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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

What's happening with the MN Christmas Appeal this year?

70 replies

ThomasRichard · 14/09/2015 13:46

I know last year there was some sort of consultation thread - what was the outcome and how does it affect plans for this year?

OP posts:
MNHQ
RebeccaMumsnet · 14/09/2015 14:14

Hi Thomas,

It will be going ahead this year and SandyMumsnet and her secret santa helpers are gearing up as we speak. Watch out for the stickied thread coming soon.

Sparklingbrook · 14/09/2015 14:36

I hate to be a bit of a downer but in the light of everything that has gone on recently is it a good idea? Really?

Original poster
ThomasRichard · 14/09/2015 15:08

Thanks Rebecca. Will it be in the same format as previous years?

OP posts:
MNHQ
RebeccaMumsnet · 14/09/2015 15:19

Hi Sparkling,

We totally see where you are coming from and the security is at the forefront of our mind when designing all of this.

When we go live, we will have a section on security and warnings before anyone enters their info about how it is stored and who will have access and lots more information.

Thomas - it will be similar with a few Tech tweaks, yes.

Sparklingbrook · 14/09/2015 15:22

I think security is one aspect that might put people off, but there's all the namechanging too, nobody knows who is who any more.

I might be proved wrong of course but I think there may not be that many takers to get involved.

SouthWestmom · 14/09/2015 15:23

How can I contact you with a comment/feedback that I don't want to post on a thread?

Original poster
ThomasRichard · 14/09/2015 15:27

Sparkling I know in previous years that MNHQ a were able to find people who had been nominated under previous usernames. It might be a bit trickier if people have de-regged and then signed up again?

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 14/09/2015 15:29

In previous years it hadn't been a month since Hackergate though. Things feel very different at the moment.

Sorry to be negative.

Original poster
ThomasRichard · 14/09/2015 15:31

It's going to end up with poor Sandy sitting on a bench in various UK cities, handing brown envelopes to MNers in disguise :o

OP posts:
Samcro · 14/09/2015 15:37

wow i am surprised that its even being considered. who would want to give their address?? and with the amount of trolls on mn who is real?

TantrumsAndBalloons · 14/09/2015 15:40

To be honest I don't really know who anyone is anymore.
And I wouldn't be giving my name and address to anyone after the hacking thing.

AND after the bloody debacle of last year with people complaining that they wasn't nominated, didn't receive their gift, didn't get s thank you, didn't get a thank you quick enough, etc and endless threads about what a bad idea it was then I'm sorry but I am steering clear.

I've donated for the last 3 years but I wouldn't do it again.

Sparklingbrook · 14/09/2015 15:43

Could it be put to a vote to check enough people want to take part?

Badders123 · 14/09/2015 15:46

I feel rather guilty :(
I was nominated and got a lovely gift.
I went on the thank you thread and said thank you.
BUT then I got another gift! And I couldn't access the thank you thread to say thank you!
So....if you sent a box of m and s chocs...thank you. They were delicious! :)

Badders123 · 14/09/2015 15:47

I couldn't believe some of the posts last year Tbh.
I felt very bad the person who sent my the chocs might have thought I was ungrateful though.
I did contact mnhq but never heard back....

WitchOfAlba · 14/09/2015 15:50

I won't be giving my address to MN, but then I wouldn't give it to any other online chat site either.

wannaBe · 14/09/2015 15:59

tbh the Christmas appeal is fraught with controversy every year because we have the influx of "oh my life is so hard," posts who no-one has ever heard of, the people who never get a thank you, the not complaints that a poster who is nominated had a holiday yesterday or bought a packet of biscuits when her children are supposed to be living on scraps the gifts not received, etc.

Also with the username changes no-one knows who anyone is any more, and although you can never really be certain who is who on the internet it will be a lot to consider to have mn hq check that a poster has a history, also people won't be so quick to nominate because they won't know who is considered to be in need. And that's before we get to the point of considering who would be prepared to give out their name and address so that jeffrey a total stranger might send them a gift.

IMO it would be a good idea for mn hq to start a discussion/vote thread to see how people feel about it this year and whether it is worth going ahead with or perhaps just setting up a fund where people could donate to a variety of charities who give gifts at Christmas...

