Is it that time already?
Well, yes, I know it is. The snow on the ground, the growing list of wishes I'm going to grant, the nearly complete holiday shopping and the pile of baking supplies in my kitchen all tell me that Christmas is coming faster than I can believe!
Some of you know how the wishlist idea works. For the benefit of those who don't these are the rules.
Step One
1. Make a post to your LJ. It should contain your list of 10 holiday wishes. They can be anything at all, any size. Just make sure they're things you really want. If you wish for snow and I send you some, I don't want to hear the complaining as it melts on your floor. :D
2. Include contact information so Santa or his Elves can contact you. Doesn't help if there's a gift with your name on it and nowhere to send it. Especially if it's a food item. Elves will eat those if they sit too long!
3. Post some version of these quidelines. That way everyone understands how it works.
Step Two
1. Surf around your friends lists and see who's posted a list. Surf random journals. Join the holiday_wishes community.
Here's the important part:
2. If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. You don't have to spend anything beyond postage and remember that regifting is very welcome here. Something gathering dust on your shelf might be just the thing someone else is looking for!
3. As I said above, you don't have to spend money. Tbe idea isn't to put anyone out, it's to give you the chance to make someone else's holiday special. You can even grant wishes anonymously if you like. There are no guarantees with this project and no strings attached. Just wish, and it might come true. Give and you may receive. You'll have the joy of knowing you've made someone happy.
I also encourage you not to put your list behind an lj-cut. Sticking it out there in the open makes it much easier for someone else to see if they can do something to make your holiday special.
Without further ado: I want Alan Rickman for Christmas. Oh, wait, you want a serious list, something that's actually possible? Okay, here goes:
1. Handmade ornaments. With the exception of lights and tinsel, pretty much everything on my tree is handmade. It doesn't have to be something you made yourself, as long as someone crafted it lovingly by hand. Doesn't have to be new, either. I'm much in favour of regifting.
2. Yarn. Yeah, still not making much beyond scarves, but I donate all the extra ones to a local homeless shelter. Your scrap yarn could help keep someone warm during a cold Canadian winter.
3. Socks. One can never have too many socks. Anything except sports socks. Holiday designs most welcome. I work at a video store and some of the kids who come in regularly know I try to wear a different pair of Christmas socks for every day in December. Some of mine are old and wearing out. I wear a ladies 7-9. Or a size large will do.
4. BPAL. Yes, a popular wishlist item this year from what I've seen on other lists. Have an imp you didn't like? Pass it this way. Any gender neutral scents are good, too, as I share those with my husband. He's a big fan of Juke Joint, says the women at work follow him around when he wears it. :)
5. Books. That's pretty general, so I'll add that my current reading tends towards YA, fantasy and food essays. Reading about food is next best thing to eating. :D
6. Magazines. Looking for old Life magazines, pre-1985. Anything you can bear to part with.
7. Food/drink. No holiday is complete without treats. Any type of snack will do as long as it doesn't contain nuts, seeds or whole grains. It's a dietary restriction, not an allergy, so if something says it may contain traces of or have come in contact with nuts, that's okay. I can eat those. Chocolate is always good and if you send me Reese's Sticks I'd be eternally grateful (if they're still available in Canada it sure isn't anywhere near me). Have an unusual flavour of potato chip? I'll try it. Chocolate covered ants? Yeah, I'll try those, too! I'm up for pretty much anything. Coffee? Tea? Sure, have to have beverages with all the holiday baking I'm doing.
8. Candles. Any size, scent or colour. I love candles. Need I say more?
9 - the BIG request. Harry Potter Lego. Used if fine. Missing a few pieces if okay, too. Cost too much to send it? I'll help with the shipping if you've got PayPal.
10 - the EASY request. Snail mail. Holiday cards, postcards, anything that fits in my mailbox is most welcome.
Since I've never been shy about sticking my address out there, and it makes it easier for folks to surprise me, here it is:
Sheryll Townsend
1-3 Lowrey Street
Ottawa, ON
K1Y 2S5
Canada
A big shout-out to glowing_dragon, whose card and lovely bookmarks arrived before I'd even given much thought to a wishlist. Thanks so much! Already using the bookmarks. :)
*wanders into the kitchen to start the holiday baking*
Some of you know how the wishlist idea works. For the benefit of those who don't these are the rules.
