----------UPDATE----------
sophnina - address, likes/dislikes received
xmjox - address, likes/dislikes received
BonnieYork - address, likes/dislikes received
_MissH_x - address, likes/dislikes received
ladykrw - address, likes/dislikes received
kerrieout - address, likes/dislikes received
tattooedrich - address, likes/dislikes received
lilliesandlove - address, likes/dislikes received
mitch_uk - address, likes/dislikes received
romanyscarlett (obviously!) - address, likes/dislikes received
ogormless - address, likes and dislikes received
scooshmeister - address, likes and dislikes received
georgioies - address, likes and dislikes received
rachel_2407 - address, likes and dislikes received
sazzlejay - address, likes and dislikes received
charleynew - address, likes and dislikes received
princesspea79 - address, likes and dislikes received
chellington26 - address, likes and dislikes received
If your name is not listed here and you want to take part please tell me so I can add you. If you've not given me your address/likes/dislikes please can you do so whenever you get a chance. If you took part last year and want to use the same address/likes/dislikes then that's fine but please let me know. You have until 1st November to register your participation and send me your information.
The original blog can be read below.
----------UPDATE ENDS----------
ERMAGHAD IT'S ONLY OCTOBER! CHRISTMAS IS MILES AWAY!
There you go, I saved you trouble of saying it.
I'm going back to work full time this month so I'm pre-empting
Last year a present went missing because Royal Mail delivered it to the wrong address a few doors away from the intended destination. Instead of doing the sensible and normal thing of taking it to the correct property in the street the residents decided to return it as "not known at this address". Obviously since the Santa is supposed to remain secret, there was no return address on the package. Nobody was aware that it had gone astray so nobody was able to contact Royal Mail and it is presumed to have been destroyed. This is especially sad because the gift was a beautiful handmade Christmas wreath so congratulations to Royal Mail for their inability to read addresses and an even bigger congratulations to the residents of that property for being asshole scrooges.
Another gift went missing and there is no news on where it ended up so that is presumed stolen or destroyed. Due to these events, this time round I will need you tell me when you've posted your gift so I can tell the recipient that it's on the way and the recipient can tell me when it arrives. This means that if it goes astray we'll know about it. I'm also enforcing a tracked post rule. It obviously means postage will be a little bit more expensive but I would suggest using Second Class Signed For rather than First Class Standard. I've compared the prices and it works out as roughly an extra 70p-80p to do this. As an example a small parcel weighing less than 1kg sent by standard First Class costs £3 and the same parcel sent by Second Class Signed For costs £3.70 but postage will of course depend on size and weight. You'll have the peace of mind of being able to track your item and it will also be insured against loss. As the name would suggest, the Signed For service requires a signature so if you're not at home at the time of delivery you'll get one of those little cards telling you to either pick it up from the local sorting office or telephone to rearrange delivery. If the thought of one these cards fills you with dread you could use a work/friend/parents address instead.
I will be accepting participation requests from now until 1st November and I will draw the names on Saturday 2nd November. I'll follow the same process as last year: you'll need to DM me your address and list of likes/dislikes in advance of 1st November and on 2nd November I will send you a DM with the name, address and likes/dislikes of who you are purchasing for.
ERMAGHAD NOVEMBER 2ND IS SO LONG BEFORE CHRISTMAS!
Saved you the trouble of saying that too.
Another thing I'm changing this year is the postage date. Last year the final posting date was 14th December which caused its own set of issues because of parcels getting caught up in the Christmas post and not arriving until Christimas Eve by which point people had left to go back to their home towns for the holidays. This year I'm going to say that Monday 9th December is the final posting deadline - a week earlier than last year. This gives a full fortnight for delivery. Due to this I'm picking the names a bit earlier so everyone has ample time to buy their gifts.
I know it's loads of rules but it should mean that nobody ends up disappointed this year. It was so much fun last year and everyone taking part ended up following each other so lots of new friendships were made.
As a TLDR of the rules:
Send me a DM with your name, address and likes/dislikes by 1st November
Receive the name, address and likes/dislikes of the person you're buying for on 2nd November
Buy a present for £5
Post by Second Class Recorded prior to Monday 9th December
Let me know when you've sent it
Let me know when you've received your gift
Anyway, here is last year's blog about the whole process and if you've got any comments or suggestions, please let me know!
PS. I'd love it if this year everyone would send me a picture of their presents so I can do a follow up blog about it all.
