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!

[supermariossister]

Sorry am new to this but what kind of things can you donate, i was nominated last year under a different username after an awful time and id really like to give something back. It wont be anything major but i would love to brighten someones christmas :)

[THERhubarb]

molding yes that is my point, too many posters are too keen to brag about all the gifts they have sent which are preventing other posters from being involved. I do think that MNHQ should encourage posters to be more discreet and perhaps think twice before posting what they are gifting.

If it makes you feel better, I have felt the same way, especially last year.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Rhubarb I agree completely.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

I'm proud to brag about my bags of second hand clothes . I never EVER iron for any of my own children but did a shed load for my secret nominee and enjoyed it. It took two evenings. It was what I could give and luckily the recipient was lovelier that she really needed to be about it.

I hope it made a difference as did the box of cake mix I received one year did for me.

[THERhubarb]

Starlight

You are so lovely!

[THERhubarb]

Yeah Starlight so quit boasting!

[supermariossister]

This is what worries me about donating, i can buy something small and make things but it wouldnt be anything costly or epic as im not very well off. would just like to spread the cheer so to speak

[nickelbabe]

Good idea Rhubabr put about the Royal Mail - even though my postman refuses to give me letters addressed to me because he thinks I should have DH's surname, therefore they can't be addressed to me
(this is banter, he's not serious i hope ), he says over and over again "we deliver to addresses not people - if the person isn't at the address, pop them back in the post box, but we have to deliver them", which means that if we follow that rule (he is also a jobsworth, so he knows this stuff), then the Callers' Office ONLY needs proof of address, not name, so if you took a photo ID that had your address on it, then you would be okay to collect your pressie.

But I think it would be wise to tell the RM exactly what's going on, because MNers are spending a lot of money with them because of this scheme.

[THERhubarb]

How are you now molding?

[StarlightMcKenzie]

btw, I really DID get a box of cake mix. And I really WAS grateful.

Not that I especially needed cake mix of course, - but I did need a cheery act of kindness.

[supermariossister]

i like cake mix , i received last year and it was a lovely suprise, the kids were well chuffed they had a gift off a stranger :) ive donated but im wondering if its a bit pants now :/ have messaged molding to ask if she thinks so!

[THERhubarb]

MNHQ as well as making sure the PO aren't arses again, is there any chance you can request that posters don't reveal what they are gifting please? I'm sure this would encourage more donators and would ease the pressure significantly.

No allusions to spenditure either or how big the box of goodies is. Some people can only give a little but their contribution should not be dismissed as it's just as valuable and they won't be the ones shouting about how much they've contributed.

[nickelbabe]

now i'm jealous cos i want cake mix

[supermariossister]

:D

[SandyMumsnet]

@THERhubarb

Sandy what are your plans for dealing with the Post Office? They are getting very strict about people picking up parcels from the sorting office, requiring photo ID and I know from previous years that some have been arsey with mumsnetters, not letting them collect parcels that were marked to 'A Mumsnetter' because they obviously didn't have ID in that name.

Moulding - it's funny but I just did a thread on people not being grateful, not that it was the point of your tale but I do feel that some people expect huge bundles of brand new stuff and hardly mention the small gifts that some of us may have made a real effort on. That woman you sent to really should have been grateful to have been nominated at all and receiving a parcel of goodies let alone abusing others.

When this was all first set up many posters would donate old toys and clothes but there does seem to be more pressure now to buy new things as that is what everyone else seems to be doing. I know a few posters who did donate second-hand items and didn't so much as receive an acknowledgement for them.

I think it needs to be reiterated that any gift, no matter how small is most welcome and that recipients should not expect to receive brand new gifts, but should welcome used toys and clothes too because they are all sent in kindness and with love. I'm sure there are many posters who can give something but may be put off because they don't think that what they have is good enough.

and moulding - I hope your situation is now better?

Hi THERhubarb,
Thanks for letting us know about The Post office.
We unfortunately don't have any control over The Post Office but we feel it's important that the Christmas Appeal remains anonymous. ID will provide proof of the address, so we hope this should be enough.

[SandyMumsnet]

@HopALongOn

Question: does it need to be 'gifty' things donated. I've got lots of lovely baby clothes (like, immaculate condition) that were barely worn and I wonder if someone who is struggling might like those? Sorry if this has been asked before, only skimmed thread as at work and should be, er, working!

We would be thrilled with all sorts. Baby clothes sound perfect, thank you!

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

Have nominated, marking my place so I can have a think about what i can give someone :)

[SandyMumsnet]

@THERhubarb

MNHQ as well as making sure the PO aren't arses again, is there any chance you can request that posters don't reveal what they are gifting please? I'm sure this would encourage more donators and would ease the pressure significantly.

No allusions to spenditure either or how big the box of goodies is. Some people can only give a little but their contribution should not be dismissed as it's just as valuable and they won't be the ones shouting about how much they've contributed.

Hi again THERhubarb,
You're right it's a shame if folk feel their gifts are not enough, as we are so grateful for all the donations that are pledged. It's such a heartfelt gift exchange so it would be in the spirit of the appeal if folk were discrete about how much they've given.

[FruOla]

Well, of course, MNHQ aren't responsible for gifts going astray through Royal Mail (or whoever). Although I quite understand it might be difficult retrieving something from the local sorting office (or other delivery service) - after all, none of us has ID saying we're The Mumsnetter Of The House, although I accept that ID with the house address should be acceptable.

I get the impression that, last year, a few gift vouchers (which were posted inside normal Christmas cards) might have gone missing because they were addressed "To The MNer etc", but not sent Registered Post/Special Delivery/Signed For - or whatever.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

I doubt MNHQ could do anything tbh, the passport office couldn't do anything about the postman refusing to give me my new passport in my married name on the basis that I didn't have any ID in that name to show him to get it and I imagine their client base is pretty significant.