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!

Oh now I'm going to start crying and it's only October.

mn8157 I hope you and your family have a lovely festive season.

I was nominated as well and it's just the thought of being appreciated, or that someone cares if you've got a bit of a shitty time on your hands that makes me grin...not the thought of a huge haul of goodies, but that we are a community and that when you occasionally feel like things are difficult, someone you haven't met cares enough to nominate you. :).

So, thank you nominator...and nearer Xmas once I have wrestled with the royal mall to receive any such thing that might arrive, I shall change my name to a number and thank my Santa.

Hello.
I had no idea this scheme was happening until I had a message from HQ saying I'd been nominated. I'm amazed that somebody thought I should be one of the people singled out (Yes, I know!) for a visit from Mumsnet's stNick.

I feel a bit emotional and want to hug my laptop.

If you nominate, you don't get to know your nominee's code, that's for the donors.

Mumsnet... Can I just say that I've missed the nominations etc because I haven't seen the threads. Even on your 'all about the MN secret santa' page it says that nominations are opened 'around the end of October'. The 1st of October isn't the end. Also, and this is something I probably should have mentioned before, but sticky threads do not show on the app. I generally use the app to view mumsnet, but if I go onto _chat on my app I don't get stickied threads. This means that if there was a sticky to the nomination thread (and I don't know if there was) then I didn't see it. :( And I wanted to nominate. :( Bah.

So surprised to receive a message to say I have been nominated, gosh.........it makes you feel special. So who ever you are thank you soo much, its so nice to know that someone is thinking of you. Gosh!

galena i thi k you can change it. because I get stickies on active convos

my app is the android app

I don't use Active Convos, I use Topics to navigate to my chosen topics and there are no stickies - but when I look at the same topics on my laptop there are stickies.

Aw nooooooo misses the nomination deadline :( just donated though and can't wait to read all the happy receivers posts closer to Xmas :)

I have nominated and donated, and think it's all fab.
I have a couple of questions which are pretty much just curiosity!

What happens when there's a mismatch between donors and nominees?
If more donors, do some people get additional present?
If more nominees, what happens?
We are asked when donating what sort of present we'd like to give. If that doesn't match up with what's required, do you ask donors to consider giving something else? (I guess that's why vouchers are good - oops, mine are all Things)

I noticed no option to give a present for a man, be that DH/DP of needy family or male mnetter - do men get presents?

What is the balance of nominees? Are they mostly 'in need' or 'thanks for being lovely/helpful' etc?

I realise these are all quite nosey, especially the last one, so no worries if you don't answer!

I wonder how many nominataions there are compared to donations? I've been nominated which is lovely and a huge surprise. However I think there must be loads of MNetters who are more in need of some Christmas cheer so I won't be completing the email that MNHQ sent. I hope that doesn't sound rude but I just feel that I'm not able to accept a gift.

I've nominated and offered to donate, but I haven't heard anything yet about donating.

Also - is it really to late to nominate someone else. I just remembered another person who has been so kind :(

bisjo, please accept. last year there were more donations than nominations. Many people got 2 gifts. Someone wanted you to receive something. Accept in the spirit the nomination was made.

cakesonatrain, I nominated two MNers this year; one of whom is a man. Presumably when he replies to his 'nominees email', he will indicate that he's a man, which will give his 'matched donor' some idea what to send him - even if it's a voucher.

catgirl. Those of us who have offered to donate will not hear for another week or so. MNHQ have a rather complicated task of matching nominees (who have to respond to their email in the first place), with us, the donors. I imagine it's a logistical nightmare for them

Never fear, it will all become clear within the next few weeks.

"which will give his 'matched donor' some idea what to send him - even if it's a voucher". Sorry, that sounded rather patronising . What I meant was, if you are unsure what to send someone - male or female - a voucher is still a fab gift!

Thanks Fru. I guess I was just making the point that there was no option for "generic man gift' on the donation page, whereas you could choose "donate to toddler boy/teenage girl" etc.
Probably not that many men though.

I suppose you could ask, in the text box, if any males would like a gift?

"...I imagine it's a logistical nightmare for them"

I was thinking that it would be an interesting puzzle!

Liking the new name!
Thank you from the heart of my ample bottom to whoever nominated me.
I had my first mince pie o the season in your honour today.

What a lovely idea, I didn't see this until it was too late to nominate but have still be able to donate so that's great

I have nominated and have also said that I'd donate. Will someone contact me about the donation nearer the time??

Just bumping this because it's the last day for donations - an hour or so to go. Anyone been meaning to donate but not got round to it yet?

Ho ho ho,

So the donations page is now closed and the spreadsheets are out.

I've nominated but I've checked and no email was recieved requesting contact details.

Sandy

Will we be sent the information to match our donations but also who else might be in the household for a smallish pressie if we want to send more than one?