Well, it�s that time again. Christmas is right around the corner and we are starting Operation Green Santa again this year.
For those newbies on the board, I will explain what Operation Green Santa is. We know that families with Lyme have a difficult time trying to meet all their medical expenses, work, and take care of their sick ones. Christmas is the time for giving, helping, sharing, caring and opening up our hearts and our wallets to others in need.
For many years' past, we have helped our LymeNet families that were strapped financially with Christmas for their children. This will be our 11th year of assisting LymeNet families so they can enjoy the holidays and have presents under the tree for their kids.
We have had FANTASTIC turnouts over the past years! The spirit of Christmas was certainly in the air on Lymenet. We had many, many Green Santa's behind the scenes shopping and shipping those special items to the families in need of some extra help.
Here is how this program works - For those who have fallen on hard times because of this disease, and who are part of the LymeNet family, please don�t feel bashful or awkward asking for our help. That�s why we developed this project. We are here to help each other!
FAMILIES NEEDING HELP
For families in need, here is the information I need from you when you e-mail me. First, in the subject header let me know it has something to do with Operation Green Santa. Please include your LymeNet screen name. My e-mail address is: [email protected].
The information you give me is confidential and will only be shared with the Santa that is helping to shop for your child/children. I know it is scary giving this information out to me, but, so far we have not had any problems and I will do my best to ensure we don�t have any problems in the future.
1. I need the parents� first and last name and shipping address.
2. I need the child/children�s first name, age, male or female, favorite color, hobbies, interests, and clothing sizes. The more information you give me regarding your child, the better we can shop. If your child has a special request of a particular item, we will try to fill it.
3. We will NOT wrap the gifts, so, parents can look the items over and make sure they are appropriate for their child/children. Parents will be responsible for wrapping the gifts. The packages will come in the parents� name to the shipping address they provided to me.
4. If I should e-mail you needing more information, please get back to me as soon as possible, as our Santa's usually can�t wait to get started shopping. We had a lot of shop-a-holics last year!!! (GRIN)
5. The only thing we ask from you is PLEASE send a thank-you card to the Santa's that shop for your child. Unless your Green Santa wants to remain anonymous, the return address will be on the packages you receive. A small note of thanks to our Green Santa's gives them that warm and fuzzy feeling, and helps to keep this volunteer project running.
6. You don�t ever need to tell your children that you didn�t buy the gifts. They will never know unless you chose to tell them. 7. THE CUT OFF DATE FOR REQUESTING OUR HELP IS DECEMBER 10th. That way we have time to complete all needs and have time to ship before the holidays.
TO THE SECRECT SANTAS
Those of you that helped last year or prior years, I thank you again for all of your assistance and help. You guys made this project the success it has become!!!
Okay, here is what I need from the Green Santa's -
Each year we give each child one large to medium size gift as well as a shoe-box filled with goodies. Remember to put something in the subject heading, so I know it has to do with Operation Green Santa/Christmas. Please include your email address and screen name so we have two different ways to contact you.
IDEAS FOR THE SHOE BOX � dependent upon age of child/children of course. Hair accessories, jewelry, Barbie dolls, trucks/cars/ candy, gum, hair brushes, make-up, small books, watches, nail polish, bath-n-body sample bottles, stickers, small bottles of cologne, trading cards, gift certificates etc. I think you get the idea. Put as many things as you can in your shoe- box. Make sure the items are appropriate for the age of the child/children.
MEDIUM TO LARGE GIFT � This gift should be between $15.00 - $25.00 item. Ideas may be given by parent as well as size, hobbies, interests etc. This item could be clothing, stuffed animal, books, gift certificates, etc.
Over the years, we have been able to give several medium to large items to the kids because of the overwhelming response of our generous Santas. Hopefully this year we will be able to do the same.
