MN Christmas Appeal 2013

[SandyMumsnet]

Can you hear the faint tinkle of Santa's sleigh bells? Are you trying to remember where you stashed your fabulous reindeer jumper? [tchgrin]

Hurrah! That must mean Christmas is [ahem] just around the corner and the Mumsnet Christmas Appeal is gearing up for another year of festive generosity and merriment.

The MNers' heartfelt community spirit is being unleashed for the fourth year in-house. If you're new to the site or need to refresh you memory, please check out how this wonderful Secret Santa gift exchange came about. In short MNetters nominate a worthy recipient and also donate gifts to other MNetters in a HUGE anonymous Secret Santa.

And for those of you who like the sound of the whole thing and are keen to spread the Christmas cheer, here's how it all works.

So if you know of a MNer who could do with a bit of a boost, help towards making their Christmas more enjoyable, or is just particularly luffly, please go to our NOMINATION PAGE to tell us about them. You have until 15th October.

We'll then drop all the nominees a line to ask for their addresses, ages/sex of any DC along with any further family details they're happy to share. This information needs to be with us by 29th October.

If you'd like to add something special to a MNers' Christmas by donating a gift, thank you! Please go to our DONATION PAGE where you can tell us about the gift you'd like to pledge. We love vouchers because they're easier to match, but we'd be delighted with all sorts. Remember, nothing is too small. You have until 29th October.

By 22nd November we will be awash with Baileys The Christmas Spirit liquor, but will have matched up all the donations with the nominees and will send out a Secret Santa mail to the donators so all you lovely folk can get your parcels off well before the final Christmas post. Parcels are addressed to the MNetter of the House (unless otherwise stated) to try to maintain anonymity.

This whole process is anonymous, we do not pass over RL or Talk names.

Donators and nominees are given a code to quote if they want to say thank you to one another on the MN thank you thread following the gifts being sent out.

Any questions about the frankly terribly confusing process, please do ask, or take a look at our FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. [tchgrin] [tchgrin]

And so may MNHQ be the first to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Hi JaquelineHyde

So sorry you're struggling! Can we ask whether you're nominating people under a previous nickname, or their current nickname? Either way should work, as this is a glitch we ironed out early on.

We've just had a quick go, and it seems to be working by using current nn or past ones. But if this has gone wonky for other people, we certainly need to look at our system again!

Could you have another go, and get back to us with the results? If anyone else is having trouble, please do shout, as we wouldn't want anyone to miss out.

I have just done a quick check and it was previous nicknames.

I have now managed to nominate both under their current nicknames, so possibly still a problem?

Thanks anyway.

I took part in this for the first time last year but I only donated, as I couldn't think who to nominate. The year I've been making a mental note of posters who I might want to nominate, and I have at least one in mind. I'll also donate again. I love the thank you thread, it makes me feel all wam and fuzzy inside reading how surprised and happy the recipients are .

Oh, I love this! Did it last year and was fab. Have nominated and donated.

Rhubarb, I think its great to iron out issues. I only donated once and had to get MN to check if the parcel had arrived (couldnt send signed for a had the address very late and post office said it would arrive after xmas if trackable for some reason).

It did put me off donating again and would be better if nominees had to acknowledge the parcel. Its not about saying thank you but more to let people know the time and effort they put it was worth it as the parcel arrived safe and sound.

Sending to the MN also caused a lot of problems so nice to see that being looked at too.

I think this is tricky, of course there will be people who take advantage they come on here all the time and most people who have been on here for any length of time will see evidence of them somewhere if they look. (hence the advice mumsnet puts up now about only giving what you can afford etc etc)

However most of the people are surely just normal people trying to do something for others who have had a bad time.

I have changed to this name because when I read the description above I suddenly wondered whether maybe I forgot to thank my secret santa once (I have tried to find out but my internet is being really slow so I cant search properly) if it was me I am truly truly sorry, it was completely out of character for me.

