in law for the slot after.

The local venue is run by a charity and rely on donations to keep going. We visit regularly and always donate/use the cafe/ buy the products on our visit, especially this year we have been alot as there hasn't been much open for my daughter to enjoy.

Anyway we arrived at the venue about 15mins early and there were no other people. Another family came and we just waiting around. A member of staff came out and said the grotto will be open soon so whoever had the first time slot please go to the front of the queue. I had booked the first slot and the one after but the other family that was there had stated they had booked the same time, 2 mins later another famil showed up to say they had also booked the same slot time. The member of staff was a bit flustered and said it's fine just stand in the queue.

So one of the other family's went first, while they were in, there was anothsr member of staff stood at the entrance and she turned to my nephew and said "you must be (enter wrong name here)" I said that's not his name and told her his actual name. She told us we weren't on the list, neither was my daughter but I showed our booking and the lady went off into another room. She came back and said that's fine we'll fit you both in no problem.

So it was our turn to go in and she sent both me and sis in law at the same time, which is fine but I'd originally booked 2 slots. Santa was very quiet, didn't talk much and the whole thing felt very awkward. My daughter enjoyed though and answered the questions Santa asked her. Someone came by to drop 2 presents off, because my nephew and daughter weren't on the list, their presents weren't in the sack. Santa gave the presents and sent us on our way. We were in there for about 5 mins. I thought it was pretty rubbish but my daughter was happy that she'd seen Santa so I was satisfied. Returning home my daughter opened the gift she received and it was a game that was not suitable for her age. She is 2.5 and the game was for 4+. The game was tiddly winks, so a choking hazard and she still likes to put things in her mouth at the moment (mostly just to annoy me I think) but I couldn't really let her keep this game as I'm paranoid about these things anyway. So after she went to bed I hid the game and planning to give away, but she woke up asking about it and crying because she couldn't find it.
When you book you have to state name, age and gender so they can give an appropriate gift from Santa. I know they missed our booking but they obviously quickly wrapped 2 gifts, they can see my daughter is nowhere near 4. Although my nephew's gift was suitable, he's 3.

I emailed the venue explaining everything and how I'm disappointed but mostly about the gift. £10 per child for 15 mins each, yet we got 5 mins together, they missed our booking and a toy that was technically dangerous for my child. If it was just the one issue I wouldn't bother saying anything, but the whole thing was a shambles.

They haven't replied to my email, so do I email again or wait? It's been 2 days.
Or do I just forget the whole thing and accept it was a mistake.
I just feel a bit annoyed but alot of things have gone wrong the last few days so I think I'm just feeling a bit touchy..

@BabyLlamaZen

Wow people are being harsh. I've worked for charities op and yes there are issues but you've had a lot of issues here. I think you've done all you can for now. I agree with going via social media instead and then see what happens. And tbh I probably wouldn't go again.

It’s a tenner for charity. And her child was happy. Christ if it’s not bad enough asking for your money back from a charity to encourage the op to then complain on social media so she can put other parents off going and really cost them is just shameful.

@catchyjem you're right. I don't have as much experience with grottos yet as we went to the same one the past 2 years lol. My daughter was happy so I need to remember that.

I've just had a rubbish week and i guess I'm feeling a bit negative! Need to try in keep in mind what really matters!

I had a similar experience with a Santa Train many years ago. Santa really weird, gifts age inappropriate, and it was £10 then, God knows what they'd charge now.

Also - Santa had a blanket over his knees, and as DS slid off, so did the blanket. Santa had no trousers on!

I did complain about this and was told "I expect a child wee'd on him and he had to take them off." Fair enough - but if this is a hazard in your job, surely you take a couple of spare pairs? They don't have to be bright red and fur-trimmed - just decent.

I didn't take it further, but in retrospect I wish I had.

Just ring them up and tell them and get a refund. Companies don't often reply to emails so no point emailing again.

I wouldn’t email again after 2 days. If it was a proper commercial venue charging more I’d ask for a more age appropriate present but that’s it.
My DH volunteers in previous years to help out dressed as Santa at a church ‘grotto’ assisted by DD 10 as an elf, it’s hard to get the younger kids chatting sometimes as they are a bit scared / in awe, so maybe that’s why it was awkward?
Honestly they’re just volunteers trying to do something nice. Your DD was happy so I’d just let it go.

I would have had no expectations of getting a decent gift in the first place tbh. Volunteers will be running this and many will have a whole lot of stuff going on at home to deal with. Let it go. See the £20 as a charitable donation.

“Just ring them up and tell them and get a refund.”

From a charity I’d have agreed if it wasn’t but it’s fundraising by way of grotto. Give it a bit of leeway.

For context we went to a garden centre. It was £12 per child and they got a cooked breakfast, drink, Christmas crackers, a Christmas cookie to decorate, a visit to santa’s grotto, a gift and a chat with santa and the elf.
My DS is 2 and he got a toy for 6+ but it was fine. I thought it was great value.