Green Santa's you can go ahead and e-mail me. Let me know if you prefer to fill a shoe-box, a medium/large present, or both and if you would like 1 child or more. REMEMBER � Don�t wrap your gifts. Make sure to put your return address on the boxes, unless you would like to remain anonymous.
When I have a parent with a child/children request, I will contact you and give you a child/children to buy for. After you shop and have sent the package, please let me know it was shipped, so I can mark the child/children off my list and know they have been taken care of.
Ho Ho Ho and Merry Christmas!! Remember, we are spreading Holiday Cheer!!
From the Green Santa
Posts: 494 | From Michigan, USA | Registered: Jul 2002
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
i cannot stress how important it is to at least acknowledge the green santas with a thank you card.
unfortunately i have only gotten responses from two people and those know who they are. i send them care packages periodically and always get a really nice long email from them.
it is frustrating to take the time and shop and since i don't have kids, i'm totally clueless about some of this so i have to ask and search. luckily most lists are pretty inclusive with sizes and all.
but still you're left wondering "did they even get it? did they like it? did they have to return everything?"
so i haven't participated the last couple of years. i know it's wrong of me to do so, but after a few years of nothing and not hearing you do get discouraged.
so please please respond to the green santas.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
Julie - you are wonderful heading this up every year!
I had the same experience as Randi. The first year I received a precious thank you. The next year.....nothing. I put a lot of money and time into sending gifts to a family I did not know. After 6 months I asked Julie to make sure the gifts were received.
Sadly due to my last experience I did not sign up last year to be a Santa either....which is horrible of me.
Please, please, please send a thank you note! It's so important!
Posts: 490 | From TX- Go Cowboys! | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
I know thank you's make our day but many of the children are probably too young to do this so wouldn't it be the parents job. The younger ones probably don't even know about thank you notes yet.
I would hate to think a child didn't get a gift because a thank you note was not sent by his parents.
posted
I agree with the above poster. I think that we cannot neglect a child on the Green Santa list because their parents didn't send a thank you card. I know many people do send thank you cards out.
I have donated many things to many causes in my lifetime and never received a thank you card and never did expect one. This is mainly for the children and I don't think we should hold them accountable.
Sure, it's nice to get a card but I don't think not getting a card means that the gifts were not appreciated. You never know what is going on in other people's lives.
Let's try to keep the Christmas spirit alive and the Green Santa program moving forward.....for the children
Ho Ho HO
Julie
Posts: 494 | From Michigan, USA | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
Parents should make every effort to send a note to the person who spent several hours shopping and packaging and mailing the gifts.
Takes 5 minutes to write a thank you note.
I am happy to contribute this year for Green Santa.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
I prefer to remain anonymous just so I don't expect a thank you. Then I can imagine how grateful the recipient is and how much it changed a child's life. For me, giving without needing anything back in return is the spirit of Christmas.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
I always try to get the parents to send a thank you note. It is in my original GS post above:
5. The only thing we ask from you is PLEASE send a thank-you card to the Santa's that shop for your child. Unless your Green Santa wants to remain anonymous, the return address will be on the packages you receive. A small note of thanks to our Green Santa's gives them that warm and fuzzy feeling, and helps to keep this volunteer project running.
I also post after Christmas asking people to send thank-you cards AND I ask them individually in the emails I send to them.
So to the people that have not received thank-you cards - you could email or pm me and let me know who didn't send them and I will match you up with someone new in hopes that they will show their appreciation
Other than that, I don't know what else to do. I just don't want any kids left without presents because of their parents........
Posts: 494 | From Michigan, USA | Registered: Jul 2002
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What would be nice, is if they would send a PM letting us know the package was received. That might be easier than sending a card in the mail - I know how hectic things are these days.
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
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Andie333
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7370
posted
I've always gotten a sweet thank you note from recipients, but even if I didn't, I'd still want to contribute to Green Santa.
I figure parents with Lyme in the family have a lot going on. A note is always very appreciated, but for me, it's definitely not necessary.
