It's the Christmas Appeal 2011 LAST DAY to read all about it/sign up

[RebeccaMumsnet]

Welcome to this year's Christmas appeal. Yes we know it's only October but we've done the maths and realised we need to get on

Little bit of history for those who are new to the whole idea: over the past few years, Mumsnetters have offered to donate gifts to other Mumsnetters in need over Christmas. And you have also nominated Mumsnetters to receive these gifts. Each year, a particularly saintly Mumsnetter has volunteered to match up the donors with the nominees and organise a mass posting of presents. Last year we felt that the appeal had grown so big that we would bring it in-house and it went fairly well we feel so we are doing it again and this year KatMumsnet is joining us in the spreadsheet madness

Now for the nitty gritty...

If you would like to donate something to the appeal, could you please email [email protected]. You need to include your MN Talk name and what you are donating. Vouchers are usually the best bet, we've found over the years, but you are also welcome to donate new toys, clothes and books for children or "nice smellies" for adults. Secondhand toys/clothes are fine, too, but do really need to be in very good nick, please.

IMPORTANT: if you have something particular in mind, please specify CLEARLY the details of your donation e.g. Tesco voucher or new toy for a 4 year old boy or a bundle of clothes for a 6 month old girls, nearly new. Or, if you want to donate and are happy to wait to find out what's needed before you donate it, please say: VOUCHER (ANY) or TOYS (ANY) etc.

If you would like to nominate a fellow Mumsnetter (they have to have been a member for at least a year to qualify for nomination) then please send your nominations to [email protected]. You should include the Mumsnetter's ( correctly spelt, pls! ) Talk name and your reason for your nomination. It doesn't matter if they or you change nicknames; we will be able to find you/them.

All nominations and offers of donations must be with us by Monday 24 October.

Once all the names are in, nominees will receive an email by Monday 7 November, telling them they've been nominated, and will need to reply by Monday 14 November with their address, number and ages of children. Nominees need to be aware that their address will be sent to an undisclosed fellow Mumsnetter but no RL or MN names will be exchanged.

Nominees details will then be matched with donor details

Donors will have the addresses of nominees they've been matched with by Friday 25 November so that gifts can be sent well before the final Christmas post. Each Donor and Nominee will be allocated a number eg. Nominee 27 or Donor 63 to maintain anonymity and to allow nominees and donors to post on the boards with messages of thanks etc.

If you have any further questions or any extraordinary nominations, then you can email me directly on [email protected]. But please use the email addresses above for all other enquiries - or your email might well go astray.

Merry Christmas everyone and

[BloodandScumatron]

i'm going to donate this year. I was nominated last year and it is a great feeling.

I would add that if people decide to nominate and find that they can no longer send anything, please post on the thank you thread to let the other person know. I didn't receive anything last year, which is fine, but a word or two from my 'donor' would have been appreciated.

[NormaSatansFelcher]

Have sent my donation email.

and some suggestions for how to simplify this thing for you

[pissedrightoff]

Could I email [email protected] saying 'I can spend £10, match me up with someone and I'll buy a gift for them'
or is that not the done thing?

[NormaSatansFelcher]

That is exactly the dine thing

[NormaSatansFelcher]

Done, not dine, done. (sigh)

[BloodandSCRUMatron]

I just emailed saying I could donate a voucher for X amount.

[LittleWhiteWereWolf]

Finally got around to adding my nomination and donation. Yay!

[RebeccaMumsnet]

@pissedrightoff

Could I email [email protected] saying 'I can spend £10, match me up with someone and I'll buy a gift for them'
or is that not the done thing?

That is perfick [hgrin]

[SacreLao]

Just to check that my email got through ok.

I recieved a confirmation for the donation I offered but no response to the email with my nomination?

Is this correct?

[MOSagain]

I didn't get any confirmation that my donation and nomination emails were received. Should I have done?

[Tequilamockinbat]

I'd love to take part again but sadly can't afford it this year

If my circumstances change, can I be added in at a later date?

[Whatevertheweather]

Sent in a donation and nomination email - am I too late?? Only just seen this but would love to send something.

[Peachy]

I had acknowledgements with both of mine, perhaps resend?

[MOSagain]

oops, just double checked, I did get acknowledgements

[MrsKitty]

Such a lovely thing to do - have sent an email (having realised that I've been meaning to for ages, but kept forgetting, and now realise the closing date is on Monday...) Glad I am able to join in this year, even though it's just a small amount.

[tigerlillyd02]

Nominated and donated. What a lovely idea! :)

[1973magpie]

Signed up, hope my message made sense! Always thought this was one of the best things about MN, but only this year able to participate

[EllaDee]

Whew, just saw this in time - you get it done early, don't you?!

Does this get mentioned in Round Up or anything? I've never noticed but I was sad I missed it last year as I would have liked to join in.

Hope you don't mind cheapskates those of us with smaller pockets!

[StaceymAloneForver]

glad i saw this today, having recieved a few years ago when dh ledft a few months b4 xmas, i would lvoe to give something back now i'm in a better position! MN you are fantastic xxx

[LoveBeingAWitch]

Bump

[openerofjars]

Too late? I only just saw this now!

[RebeccaMumsnet]

@Tequilamockinbat

I'd love to take part again but sadly can't afford it this year

If my circumstances change, can I be added in at a later date?

Mail us as and when and we will do our best but can't promise after today as the spreadsheet madness will be well under way

@EllaDee

Whew, just saw this in time - you get it done early, don't you?!

Does this get mentioned in Round Up or anything? I've never noticed but I was sad I missed it last year as I would have liked to join in.

Hope you don't mind cheapskates those of us with smaller pockets!

We do give this a mention a few times in the newsletter, we know it happens early but we have to get addresses and match and send out info by December to allow enough time for folks to catch the Christmas post.

We can accept the odd late donation or nomination in very special cases but obvs there has to be a deadline.

And no problems about the small pockets, everything is very gratefully received.

@openerofjars

Too late? I only just saw this now!

Nope, there's still time [hgrin]


very much all, we have had many, many fabulous donations and nominations. You are all so amazing!

[ChaosTrulyReigns]

Rebecca, would you be willing to do a grand reveal?

It would be interesting to know the stats on this and how it has grown, year by year.

It is something that MN should be verily proud of, and I'm sure that the figures (not monetary, obvs) would be phenomenal and toast-worthy.

[RebeccaMumsnet]

We can only go on last year and this year but I am sure we can give some vague figures in a few weeks when the dust settles but it has grown this year from last year.

[ChaosTrulyReigns]

Excellent.