@ImPrincessAurora we had breakfast with Santa booked at a garden centre but it was cancelled due to covid, we were pretty gutted but not surprised. Sounds like you had a good day. If it was just the one issue then I wouldn't have even thought of complaining. But the whole thing was a bit of a shambles. But daughter enjoyed so as most have said, I'll just let it go.

Op I think as most things are cancelled this year it's natural to put a lot of hope in the ones that still are running.
It sounds like shambles but your dd enjoyed it so I'd try and let it go and move on. If nothing else, it will make you feel rubbish thinking about it.

I think the most important thing here is that you're disappointed, but your daughter is not.

Who was it for?

I can't believe people are encouraging you to try and shame them on social media. Please don't, they made some mistakes, but it's been a really tough year. Two days isn't long to wait for a response and whilst you point out they were quick enough to take your booking, that's a set process so straightforward to deal with. They may be waiting to speak to the volunteers involved before they send an official response or they may just all be busy running the grotto at the moment.
Put the toy away for a couple of years and enjoy playing it with your child when they're a little older.

@ImPrincessAurora

For context we went to a garden centre. It was £12 per child and they got a cooked breakfast, drink, Christmas crackers, a Christmas cookie to decorate, a visit to santa’s grotto, a gift and a chat with santa and the elf. My DS is 2 and he got a toy for 6+ but it was fine. I thought it was great value.

I am glad you had a great time. I’m sure the OP is happy for you too.

Hey :).

I'm sorry you had such a poor experience from this grotto, however remember that charities are under a huge amount of pressure at the moment. Their fundraising activities pretty much ground to a halt for most of the year, and this grotto will have taken a lot of thought, planning, risk assessments to make it covid safe etc. The people who undertook the planning of this will have been up to their eyeballs - take it from someone who's tried to organise charity events this year.

At least they didn't just turn you away. They tried to put it right and the children got to see Santa - and you said your daughter enjoyed it!

I know it's not as good as you would usually expect, but I would just urge you to give them a bit of a break at the moment, as they're under so much pressure.

I work for quite a few charities.

We do lots of free Santa things. Every year we have a santa that comes and hands out gifts. We ask for no money. Our Santa is very old too. He’s nearly 100! So he comes in on his scooter. Which I love. He’s the worst driver too. So he hits walls and all sorts. He’s got it on too fast. Honestly it’s usually a shambles and everyone laughs. He’s a comedy act. I tell you

We’ve never had anyone say it was awful. But we do it out of the volunteers pockets anyway. But I know they’d give the money back immediately if we did.

But you’ve got to remember. People have spent hours. Days sorting this. Ready to go. If not months. People buy. They wrap. They take all their own times to sort it

It takes months of planning. We start planning in august!!! And ours is free. But we have over 100 children turn up. I have to say. We have lovely children who are so incredibly happy. As far as I’m aware we don’t have anyone who has complained.

I’d probably just let it go if it was me. You’ve said how unhappy you were. These people spend months planning it. But if you’re really unhappy. Then carry on.

I played tiddlywinks with my children from the age of 18 months. It’s a fab game for dexterity!!!

It may be a charity but if people complain to others or mention its nit very good and they don't use it , then they wOn't make much
I do think they should reply with an apology at least for the toy which is not appropriate to age , they obviously rectified double booking

I see on reflection you have a sense of perspective, even though being disappointed is a normal feeling.

As it is for charity I would let it go, can you gift the board game, or donate? I'm sure someone will enjoy it, and your little one will forget about it soon no doubt.

OP, I think it would help if you saw this as funny rather than frustrating. The most important thingthat your daughter loved ithas happened, so I'd relax into finding it a bit farcical and ridiculous. Or, to put it another way, at least Nessa wasn't Santa Claus.

I just can't imagine why anyone would go to Santa's Grotto this year. It was never going to be normal.

Two things:

1. When you emailed to complain, OP, did you specifically ask for anything? Apology or refund? If not and it was just a 'i'm letting you know i was disappointed' email then the chances are whoever read it/reads it will shrug and eyeroll take note but not bother to reply. Especially as they're a charity; not doing it for profit.

2. IME as an adult santa's grotto is always a let down. The DCs enjoy it though and that's what counts. They don't notice that the ''snow'' is grubby cotton wool stuff which has not been glued up properly, that the ''elves'' are all in Nike trainers with their noses pierced and that Santa is actually only about 28 years old under the beard and was flirting with one of the elves just before we walked in. That Mrs Christmas keeps getting the DCs names wrong and that none of the presents there are for them specifically.

Once in the grotto it's always a bit excruciating and quite honestly 5 mins is more than enough once DC goes shy, clams up, wont speak and it's us parents answering all his questions like a pair of bananas !