At the time my life had been totally wrecked, I had just had a baby (not my first!) who was repeatedly hospitalised from birth over an hour away from home, ending up with an almost 5 month hospitalisation (admittedly some was after Christmas) of course you need to be in hospital a lot when breastfeeding and they (understandably) didn't provide internet access for parents, I myself had an accident and smashed up my face, (it is still scarred and I was unable to even eat Christmas dinner,) I spent every free second I had charging backwards and forwards between home and hospital trying to see my other children, (husband working couldn't/wouldn't take time off) subsequently I lost my job and we were forced to move away from our home, friends, kids schools etc.

Admittedly this is probably a bit more than happened to most people who don't say thank you and perhaps unbelievably it doesn't stop there either.

However reading this made me feel really bad in case it was me who didn't say thank you but I don't want people to feel bad when they give a gift and it is not acknowledged, just sometimes there is a reason behind it.

oh and if it was me please can I say a huge big thank you to whoever it was your kindness was truly appreciated.

MNHQ, thanks for changing the thread title! It reminded Zombie that she needed to get her skates on and make her nominations - which she has just done.

She's very excited about being part of this wonderful enterprise.

Thank you for changing this thread title to remind me to nominate.

I really hope she "wins."

I'm so glad I spotted this in time to nominate and donate!

Very nearly forgot

i like this but i dont know how people decide if its the real people who need these gifts and deserve them, as its faceless, people can tell lies on the internet, im sorry but im donating to womens aid,

Ruby people get nominated for all sorts of reasons not just because they are having a hard time financially.

Some are deserving because of the good advice or help they have given others on this site in topics like Health or Childbirth for instance.

Oh good grief I nearly forgot!
Thanks for reminder!

Me too badvoc!

Pistey has a happy image of Zombie on skates

I'm not too late am I?

I'm off to the nomination department :)

I have nominated someone who definitely and absolutely should be considered for a 'Good Egg' Secret Santa present.

There are so many people I would like to nominate though - how do you choose between all the other really Good Egg/Deserves A Treat/Should have something to unwrap posters??

Hold that image in your head, Pistey. You'll never see it in RL. Zombie had a poor sense of balance AND very weak ankles. Not a good combo for skates...

Hi Everyone,
Thank you so much for all the heartfelt nominations. They are all very moving and yet again we are humbled here at MNHQ by how many amazing folk we have on the boards.

The nomination page is now closed. All nominees will be contacted by MNHQ shortly via PM.

You are still very welcome make a donation by going here

Deck the halls with boughs of holly - Fa la la la la, la la la la.

can't - it says access denied.

I got the same, nickelbabe. If you up to the top and click on the link in the op, that works.

@nickelbabe

can't - it says access denied.

Ooops, sorry about that. All fixed now. Thanks for flagging.

"Thank you for changing this thread title to remind me to nominate. I really hope she "wins."

Although it's closed now, MissStrawberry, just to set your mind at rest there is no 'one single winner'. Everyone who is nominated should receive something from a MNer who has offered to donate.

It's a kind of giant Secret Santa - and hugely heart warming - 'tis luffly .

Oh, I know there is no single winner but I wasn't sure that everyone who is nominated would get something.

Thank you .

I haven't really been on MN properly for a long time. I donated in the first Xmas appeal. I gave some second hand toys and clothes to a MNer in need. I couldn't afford anything else but wanted to do my bit. nice to see it is still going

Dear lovely MNer :)

This nickname is my SSNN :)

Those nominated all get one, how fab is that? I'd normally say thank you in my real MNNN but I guess they would prefer me to wear this one for now, so, here it is, just for this thread.

I've been nominated for a Secret Santa present and it's absolutely blown me away.

Thank you so very much, from the bottom of my heart. I have also offered donations and I'm a huge believer in Paying It Forward.

So if you nominated me, you have made me smile! Lots! We've not had the best of times of late, I'm disabled and my pain levels have been through the roof, so is our son and he has been in pain of late too with his spine.

We've all had germs too - yuk!!

So the shiny PM, twinkling away on my screen just now was a truly, honestly wonderful, and lovely surprise :)

You've made this little poorly person smile from here ** to here

I hope you know just how fab you are xxx