To think encouraging people to send chocolate secretly is not a good idea?

[wokbun]

So Cadbury do this thing where you can send chocolate anonymously to someone. AIBU to think this is not something to be encouraged? I'd be disturbed receiving unexpected chocolate to my home address.

Surely you could order anything online anonymously though? Or someone could go to Tesco and leave a bar of chocolate outside your door or on your car anonymously? Where does it end!

I'd be fucking delighted.

Just please make sure the recipient doesn’t have a dog! Even well wrapped, if I was out and a bar of chocolate landed on my doormat it would not last very long at all.

It's chocolate.

I wouldn't give a shit who sent it.

At least if it's coming directly from Cadbury, you know nobody's tampered with the chocolate because I'm sure Cadbury put their marketing shit in it and make it clear it's come from their anonymous gift service.

Making it much safer than random chocolate through the door.

Which I'd still eat.

That said, I think if someone who has been stalked or is being stalked or someone who's fled an abusive ex etc gets it they are going to be bloody scared and upset and worried that the person has found them.

Was just coming on to say that. Although don’t think enough cocoa solids in Cadbury’s to do too
much harm, the resultant probable diarrhoea wouldn’t be fun!

You forget that this is MN, home of whataboutery...

What about all the people who have experienced stalking in the past?

What about all the people with histories of eating disorders?

What about all the people with pets that might snaffle the chocolate while it sits on the doormat and die?

What about all the emetophobes who might eat too much of it and puke all over themselves?

What about the people with life-threatening chocolate allergies?

And so on....

What about all the people with pets that might snaffle the chocolate while it sits on the doormat and die?

If you met my aunt's dog, you would not consider this to be whatboutery.

I have an ongoing case of harrassment going through the slow legal process at the moment. I still wouldn't have a problem with anonymous chocolate. I would assume it was most likely from someone else, but even if it's from my harrasser - free chocolate! It's not in the league of the 57 phone calls in a day.

I could see it being problematic for people living with abusive partners who would be suspicious of you receiving any kind of post at all and accuse you of an affair. Other than that, I can't see how it could go wrong.

What's the difference between that and any other gift/flowers?

I’d love many chocolates left anonymously on my doorstep and would gladly eat them. Not Cadbury’s though. I’d wait until night then whip Cadbury’s over to my neighbours porch and leave that there.

I'm sure it's only intended to be a harmless marketing campaign. But to be honest I actually would find this creepy. I have already have weird anonymous gifts turn up at my address, when I was being harassed by an ex I had to go to the police about. So maybe that gives me more perspective. Not everyones intentions are harmless and fun.

I'm hoping Cadbury has the details of the sender if anything goes wrong.

Cadbury send it directly so it's somewhat doubtful someone would intercept it to tamper with it- there'd be far better ways for them to do this if so inclined.

I don't think just because some people might abuse it that it shouldn't be a thing- its free chocolate that most people would appreciate at the end of the day. Sadly if someone has a stalker or the like they could send anon packages anyway.

I'd want to know who it was from, but if it was darkmilk with salted caramel I would probably just eat it anyway.

Wasnt there a thread about a woman who kept getting takeaway sent to her home for her by an anonymous person.

I’d love free chocolate sent to me but it would frustrate me not knowing who it was.

I remember getting a big bunch of flowers and I had no idea who sent them to me.
I thought I had a secret admirer.
When my grandma died I found out it was her because I found the receipt.

I guess you can... my loved ones (my DH and kids) live in my house so I ordered it to our address when I found one.

Problem is its one bar so now I have no idea what to do since there 4 people... I suppose logically my only options is to give it to DH without the kids knowing (feels odd though) because I can't give it too just one of the kids or to split it between the whole family. Its a decent sized bar but I'm not sure there would be a huge amount split via 4.

I suppose people will suggest to just keep it for myself but I don't like chocolate lol.

YABU - it's chocolate, not a nail bomb.

If I remember correctly there was a disclaimer you have to read and acknowledge saying 'to the best of you knowledge no dogs live at this address'.

It would be for me but I have a nut allergy 😂

I'd also be bloody delighted and think all my Christmasses had come at once...

Unless you've got a history of being stalked or threatened you're being absurd.

There's nothing to stop anyone sending anything anonymously through the post. Why on earth would you draw an arbitrary distinction for chocolate which is a pretty benign thing to receive?

Only on MN can people take something as simple as a kind gesture and make it into such a big deal!

Anyone can send you anything* through the post at any time, OP. Anonymous or not. And they always could.

Have you ever heard of Secret Santa? Does that frighten you too? Anonymous gifts just for you...

*obviously not illegal items, firearms, ammunition, explosives, puppies etc

What sort of thing are you thinking could go wrong?

I can send you my address if you receive chocolate you don't want. Even Cadbury's. I'll eat it.

As someone who has had a stalker, I really don't think Cadburys should be encouraging this. It's surprising how many dodgy men there are out there.

Of course anyone can post anything at any time. However, anyone familiar with the way a stalker's mind works will know it's a bad idea to do anything that they can convince themselves is a romantic gesture that is being welcomed.

I imagine people with dogs won’t be impressed at getting a secret delivery of chocolate through their door.