Mumsnet Christmas Appeal: the thank you thread II

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello

Follow-on thread from this one.

To quote SecretSantaSandyMumsnet:

So the spreadsheets have been completed, the matches have gone out, all is done.

We're all waiting with bated breath. If you're a recipient and you'd like to pop back on here when your gift arrives to thank your donor then do remember to look out for your MN code which will have been included in the address on the packaging and include it in your post. The person who sent the gift will then be able to know it's you.

If anyone has any questions about anything to do with the Mumsnet Christmas Appeal then do please email [email protected].

Ho Ho Ho!

BellaVita you sound like you have had a right old time of it, hope things are getting better now for you

I'm sorry the Secret Santa idea hasn't worked out well for you katemiddy and has maybe left you feeling disappointed, and even more sorry that you've had such a bad year.

However I think you really can't split people tidily into those in need (to be nominees/recipients) and those completely happy, rich, and capable people to be the donators of presents. Some people who volunteered to give something may have some problems of their own. You say "there's really no excuse" whereas I think actually there could be hundreds of excuses, some of which you'd probably find very valid, others much more everyday such as yes, things got a bit busy before Christmas, or I was getting a bit stressed about it all and left things a bit late this year.

I was a late poster for which I do apologise to all, especially my dear recipient. I'm hoping my parcel may have arrived by now, or surely will do soon ?
I wish I'd put more in it now too as it's only a little something.
Hoping those still waiting for something could see it as a little token to hopefully welcome in a brighter New Year for all x

I too am rather sad at reading the post from katemiddy and it even crossed my mind that perhaps I would not volunteer to donate next year if this is the kind of response.

DP posted our parcel a couple of weeks before Christmas after I had spent time with our two DDs choosing the gifts to enclose, wrapping the gifts, putting in a few extra bits and pieces and a gift and voucher for the MNer of the house.

I check back here fairly regularly to see if someone has said that the parcel arrived but there has been nothing. I hope the parcel did arrive and that it made a small difference to the festivities in the recipient's house.

However, should it not have arrived, I did find myself thinking that I hope katemiddy is not my recipient and I feel bad for having that thought. This is the third year that we have donated and, whilst this has not always been an easy year for us and we hardly have a lot of spare, we have always told our DDs (now 6 and 4) that we do this to help a family having a tougher time of things than us. We donate with every good intention and I will not be mentioning to DDs that some recipients feel so negative about the whole thing.

Katemiddy, if you read through the thread there are many donators who have no had any acknowledgement that their parcel has been received. So before you start bumping your gums about "better off busy people" and yr own disappointment consider for one moment that your parcel is one of the ones in transit.

And from a personal point of view, yes I'm busy, yes I may be in better circumstances than some people but my life isn't a bed of roses. For you to assume otherwise is narrow minded. Also if I had nominated you, I would be embarrassed that you come here and bash the donators just because you haven't received your gift yet. Have y ever heard its the thought that counts? Someone out there thinks you were deserving enough to receive a gift. Whether or not you have received it yet is by the by.

It's the season of good will. Maybe email sandy and ask her to follow up your SS. Rather than bring down the spirit of this thread.

Afternoon.

We have deleted katemiddy's post because we don't think it's really on to attack other Mumsnetters for their lack of generosity - particularly on this thread.

If you contact us, katemiddy, we'll be happy to do what we can. But we can see that you've already received one parcel, so we do hope that will spread a bit of a warm glow.

And, just as a general note to all: we do appreciate that it's disappointing to know you've been nominated and then not to have received anything (yet) and that's it's also disappointing to have sent a parcel and then not to have had any thanks/acknowledgement (yet).

But we do want to stress that the Appeal is run entirely on goodwill and kindness. And, despite best intentions, things may inevitably go awry.

Donors may find they're no longer able to send a parcel (though most of those are kind enough to let us at MNHQ know, so we can try to make other arrangements) and recipients may be unable (for all sorts of reasons) to post their thanks/acknowledgement.

