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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want the prize I won??

463 replies

Dogue · 09/12/2022 07:28

In the grand scheme of things I’m probably being petty, but this has really annoyed me -

our village had a Christmas fair last Saturday. On Monday I had a missed call from a mobile number which turned out to be the organisers of the event. I rang back and she said was ringing to tell me I’d won a prize, but that she was out at the moment so didn’t have details but would ring me back in half an hour to let me know.

I didn’t hear back from her on Monday so I called again on Wednesday (didn’t get a chance on Tuesday) and she said the same again - someone would call me back later with details of what I’d won and how to collect.

by Thursday I still hadn’t heard from them so I texted the number about it. I got the reply: “sorry, all prizes had to be collected by Wednesday. We can give you a bottle of Prosecco as a consolation”

I’m so annoyed that I wasn’t given any opportunity to collect my prize on time. From memory the only thing I think I put my phone number down for was when my 6 year old entered the ‘guess how many sweets in the jar’ so I was really excited to tell him he had won. I’m not really bothered about having a massive jar of jellies in my house, but if that’s what we’ve won then it’s what I want! When I told her this she said she would make sure there’s a consolation prize for him too, but that’s no use really as it means I don’t get the loveliness of telling him his guess was the winner.

obviously there are much bigger things to worry about in the world right now, but it’s a bit shit and terrible organisation right??

OP posts:
RoaryMouth · 09/12/2022 18:27

@ilovesushi I am so annoyed on your behalf! You can never get over that happening. 😧

stuntbubbles · 09/12/2022 18:36

Stop this war on Prosecco, it’s nice! But it’s not what I’d want if my prize was sweeties.

U1sce · 09/12/2022 18:40

This would put me off from entering the draws again tbh!

magicthree · 09/12/2022 18:41

Seriously? Get over it. Pick up your bottle of plonk and sweets. Give the poor people a break. All this drama over a bloody raffle.

It's hardly a "drama" and the OP has been quite light hearted at times, but the principle matters here, even if the prize was only small.You simply cannot run a raffle, not let the winner know when/where to get their prize and then when they don't turn up (which they obviously won't) keep (eat) the prize yourself. As for giving the poor people a break - why are they "poor people"? They sound more like a bunch of incompetent fools to me.

Kennykenkencat · 09/12/2022 18:43

PuppyPerson · 09/12/2022 08:22

As someone currently spending most evenings organising a Christmas fair that is happening this weekend, which is entirely organised and run by volunteers, and is happening to raise money for charity and provide a nice time to the community, I think you are being unreasonable to cause a fuss over what is very probably an unfortunate mix up. These events are run by volunteers, so that people can have a nice time. I think you should try and get over it, it's a jar of sweets.

Unfortunate mx up or not it needs putting right

Just because something is run by volunteers doesn’t mean that regulations and laws don’t apply

TellMeWhere · 09/12/2022 18:46

Gwenhwyfar · 09/12/2022 18:22

And it can still be gifted.
To whom could you gift 400 sweets? No adult would want them and the parents wouldn't be happy if you gave a child so much sugary shit.

Show quote history

😱speak for yourself! I'd be delighted with 400 sweets. And the kids would help me plough through them.

I don't want to win something I'll just give away to someone else. If I didn't want the chance to win 400 sweets, I wouldn't enter a competition where that was the prize!

Kennykenkencat · 09/12/2022 18:47

Dogue · 09/12/2022 14:22

So! I made sure to give my partner the address I was going to just incase I was murdered. Got there, she opened the door, handed me the jar and shut the door. No small talk, which is suppose is for the best but I really wanted to ask how close our guess was!!

So I am now the proud owner of a big jar of sweets and am possibly the talk of the town 😁

from what I remember it does look like less packed than it was at the fair, so I reckon someone’s had a few. Doesn’t really look anywhere near the 400 we guessed. But I’m so excited to tell my boy! It’s going to make his year 🥰

Definitely been opened and a few pilfered.

The thought makes me want to vomit at the thought of who’s fingers have been in the jar and what they were doing before hand

JustCakeInDrag · 09/12/2022 18:50

Gwenhwyfar · 09/12/2022 18:22

And it can still be gifted.
To whom could you gift 400 sweets? No adult would want them and the parents wouldn't be happy if you gave a child so much sugary shit.

