[stampin4fun]

I am always shopping and have some items I would like to gift to fluffs here. How do I go about doing this? Do I need permission? How do you surprise folks. I don't want to ask for their address and ruin the surprise.

 

[Lacie's Mom]

Rita -- I have a lot of the addresses from running Secret Santa for the last few years. Feel free to pm me for an addy.

Also, Crystal has a lot of addresses as a lot of our members order from her. Sometimes if I don't have an adresses on file, I will ask Crystal (Crystal&Zoe) or Maggie (LuvMyFurBabies) or Paula (Matlida's Mom) as a lot of the SM members have ordered from them.

Start there for addresses and if we don't have them, we probably know which member here might.

No -- you don't need permission to send surprise gifts. How sweet to think of this.

 

[missiek]

I know I would love to get in on suprising people as well!

 

[uniquelovdolce]

this is so sweet.

 

[Ladysmom]

Rita -- I have a lot of the addresses from running Secret Santa for the last few years. Feel free to pm me for an addy.

Also, Crystal has a lot of addresses as a lot of our members order from her. Sometimes if I don't have an adresses on file, I will ask Crystal (Crystal&Zoe) or Maggie (LuvMyFurBabies) or Paula (Matlida's Mom) as a lot of the SM members have ordered from them.

Start there for addresses and if we don't have them, we probably know which member here might.

No -- you don't need permission to send surprise gifts. How sweet to think of this.

I would PM Kim (Nissa's Mom) and ask her advice since she sends surprise gifts all the time.

I am not sure that members who have submitted their real names and addresses to you for Secret Santa or bought from our SM vendors would be comfortable with anyone giving out their personal information without being contacted first.

 

[MalteseJane]

I agree with Marj. This is private information. Not everybody would appreciate that their address has been given out even if it is for a good intention.

 

[Nissa Fiona]

Rita, when I send "surprise" gifts the person receiving the gift knows it's coming since I PM them ahead of time to tell them I'd like to make their fluff something special if they wouldn't mind and if it's o.k. I need measurements and an address. No one has ever turned me down and there is still an element of surprise because they really don't know what exactly they are getting until it arrives (unless you're like me and can't wait so I send a picture of what I'm shipping ahead of time). I just think it's fun to give and I try to whenever I can.

 

[Dora's Mom]

Rita, when I send "surprise" gifts the person receiving the gift knows it's coming since I PM them ahead of time to tell them I'd like to make their fluff something special if they wouldn't mind and if it's o.k. I need measurements and an address. No one has ever turned me down and there is still an element of surprise because they really don't know what exactly they are getting until it arrives (unless you're like me and can't wait so I send a picture of what I'm shipping ahead of time). I just think it's fun to give and I try to whenever I can.

Aww you ruined the mystery for me! I always thought it was a surprise. :brownbag:

 

[Matilda's mommy]

gifts that I send, and gifts sent to me are surprises, what you might do is have some other member pm the person and mind if there address can be given out, they really don't have to know the gift is from you

 

[Nissa Fiona]

Aww you ruined the mystery for me! I always thought it was a surprise. :brownbag:

I'm sorry if I ruined anything. lol I could never do it as that much of a surprise because I have to know sizes for the outfits I make. :thumbsup:

 

[k/c mom]

I agree with Marj. This is private information. Not everybody would appreciate that their address has been given out even if it is for a good intention.

Yes, I wholeheartedly agree, Janine. I think that whenever we give our personal information to anyone here that we assume that it won't be given out to anyone else. And if I bought something from a web site that is owned by someone here, I would be extremely upset if I thought they were giving out that personal information to anyone at all. That would be a horrific breach of trust, IMHO.

To the OP... I think it is lovely that you want to buy gifts and surprise people, etc. Personally, it sort of creeps me out to think of a gift arriving all of a sudden from someone and I didn't even know they had my address. I've had members PM me to ask for my address because they would like to send me something. It does not at all ruin the surprise .. not one bit. I usually forget about it, so when the gift shows up I am so surprised! And also I don't have a clue what they are sending, so the gift itself is a surprise.

OR you could contact the members here who have online stores and ask if this person is a customer. If so, then you could order something and have them send it to the person, since they do have the address and would still not be giving it out. For example, if you know that someone is a bow customer of Marj's (or you could ask Marj if they are!) you could contact her and order some bows as a surprise for someone. She would be able to suggest the type of bows they like, etc., and she could then ship for you and it would be a total surprise to the person and yet not compromise their privacy.

