When I offered to organise this I knew it would not be straightforward - and I was right!

Sue, Happy New Year to you! I think you did a wonderful job organizing SS. I also think your idea of using e-mail is a very smart one for next time! That is if you organize another secret something, lol! I don't feel it is your responsiblity to track down the missing gifts! Everyone who signed up to participate should be responsible enough to send out something to the person they got. Its just mean and selfish not to send a gift and expect to recieve one. After all the whole idea is to brighten someones day when they recieve a surpirse during the holidays.And its the season of giving. I haven't seen a post from the person I was SS to, so I am hoping she recieved her gifts before Christmas as I sent it out before the 10th of December. I participated in a SS on another web site and a gal was involved who has been extremely sick. With her, there where only 4 of us who signed up so we kind of figured out who was who, because we used santa names like Snowflake elf, santas secret eld and Roxy the christmas fairy, lol! The gal who was sick got a package from each of us to brighten her holidays. She felt bad for not sending out a package to us. I told her we where her Christmas Spirit this holiday season. The three of us who sent out gifts to each other and her had such a wonderful time. We (all 4) sent e-cards, and jokes and e-mails to each other and go to know each other was well, since we where such a small group this year. I feel for the people who haven't recieved a gift and hope they all recieve something soon!
I think you did a fabulous job! Organizer of the year should go to you for all the hard work you've put into this!! To bad there's not a way to send all your PM's to your e-mail address where you could create folders to sort them in.

Dear Sue, I di not know why, I missed the SS this year, you and Bev have made a wonderful job, I hope to participate in 2011. It was so pleasant to see all the pictures of the gift, and to imagine the hapiness to receive them, and open them for Christmas.
Thanks to you, hugs and happy new year
Claude

I missed the SS this time, but I'll be on next! Happy New Year to you too. Love and blessings, Yoriko

Thank you Sue we all appreciate what you and Bev have done, i managed fine with yours, but i let Bev down without meaning to, still don't know how i missed it.

ttt
Happy New Year to you all.

Hi Sue,

YOU DID AN AWESOME JOB! CONGRATULATIONS!

I sent mine early and got mine early. I do hope those who are still waiting are only delayed by a backlog of post.

Happy New Year to you and thanks for undertaking this mammoth task. I loved it even though I was late in getting my things organised, but as I said I sent them out as soon as I had made them.

It was quite an undertaking Sue and although I didn't get to participate this year, perhaps next time I will see the posting....Hopefully all the gifts will eventually arrive and the receivers will get a message out to the sender know...Happy New Year and thanks for your hard work hugs x0x0x0

It sounds like it was a great success!! Thanks for doing the undertaking!! Maybe next year, I will have time to partake!

Judy

Sue, I did not participate in the SS, altho I wanted to. I just did not have time for another project. And I was afraid that signing up and not being able to complete would ruin someone else's Christmas. I would like to be included this year, 2011. Thanx for putting this enormus efforrt into Christmas for any Cutie that wanted to join. And from the posts I read, that was an awesome amount of Cuties. Thanx!!! Great job of organization. Hugs, Judy

Dear Sue, I agree with the other Cuties, you did a great job ! I have not received mine, but that is not the most important for me. In fact, I rather worry about the gift I sent because I don't even know if she received it or not... In france we have to put a return adress and it has not been returned.
I simply wanted to remind every Cuties who received their gift to post a small message, at least to let us know. There is a special post created for this.
Thank you very much again, Sue, and I wish you and every Cutie in the world a very happy new year !
Hugs

I missed the secret santa but I do under stand the job you took on. I did a secret sister for a couple of years with my quilt guild and I can tell you some people follow up and some people just don't. There is nothing you could have done to do make them. Some go over board and some do bare minimal. But in saying this most people did follow up and take care of their sister. If you do try to do this again make up an email for just this and that way you don't bog up your personal mail. You can also send count down emails as reminders. After the first year I reminded all when doing it again if something comes up that you can't forfill you promise let me know and I set up someone else or I follwed it up with something so no one got left out. Also you can get group to help you keep track. Sorry so long winded,lol.

1 comment

by spendlove 03 Jan 2011

I've decided that any attempt in the future will be by emails!

Sue, I want to add my thanks to what you did. This was so much fun and it is truely not your fault if someone did not follow directions. I hope we do it again next year. Many, many thanks. Becky

I thought you did an excellent work... Do more times, please! I did not receive. And also did not see any friend's postage that I sent. But, I understand that my friend was very busy. A hug and congratulations!

I think you did a wonderful job and thank you for it. With travel and such, I have not read many posts but will post the photos of the gorgeous gifts my secret santa sent.
Thank you again. Happy new year.
Jacqueline

Although I did not take part in the SS - due to being away, I take my hat off to you Sue for the orgainzation of such a huge project. Well done. Sarah.

I really feel for you Sue, but you are not to blame if people don't follow up on their commitment so please don't feel responsible. YOU ARE NOT!!!!

Do you want to know something?

Even when I ask people to contact me via email, and provide my emad, they STILL 'private message me on Cute' instead.

I don't know or understand why this is so, because when I ask for them to email me it is so I can just hit reply and attach whatever it is they have asked for, without having to hunt through all the PM's, looking for theirs, to find their emad.

I don't think it is too much, or too difficult a request to comply with but it happens again and again so that now, if they don't email me as I have requested, they don't get what they have asked for.

We are all busy these days, and we all have our personal responsibilities to keep up, but some of us have a little bit more on our plates than others and sometimes these responsibilities can treble at certain times of the year. I think we should all be mindful, that not everyone has hours of spare time to sit at their pc's even when they have offered to do something.

