Is Mumsnet a charity?

[Rhubarb]

Who gives a bollocks? I just got a lovely box of presents for my kids. We are not poor but we are not well off either, I don't mention my finances on Mumsnet much, only on that thread with Xenia! Yet I was nominated, still not sure why. I didn't know how to take the nomination at first, should I be offended that people think I've not got two pennies to rub together? Should I be flattered that people have thought me deserving? I decided to feel flattered but I politely refused, feeling that there were others who deserved gifts much more than me and my family.

Soapy however persuaded me to change my mind, stating that people were not nominated on the basis that they were poor, but because other Mumsnetters thought they had been through a tough time and needed a bit of Christmas cheer. So I accepted, but to ease my guilt I also nominated, in my mind, a more deserving Mumsnetter and I contributed a little something to the whole scheme.

This week has been tough for many reasons. This afternoon my neighbour came round with a box that she had taken in for me, in it was a little note from a Mumsnetter, a card for me and my family, separate cards for my children, clothes and presents. I was moved to tears that someone who did not know me, could be so thoughtful! Great care had been taken in packing my box for me.

What was a hard and horrible week has now been lifted and I'm feeling overwhelmed and shocked and touched. This is the greatest gift that all you givers have given - it's not the presents, as lovely as they are, it's the feeling that people out there do care, that there is a generosity of spirit that has been shone onto you. It's a very warm and fuzzy feeling!

I shall tell my children that someone they don't know, children they don't know, have given them these gifts because they wanted to do something nice and kind for Christmas. I hope my kids learn from them, I hope we all learn from them!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Soapbox for organising such a scheme and all those givers. You have given so much more than presents and I hope your Christmasses are all the more special, in the knowledge that you have restored the message of Christmas and brought happiness in some homes.

And I don't care how cheesy all of this sounds, for once I'm dropping my "bah humbug" mask for a bit, you lot have shown me your humanity, it's only fair that you see mine.

Rhubarb I didn't nominate you but I bought you a Guinness xmas gift pack that I meant to bring to the meet but forgot, my e mail is on the main xmas thread if you want to mail me your postal addy.

Where has the rest of this thread gone?? Or is this another?

I wanted to post this and under a different name for obvious reasons. I am one of the recipients of the kindness and generosity of givers on Soapbox's wonderful Christmas appeal and I read with interest (and not a little dismay) about some of the misgivings of some Mners. I understand the concerns about how it can be possibly judged about how "deserving" of help people are and whether people are being taken advantage of but quickly decided in my own mind that this is impossible because people can be deserving or in need of help in so many ways.

What I want to say is this: I was thrilled and relieved to be nominated and it took away a little of the panic about how the hell I was going to make Christmas SEEM like Christmas this year (although I no way expected the extent of the generosity that has been shown; I am still in shock over that.) My family is not on the breadline; we are very far from well or even comfortably off, but we do not live in poverty even in the UK sense of the word. As long as we are very careful there is usually enough to eat and the kids always get well fed. However, because we have little in the way of 'disposable income' and less than ever this year, Christmas definitely put us under pressure.

2 weeks ago I went and did some Christmas shopping, knowing full well that I could not afford to do so but at the time I thought 'what the hell..' and bought a few inexpensive items for close family members. The result was that yesterday I realised I had made a very serious mistake. We do not get paid until the end of next week and there was no money at all for essentials like bread and milk to get us through until then, much less for school packed lunches. I felt very down and stressed as I know I had got us into this mess and try as I might I could not think of a way top lay my hands on a few pounds.

And then the post came. And with it came a large parcel of lovely things from a Mumsnetter. And among, to my amazement, a twenty pound note. I just want to say that the £20 note will buy those essentials that I just didn't know how to get hold of to get through the week. I was sitting in despair feeling crap about unwisely having spent money we could ill afford, and then as if by a miracle the problem was suddenly solved.

Thank you so so much to that Mumsnetter.

Totally totally agree. Well said.

Beautifully put Rhubarb.
I'm a sour old bitch but I think this whole think has lifted spirits tremendously-amongst the buyers and the givers.

This is a drop in the ocean but shows what we could achieve if we all looked out for each other a little more and if women ran the show instead of blokes in suits.

And even if someone took advantage,frankly who cares??

Being able to do so easily on account of the unbounding generosity of the women who use this forum will hopefully teach them a very important lesson.

Very well said Rhubard.
I have been lucky enough to recieve a few gifts for my dc too and vouchers. It will help to make a much better christmas for my DC.
I have also sent out a parcel.

Fantastic post Rhub's

I had no idea i had been nominated. I came home from the school run one morning to find an Amazon voucher had been sent to me. It took me at least 10 minuted to work out that it was for me, from an MNer.

I just kept looking at it trying to work out what i had done to get a voucher. When it clicked i just felt amazing.
I was astounded that someone whom i had never met and dont think i have even "spoken" too had been so generouse as to send me (in my terms) quite a large value voucher.
i then flicked through the rest of my mail to see a note from a different MNer telling me that i should expect a delivery from toys r us....well that was it, from being amazed i was now just emotional. I didn't tell anyone in RL ( well i only know my parents) because i didn't think they would understand, so i was just happy and tingly all to myself.

Then saturday i go out and when i come home my mum says there was a package but that she will get dad to bring it round later as she thinks it was for the kids.
I assumed it was the lovely Toys r Us delivery, NO! it was two boxes of yet more gifts from two different people. One contained a number of PS2 games which my so will adore and the other some fab toys and gifts.

I then find amongst my mail another two parcels containing some yet more gifts.
so i am now an emotional wreck and there is apparantly more to come!!!

I have had a rough year or two and whilst i am skint i would never have put myself forward for this scheme as i am sure there are plenty out there who are more deserving than I, but to who ever did nominate me, I thank you.

I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that although this year we wouldn't be able to have all the bits and pieces i would have liked to get them, it would be brilliant just for the fact it would be just the three of us and it would be nice and calm and peacefull.

But thanks to the amazing kindness of strangers we can now have our dream Christmas.

this really has made christmas into a miracle for me. and whilst words on a pc screen will never truely convey just how overwhelmed i am i just want you all to know how incredibly gratefull i am to everyone who has participated in thsi scheme.

you really are angels

I nominated YOU too FattyMumma.. .. and then there was some concern over how to ascertain your real name as Soapy didn't your givers to have to send your parcels to 'FattyMumma'! lol

did you? aww hun thank you. i have been bowled over by the generosity i really have. i dont do emotion very well so this has taken up at least 5 years worth of blubbing.
i have had no idea who it was that nominated me so im glad i finally know.

But yes FATTYMUMMA would have been quite difficult to sign atthe post office lol.

aww im all tingly again. Thank YOU.