AndDeepBreath · 14/09/2015 16:03

Aren't we all assuming they've tightened security though, seeing as we're all still posting here? It could just be up to the posters to join in if they're happy with that slight risk.

Alternatively I quite like the charity idea, although voting on that could be a nightmare in itself...

Sparklingbrook · 14/09/2015 16:05

I agree wanna. MNHQ have my address every now and again for product tests but I think the security is just a small part of why the appetite for this may not be there.

I do think opinions should be gathered before starting anything.

HoneyDragon · 14/09/2015 16:10

Badders, same happened to me. I recieved a second gift about 3 weeks after Xmas, it was lovely too, clearly personal to where the sender lived and I couldn't say thank you Sad

Samcro · 14/09/2015 16:11

don't mn hq already do a charity thing during the year?
surely anyone who wants to give could just give to a local charity, or a freind in need.

wannaBe · 14/09/2015 16:13

I assume that they've tightened security and I am not concerned about posting here.

That is however vastly different from giving out my name and address so that someone who I know only as a username can know where I live.

Fwiw I wouldn't have a problem with giving my address to mn hq if I e.g. won a competition, but I wouldn't want it to be passed on to a random mumsnettter, because, lovely as I'm sure the majority are, there really is just no way of knowing.

IMO the only way The Christmas appeal could work would be for the givers to send to a specific address which was an mn hq address, and for the gifts to then be distributed to the nominees. perhaps some london based mn'ers could even volunteer to go down to mn hq and lend a hand.

the charities idea... we could either nominate certain charities (that works well enough with giving week) or perhaps individual mn'ers could donate items for hampers or such like to be made and then people could still be nominated as per my suggestion above...

Am thinking on the fly really so a bit disjointed but ykwim.

MNHQ
RebeccaMumsnet · 14/09/2015 16:14

@Noeuf

How can I contact you with a comment/feedback that I don't want to post on a thread?

You can email us on [email protected] Noeuf.

MNHQ
RebeccaMumsnet · 14/09/2015 16:22

@wannaBe

tbh the Christmas appeal is fraught with controversy every year because we have the influx of "oh my life is so hard," posts who no-one has ever heard of, the people who never get a thank you, the not complaints that a poster who is nominated had a holiday yesterday or bought a packet of biscuits when her children are supposed to be living on scraps the gifts not received, etc.

Also with the username changes no-one knows who anyone is any more, and although you can never really be certain who is who on the internet it will be a lot to consider to have mn hq check that a poster has a history, also people won't be so quick to nominate because they won't know who is considered to be in need. And that's before we get to the point of considering who would be prepared to give out their name and address so that jeffrey a total stranger might send them a gift.

IMO it would be a good idea for mn hq to start a discussion/vote thread to see how people feel about it this year and whether it is worth going ahead with or perhaps just setting up a fund where people could donate to a variety of charities who give gifts at Christmas...

Hi wannaBe,

We did do this last year to see if folks still wanted us to run it and the answer, overall, was yes.

People have to have been around for 12 mths or more to be nominated (you can nominate anyone and we will have a look) and we can see name changes so we can still match that way.

We do have to weigh up the complaints with the good feeling and we felt and still feel that the goodwill and community that comes out on the Thank You thread is just lovely.

Obviously, if there is a vast swell of people who don't want it to happen this year, we will take another look.

SouthWestmom · 14/09/2015 16:22

Thank you! Not sure why I thought it would be different.??

Simurgh · 14/09/2015 16:37

Personally, I like doing something a bit extra at Xmas and you have to make provision for eg those MNetters who may not be able to afford a cash donation but would still like to participate and might have a specific item that would be a great present for someone.

I do appreciate that there might be some anxiety following Jeffreygate but isn't it the case that you could always just give an address (maybe even a name?) you 'feel comfortable with' rather than necessarily where you actually live? Besides which, only MNHQ know who has been nominated or is donating and can tie in the names to nicknames. Donors know only that they can send something to a name at an address - they have no idea which poster it might be.

I'll think on it some more, though. It will be interesting to hear other people's views.