Step One
1. Make a post to your LJ. It should contain your list of 10 holiday wishes. They can be anything at all, any size. Just make sure they're things you really want. If you wish for snow and I send you some, I don't want to hear the complaining as it melts on your floor. :D
2. Include contact information so Santa or his Elves can contact you. Doesn't help if there's a gift with your name on it and nowhere to send it. Especially if it's a food item. Elves will eat those if they sit too long!
3. Post some version of these quidelines. That way everyone understands how it works.
Step Two
1. Surf around your friends lists and see who's posted a list. Surf random journals. Join the holiday_wishes community.
Here's the important part:
2. If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. You don't have to spend anything beyond postage and remember that regifting is very welcome here. Something gathering dust on your shelf might be just the thing someone else is looking for!
3. As I said above, you don't have to spend money. Tbe idea isn't to put anyone out, it's to give you the chance to make someone else's holiday special. You can even grant wishes anonymously if you like. There are no guarantees with this project and no strings attached. Just wish, and it might come true. Give and you may receive. You'll have the joy of knowing you've made someone happy.
I also encourage you not to put your list behind an lj-cut. Sticking it out there in the open makes it much easier for someone else to see if they can do something to make your holiday special.
Without further ado: I want Alan Rickman for Christmas. Oh, wait, you want a serious list, something that's actually possible? Okay, here goes:
1. Handmade ornaments. With the exception of lights and tinsel, pretty much everything on my tree is handmade. It doesn't have to be something you made yourself, as long as someone crafted it lovingly by hand. Doesn't have to be new, either. I'm much in favour of regifting.
2. Yarn. Yeah, still not making much beyond scarves, but I donate all the extra ones to a local homeless shelter. Your scrap yarn could help keep someone warm during a cold Canadian winter.
3. Socks. One can never have too many socks. Anything except sports socks. Holiday designs most welcome. I work at a video store and some of the kids who come in regularly know I try to wear a different pair of Christmas socks for every day in December. Some of mine are old and wearing out. I wear a ladies 7-9. Or a size large will do.
4. BPAL. Yes, a popular wishlist item this year from what I've seen on other lists. Have an imp you didn't like? Pass it this way. Any gender neutral scents are good, too, as I share those with my husband. He's a big fan of Juke Joint, says the women at work follow him around when he wears it. :)
5. Books. That's pretty general, so I'll add that my current reading tends towards YA, fantasy and food essays. Reading about food is next best thing to eating. :D
6. Magazines. Looking for old Life magazines, pre-1985. Anything you can bear to part with.
7. Food/drink. No holiday is complete without treats. Any type of snack will do as long as it doesn't contain nuts, seeds or whole grains. It's a dietary restriction, not an allergy, so if something says it may contain traces of or have come in contact with nuts, that's okay. I can eat those. Chocolate is always good and if you send me Reese's Sticks I'd be eternally grateful (if they're still available in Canada it sure isn't anywhere near me). Have an unusual flavour of potato chip? I'll try it. Chocolate covered ants? Yeah, I'll try those, too! I'm up for pretty much anything. Coffee? Tea? Sure, have to have beverages with all the holiday baking I'm doing.
8. Candles. Any size, scent or colour. I love candles. Need I say more?
9 - the BIG request. Harry Potter Lego. Used if fine. Missing a few pieces if okay, too. Cost too much to send it? I'll help with the shipping if you've got PayPal.
10 - the EASY request. Snail mail. Holiday cards, postcards, anything that fits in my mailbox is most welcome.
Since I've never been shy about sticking my address out there, and it makes it easier for folks to surprise me, here it is:
Sheryll Townsend
1-3 Lowrey Street
Ottawa, ON
K1Y 2S5
Canada
A big shout-out to glowing_dragon, whose card and lovely bookmarks arrived before I'd even given much thought to a wishlist. Thanks so much! Already using the bookmarks. :)
*wanders into the kitchen to start the holiday baking*