Show quote history

You obviously move in more sophisticated circles than me as I can immediately think of a dozen adults who’d be delighted with the sweets (although tbf there’s no-one I dislike enough to foist cheap Prosecco upon).

Besides, it’s irrelevant. OP’s DS wanted the sweets!

lap90 · 09/12/2022 18:53

Glad your son was happy and what an odd experience.

Will never forget being told the same!

menopausalbloat · 09/12/2022 18:55

I wonder if she licked every sweet before giving them to you?

PuttingDownRoots · 09/12/2022 18:58

Tbh I see the price if Sweetie jar/name the Teddy style things as a donation to the charity not something I actually want to win (and would probably be donated onto another charity!) Its more the principle, even though I have low standards ad like cheap prosecco.

StrikeandRobin · 09/12/2022 19:04

menopausalbloat · 09/12/2022 18:55

I wonder if she licked every sweet before giving them to you?

🤮

luckymummy24 · 09/12/2022 19:04

You are a great mum to sort that out for your son!

Justnosing · 09/12/2022 19:17

Could not get worked up about this. If I was then I’d buy a jar of sweets and tell my child they’d guessed correctly if it meant that much. Awfully cringeworthy to kick up such a fuss.

JoyeuxNarwhal · 09/12/2022 19:19

Oh blimey, I've been transported back the best part of 40 years just by the title. I won a bottle of whisky fair and square and wasn't allowed to collect it because I was too young. OK I was 7 but I wasn't going to drink it, it was going to be the Best Christmas Present Ever for ddad! But they swapped it for some naff toys, and a bin made out of a catering size tin of beans and I'm still bitter about it all these years later!!

You were totally NBU, and I'm sorry that your actual prize was so disappointing after all that effort to get it @Dogue !

Needmorelego · 09/12/2022 19:27

@Gwenhwyfar I don't know anyone that I could give Prosecco too. No one in my family or friends likes it (and some don't drink alcohol at all).
It really would be a disappointing prize for me 🤣

Fleurdaisy · 09/12/2022 19:27

I reckon they’ve part filled ( it’s not what I’d call full) another jar with left over sweets. You scared them with your talk of lottery laws 😄
Could you add a few more to it and I’m sure your DS will be thrilled to have won it.

cabbageking · 09/12/2022 19:28

They are legally required to ensure you get the prize that was drawn and can not allocate it to another person, redraw it or change it. Do you know what you won?

Addicted2Sugar · 09/12/2022 19:31

handmademitlove · 09/12/2022 07:58

You only need a lottery licence in specific circumstances - most fairs running these type of 'guess the weight' type things do not need a licence.. But they should still honour the prize.

I am with @handmademitlove this would probably come under an incidental lottery, as long as physical tickets were given and only sold on the day, so a lottery licence wouldn't be applicable.

I would want to know where they stated that there was a pick up deadline and what happens to the prizes.

FrangipaniBlue · 09/12/2022 19:33

To whom could you gift 400 sweets? No adult would want them and the parents wouldn't be happy if you gave a child so much sugary shit.

I wouldn't be gifting 400 sweets to anyone.... they're be going on my belly!

NortieTortie · 09/12/2022 19:40

I hate mysteries like this. We'll never know what came of the original jar 🥲

Glad your son is happy, though.

TokyoSushi · 09/12/2022 19:41

MumEeeee · 09/12/2022 09:35

As a Ukrainian family I think I have my own excellent fundraising idea:
For a small fee one of us will attend trips or events organised and attended by people who’ve annoyed you this year guilt tripping saying ‘don’t you know there’s a war in Ukraine…?’. Say their Christmas dinner, and we’ll shout ‘There’s a war on! Yet you sit idle?! Stuffing your face?’ Etc.
Proceeds to Ukraine.

🤣🤣🤣

WillMellorsHips · 09/12/2022 19:45

and a jar of crappy sweets is the outcome 😂😂😂😂

TokyoSushi · 09/12/2022 19:45

No way is that the original jar!

alasangne · 09/12/2022 19:48

What a con