We do think it's important that everyone who takes part in the Appeal - either as a donor or as a recipient or both - does so with no expectations. We'd hope that donors would be happy to give, even if their giving might, sadly, not be acknowledged, and recipients would be happy to have been nominated by a fellow Mumsnetter, even if, sadly, their gift never arrives.

This is a truly lovely thing that so many MNers do for each other at this time of year. But, in an operation of such a huge nature, there will always be the odd thing that doesn't quite go right.

It would be such a shame for the overall wonderfulness of the Appeal to be undermined by the odd little cock-up.

Thank you Helen, have a good one!

Well said Helen, and here's to MNHQ and all who sail in her for all their hard work with the appeal

Dear Helen and all at HQ,

Being nominated and then receiving beautifully thought-out gifts from WillYuleDoTheFandango and SantaFlashes has totally made my Christmas.

Thank you to MNHQ, all the organisers, my kind nominator and of course, very particularly to my lovely donators.

As Helen says, it's the spirit of goodwill that makes this SS scheme special, along with the lovely gifts .

Thank you xxxxxx [choc]

Thank you MN for deleting that comment. I hope that everybody receives their presents. Like you say, there may still be some in transit, or peoples circumstances have been such that they have not been able to post.

I donated, I nominated and I was nominated. I thought that SS was a wonderful idea and tried to spread the word as much as possible.

It was lovely just to be nominated and I would not have minded if nothing had turned up. As it was, MN176 sent two lovely items for my DD, which she has had great fun playing with.

I intend to nominate and donate again next year and I hope that you carry on with this wonderful idea.

Well boo hoo for katemiddy only getting one parcel.

MrsV, yes it has been tough .

@BellaVita

Well boo hoo for katemiddy only getting one parcel.

MrsV, yes it has been tough .

Hope your DH is out of hospital soon, BellaVita. Sounds very scary

Thank you Helen x

I am going to tape my gob up now

That was so good of you to be a donater this year waves

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas.

I do like to give something to others at Christmas.
We always do the Christmas shoe-box appeal too, with the DC's.

Even when you have fairly little yourself it gives some perspective and meaning to the season I feel to give something to others.

blimey.

didn't read what kate said but sounds bad.

honestly i don't think people should donate unless they can afford to do so and are aware they may not receive a thank you and people who are nominated should accept it doesn't mean it's set in stone you'll get something.

things have gotten daft on here from both sides.

i actually wonder if a thank you thread is a good idea after reading this.

Well if that's the only negative comment I think a thank you thread is still a lovely idea. :)

I knew I'd been nominated but didn't know that meant I was definitely going to get something, so it was such a lovely surprise. (Thanks again 033 :) ) I wasn't sure how to thank my SS so finding this thread was great!

I don't think we should let one nasty/frustrated comment ruin a lovely idea and thread.

Mine lives in Fareham. I posted it weeks ago. I'm not bothered about a thank you. After reading this thread initially I did think that I hadn't sent enough. I don't know my recipients personal circumstances, some of you seem to but all I got was the age and sex of the child. Was that the same for everyone? All I need to know is do I have to chase the post office up for this? I don't seek gratitude btw.

It isn't about thank you. I don't know why it keeps coming back to it being that people want thanks. That's baffling.

I didn't see katemiddy's post before it went poof and think I'm probably glad.

Bit worried I'd posted just before about receiving more than one parcel, I hope it didn't come across as gloating :( I didn't expect to receive one parcel, I didn't expect to receive any! I still don't know why I was nominated, I don't think I was in all honestly, I can only come to the assumption it was probably DD being poorly which is hardly something I would wish one anyone.

I without a doubt will donate next year, if our financial situation is similar to this year it won't be a grand gesture but for me personally it truley was the thought that went into those gifts and nominations. I could have received an unwashed hole-y sock and still have had a little cry I think.

And yes sometimes royal mail et al cock up and things disappear into a black hole somewhere, it's still no reason to be so bloody ungrateful.

There really is no pleasing some people.

Lighthouse - that is the same info I had too.