Posts: 2549 | From never never land | Registered: May 2005
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posted
But then they are not anonymous .. if they want to be. If I send to Linda Smith, for example, I do not know her screen name here and thus do not know who she is. She may want it that way.
I am old school and was taught to send thank you's .. so that is my opinion. It's not like I HAVE to be thanked, but the person receiving should be thanking.
Last year my husband and I received two beautiful thank you's that blessed us. I read them to hubby and he was so glad I had done the Green Santa thing. (he doesn't follow stuff here, so he only knows what I tell him)
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
I always wondered how people could possibly not send a thank you note, until I did it myself. The last time I participated in Green Santa, my son got a gift and I ripped the return address off the package and set it aside to send a thank you. It is very hard to describe how sick I've been, but I can tell you the voice mails didn't get played, the mail simply piled up unopened, and I hardly ever got out of bed, so honestly something like finding a note, writing it out, finding a stamp, and getting it to the post office was so incredibly overwhelming I can't even describe it.
I laid in bed and thought about writing that thank you note every single day. I felt guilty, horrible, thought about how the Green Santa must feel thinking I wasn't appreciative, but I just could not pull the pieces together to get that note done for weeks.
Finally I went to find the address, only to see one of my care assistants had cleaned up where I had left it and thrown it away. I was unable to get the name from Julie, and my chance to write the note was lost.
I felt horrible. And it was far from the first time in the last couple of years I have neglected to get a thank you note out.
My entire life, I have never, ever missed sending out a birthday, anniversary, or Christmas card to anyone, OR a thank you note for anything and everything. Things that were a breeze before became almost impossible. The number of steps involved felt insurmountable.
We DO need to send thank yous....but we also need to remember some of us may be just so, so sick and overwhelmed that even the best of intentions don't come to fruition. I am terribly sorry for whomever it was I did not thank. Your gift was deeply appreciated!
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
The only time I would not be able to supply the name and address is if the GS wants to remain anonymous or they never responded to my request.
Normally, for the Green Santa's, I just get their screen name, email and real name, but never get their address.
Tracy - I do have records of everything and I don't see where you requested info from me when you were on the list two years ago.......I just don't want people to think that I am to blame for thank-you notes not coming Posts: 494 | From Michigan, USA | Registered: Jul 2002
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Ho Ho Ho
Posts: 494 | From Michigan, USA | Registered: Jul 2002
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
Julie not at all that you were to blame; I think the problem was I had received gifts from more than one Santa for my two kids, and wasn't sure which gift it was that I had lost the address for. That's why I was unable to get the name from you. I just knew I had set aside this address and then because some time passed and I was really sick then, I couldn't remember exactly which gift it was for...so there was no way for you to trace it. I am so sorry if it seemed like I was implicating you! It was ALL ME!
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
It's entirely possible I never even asked you because I didn't know what I was asking for, and knew I was unable to get the name from you for that reason.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Thanks to everyone that has responded so far! If anyone else wants to be on the list, please let me know.
Ho Ho Ho
Julie
Posts: 494 | From Michigan, USA | Registered: Jul 2002
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momlyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 27775
posted
I received some wonderful packages last year and I am very grateful for the presents my children received that otherwise would not have been available.
I know I am guilty of not sending a thank you card out... and here is my reason (or excuse).
I was living in a motel room and very sensitive to mold, chemicals and paper. I could not keep paper around and so every scrap of paper had to be in ziploc bags or I would get sick around it. I lost the address and the name of the person who sent the gifts... and never got the thank you cards I had bought into the mail.
Please accept my apologies and understand that I was in a really bad place a year ago!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. The Green Santa project saved me when I was way too sick and poor to get my kids anything!
-------------------- May health be with you!
Toxic mold was suppressing our immune systems, causing extreme pain, brain fog and magnifying symptoms. Four days after moving out, the healing began. Posts: 2007 | From NY/VT Border | Registered: Aug 2010
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