Happy New Year, Meganne

2 comments

by spendlove 02 Jan 2011

I quite agree!

by sewfrenzie 04 Jan 2011

I think e-mail would be so much easier. Being fairly new to this web site I did not know that it only shows a private message sent to you, but not a response recieved. That would make me crazy trying to track all those posts! I think Sue did a wonderful job!!!

Thumbs up from me. I think you did a great job and I would be willing to do it again. I have seen what I sent and have posted what I received Thank you very much

As others have said, I think yourself and Bev did a great job with the coordination of this. Stuff happens! Human nature and weather being what it is, there's always something likely to crop up to throw a spanner in the works. I think participants and coordinators supplying their email addresses might help so that people can more easily communicate about any problems they might be having or queries re mailing addresses, technical hitches etc.

I did not participate in the Secret Santa but I'm sure you did a fantastic job. Some don't realize what a JOB it is to organize something like this and making everyone happy is hard to do. I wouldn't worry about it at this time. Goodness. If you do go mad again, I'm sure it will run a little smoother for you. It was a fantastic idea and I'm sure more enjoyed it than not. It was a learning experience I'm sure :-).

I think you did a great job Sue. It is not your fault that some people didn't follow through. A bit sad for those that didn't receive their gift so people that can't follow through should not go in these schemes. Congratulations again.

Sue, you did such an awesome job getting this together. It is not your fault that some didn't follow thru with the PM's,nor is it you fault our wonderful mail system doesn't always deliver on time. Sooooo, please don't be discouraged and please volunteer to do this next year! Carol

Seems like you did a great job! Some people don't look at the PM tab. I didn't participate but I would agree that next time tell each person to send you their email. If I were you I'd create a new email address to use for it so your own inbox doesn't get overload, lol! Hugs for your efforts!

1 comment

by spendlove 02 Jan 2011

That is exactly what I've decided to do!

Sue, I think you did a bang up job! It isn't your fault that some didn't check their PM's. Are you MAD enough to do it again for Valentine's... That would truly be so much fun! My Santee hasn't replied yet, I put an address and not a name as a return, so it hasn't been returned. I'm just a little worried because she was in a bad wreck around the time you got all this together. So I hope nothing is too bad with her. Thanks again for doing such a wonderful job... Happy New Year...

Happy New Year to you Sue, you did a great job and it was a great idea anyway.
I am travelling back to England tomorrow !
Cathie Jones

Sue, Congratulations on organising SS. I loved participating and loved my SS gift.. Mine has been received as it is posted here. Please do not feel responsible for the lost or not posted. Most cutie would say it was a great success. Wish I could put my arms through the computer and give you a huge hug. Sally

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Sue, you did a great job and as you said - some didn't follow through - but the majority of them had so much fun with it - that this was a success - for all that partcipated and those that just shared in the fun of it. I know that my gift might have been sent too late or the person receiving it - just hasn't found a way to share about it - no worries on my part - because if it didn't reach them - but another - someone must have enjoyed it - I would hope. It might have been the no address on the return label that did my sendee in - I don't know. I would also like to have you organize this for the next year - as well - with the person that wants to be a part of to give you their email address - it would make it alot easier to organize for anyone that way. Thanks for you hard work on this and please don't worry this wasn't a success - it was for each of us - I was thrilled with each post that I read - it was heartwarming and did bring the group together and made so many happy along the way.

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Hi there Sue,
Please dont even try tracking missing gifts, I do not think it is your responsibility.
You organized everything beautifully, and even though my SS have not posted that she had received my gift yet, I realy hope it will still get to her. I have not received one neither, and will still look in the post, but if I do not receive anything I will still partake end of this year, and it realy is not your fault that either it got lost or was not posted.
Thank you so much for doing the organizing and also for starting it, I think it was a marvelous idea.
Happy New Year, hugs and Gods blessings to you.
Marietta

1 comment

by marthie 02 Jan 2011

Mooi gese vriendin

It was a nice thing you did. I'm sure it was very frustrating! I didn't participate but it seemed as though many really enjoyed it.

I would have to commend you on the effort that you put forth to organize this - and yes, some did not "follow" the procedures and did not get things done. But, there are always people like that, even in clubs that are local. But, I feel you did a marvelous job, and appreciate it. I had fun with this, and can only hope that we can do it again, and maybe next time people will understand better. how some embroidery clubs do this month is remarkable.

Gosh, I thought you did a great job!!! I loved participating! I had fun figuring out what to stitch for my recipient - I also worried a little that it be "good enough". And, I absolutely loved my gift - I wish I could thank my SS personally!! I didn't think anything could bring me even closer to this wonderful group of Cuties - but, you know what? Participating in your Secret Santa did just that!!! Thank you for all your hard work!! Hugs to you Laura*

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Sue, Personally I just can't say enough for all your work on the Secret Santa project. I was delighted to be able to be a part of it.My way of saying Thanks to an unseen friend. This site has given me such joy and even if I had not received I would not have minded.Again My THANK YOU.Happy New Year! Stella

Thank you Sue, i sent a gift but haven't received one yet but thats ok. I had alot of fun giving and would do it again.
Hugs Lee

Sue....I did not participate, but I commend you for taking on such an overwhelming task to help make the holidays fun & special for those that did participate. It is usually an overworked & thankless job to be an organizer of any event & the surprises (such as the unanswered PM's) are usually endless, but when I read all the excitement of all the cuties receiving their gifts, it put a smile on my face as well and just wanted you to know that even though I didn't participate, your Secret Santa gave me joy as well...so thank you!! Vicki

Congratulations with your offer to run this. You done a great job. Please do not take responsibility for people NOT checking their PM's. I want to vote you in as organiser for 2011 because you done it flawless(according to me) and I think the majority will agree. Have a wonderful 2011

2 comments

by spendlove 01 Jan 2011

<<Blush>>

by marietta 01 Jan 2011

blommetjie vir jou.