 

[iheartbisou]

Just PM the person you want to send something to...maybe it's 'ruins' the surprise a little (but I don't really think so), but at least then that person won't feel strange about someone else giving out their address without their knowledge.

 

[The A Team]

Through the years when I sent or received a gift, I usually write down the address so I'll have it for another time. Ya just never know when you feel like surprising someone...when they least expect it. :chili: But the first time, I agree you may want to get permission....I had been on the forum for a long while before I sent a gift.

 

[Dora's Mom]

OR you could contact the members here who have online stores and ask if this person is a customer. If so, then you could order something and have them send it to the person, since they do have the address and would still not be giving it out. For example, if you know that someone is a bow customer of Marj's (or you could ask Marj if they are!) you could contact her and order some bows as a surprise for someone. She would be able to suggest the type of bows they like, etc., and she could then ship for you and it would be a total surprise to the person and yet not compromise their privacy.

I think that's a fabulous way to completely surprise someone and yet keep their identity safe!

Although I love the idea of a surprise, I wouldn't want a business to give away my personal information, even if it was done with good intentions.

PMing a person and asking is also a good way, and you still don't know what or when you're getting as a present. Although I would probably be checking my mailbox 8 times a day for the first few days, lol. Like a kid at Christmas or something.

 

[Lacie's Mom]

Let me clarify that I would NOT give anyone an address without first checking with the member to make certain that it would be OK to give it out. Usually when I ask and tell them that it's because someone on SM wants to send them a present, they will tell me yes or no without asking who because they know that it's supposed to be a surprise.

 

[Ladysmom]

Let me clarify that I would NOT give anyone an address without first checking with the member to make certain that it would be OK to give it out. Usually when I ask and tell them that it's because someone on SM wants to send them a present, they will tell me yes or no without asking who because they know that it's supposed to be a surprise.

:thumbsup:

 

[coco]

Originally Posted by MalteseJane
I agree with Marj. This is private information. Not everybody would appreciate that their address has been given out even if it is for a good intention.
Yes, I wholeheartedly agree, Janine. I think that whenever we give our personal information to anyone here that we assume that it won't be given out to anyone else. And if I bought something from a web site that is owned by someone here, I would be extremely upset if I thought they were giving out that personal information to anyone at all. That would be a horrific breach of trust, IMHO.

To the OP... I think it is lovely that you want to buy gifts and surprise people, etc. Personally, it sort of creeps me out to think of a gift arriving all of a sudden from someone and I didn't even know they had my address. I've had members PM me to ask for my address because they would like to send me something. It does not at all ruin the surprise .. not one bit. I usually forget about it, so when the gift shows up I am so surprised! And also I don't have a clue what they are sending, so the gift itself is a surprise.

OR you could contact the members here who have online stores and ask if this person is a customer. If so, then you could order something and have them send it to the person, since they do have the address and would still not be giving it out. For example, if you know that someone is a bow customer of Marj's (or you could ask Marj if they are!) you could contact her and order some bows as a surprise for someone. She would be able to suggest the type of bows they like, etc., and she could then ship for you and it would be a total surprise to the person and yet not compromise their privacy. Sher
__________________

Therein lies the reason I would never get involved in raffles or SS here on SM. The thought that someone actually saves addresses and would even dream of giving out those addresses really is NOT right. Those addresses should be destroyed each year after these things are over. So what if someone has to resend an address the next year.

When I've sent gifts, I've asked the person directly for the address, and I sure haven't saved it. I have also sent by doing as Sher suggests and contacted a vendor and asked to have her send the item to the person. There is absolutely NO way I'd want a stranger to have my address, so I just don't participate. If I know a person well enough to gift to them, I have no problem asking that person directly or going through the vendor.

It truly bothers me how much personal information is exchanged with strangers on Internet forums. Not everyone who seems nice IS nice. I suppose I just feel people shouldn't be so trusting with personal information.

 

[bailey02]

:wub:Well just for the record if anyone wants to send bailey a surprise i have no problem giving my address out lol lol :chili:

 

[uniquelovdolce]

:wub:Well just for the record if anyone wants to send bailey a surprise i have no problem giving my address out lol lol :chili:

lol me too !

 

[kissmyhorse]

Just thought I'd chime in... I am also part of a reptile forum (I breed leopard geckos) and they had a super fun "Spring Surprise" this year. It is essentially the same thing as Secret Santa, whoever wants to be part of it submits their name and info. Its cool cus you dont have to wait a whole year for that holiday gift giving!

P.S.
I'm SO in if anyone likes this idea