Mega Christmas Card Swap 2012

Great idea! I'm in!

Thank you, this sounds like fun! I appreciate the opportunity to build up my swap rating~ happy holidays!

If I didn't already have to send out 50+ to friends and family I'd SO JOIN THIS! 20 partners is just too much for me but awesome swap and I know it will be great! :)

Welcome everyone. I think this is going to be a great swap. I actually had a couple of people ask me this weekend if they can do UK and international versions, so keep your eyes out for those as well.

I created an international version of this swap. :-) If anyone is interested, it can be found HERE.

I'm in this swap, got Christmas cards & envelopes ready, with postage, for 20 people. Hmmm, what will I add along with the cards as special bonuses?

I usually send out about 40 or 50 cards also for Christmas, to all the people that I never see, but are always in my thoughts. Most now are not sending any cards back to me. Most complain no time, no money, etc. Now that I have joined this swap, I know that this year, I will at least get 20 cards back. Merry Christmas.

im in

I am new to this website but not to swaps. I am interested in joining this. many thanks!

Tracy

@Littletiscrafty all are welcome in this swap.

I can't wait for this swap!

My cards are ready to go, almost :) I'll join closer to the deadline. Thanks for hosting this great swap! I love putting all my Christmas cards on the back of my front door and kitchen cabinets!

I am so excited I love Christmas cards getting and sending.

I did this last year, and have a lovely album full of cards which my friends love seeing. Glad someone is doing an international version. I received some cards from you too Linbur. I will help angel if you need it. This was great fun.

Well i did join this swap because i think it is a GREAT idea, but I will have to drop out of this swap because I just can not afford it. I'm very dissapointed. :(((((. Maybe next year.

@cynaemon thanks for the offer to angel. Will let you know if it becomes necessary.

@cardgal5 I have sent you a PM.

I just order my Christmas-themed stamps to use on my cards for this swap! Sooo excited about it!

@LadyRaven86 that's an awesome idea! I'm excited about this swap and can't wait for it to start. :-)

Hi, Im new to the website, I would like to join this swap. Thanks, Lynne

Hi @SnazzyChic You should be able to use the "join swap" link once you are logged in to your profile. Send me a PM if you are having trouble and I'll be happy to answer any questions.

Thank you LINBUR0100, I got it.

Would a Christmas postcard be OK to send?

Hi @suesuzieq I realized I was not clear about that originally. I edited the swap to clarify that this is for greeting cards. But is someone wants to do a postcard version, that would be great.

I would like to join the Christmas card group.

squawbread

I collect nativities so this swap is definately one for me :)

I love getting Christmas cards! With me being in college, when partners are assigned will my partners please inbox me for my home address to ensure I get them all. ^_^

Hi, I can't join as I am not from US, but I will be glad to help you angel, if needed! :)

I love this swap. Absolutely LOVE it. Thanks for hosting!

@CraftyEnergetic I have PMd you. Please be sure that you PM your partners as soon as they are assigned to let them know your new address. But please do not rate anyone down if they send to your address on file, as that is what swap-bot guidelines tell us to do. You may just have to wait until you get back to college to receive some of them.

Thanks!

Partners are assigned. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good swap!

Just an FYI, I will not be sending any Christmas cards until after Thanksgiving :-)

I will angel 5 just let me know.

My question is I have about 10 people with no # on there address is that normal I would hate to get them back.

Similar to what Denise posted above, in all likelihood, I will not be sending out my cards until around Thanksgiving (probably the week of, or just after). I have the cards, and everyone's addresses, and will start writing them out soon, but I just like to send Christmas cards out in the mail closer to Christmas. I really hope this doesn't upset any of my partners. They will definitely go out, and definitely before the deadline, but not until closer to Turkey Day. Thanks! Have fun with this swap everyone. I know I'm looking forward to it!

My cards have been filled out and sent!

I love sending and receiving Christmas cards! Like some previous posters, I will also be mailing them closer to the end of the month.

Is it alright if there are no # on an address I really need to know.

@tommigail32 I have been working all weekend and just saw these latest comments. Please do not send the ones that do not have a valid address. I am working diligently to fix my mistake (more detail below)

I would like to take a moment to apologize to everyone for my mistake with this swap. I have been a member of Swap-bot for many years and have hosted tons of swaps, but never have I ever had a swap end up with so many participants, and had no idea how different of a situation it would be. Being a trusting individual I did not realize that the latest scam on Swap-bot is for people to sign up and not even put any information in their address, and I still do not understand what benefit they are getting out of that other than causing headaches to honest swappers.

To those who have claimed "This host didn't even bother to check participants before assigning partners. Sad." and "This is why hosts need to check participants instead of being lazy about it. Or don't host swaps." Both of those statements are unfounded and untrue. It is not true that I did not screen participants. However, last year I was in a swap with this many participants and the host was attacked for three days as she screened each and every profile since her policy was that newbies and those with low ratings were not allowed. Even though I had no idea I would end up with this many people, I still thought I could avoid being attacked for that reason by making it clear that you would be swapping with those with new profiles and those who were trying to rebuild their ratings. And by stating that I would angel (again in the swap description) I wanted people to feel comfortable to join the swap.

The mistake I made here, and one that I am going to have to spend many many hours and a ton of money rectifying, is that I trusted in the inherrent good nature of people, especially for a Christmas Card swap.

So, I screwed up by:
1) trusting that people were basically good and wanting to give newbies a chance (thus focusing on reviewing profiles for the ones with lower ratings instead of newbies)
2) trusting that people would not sign up for a swap without reading the guidelines and observing that newbies and those with lower ratings would be included.
3) Accepting the offers of so many people who had asked if they could help angel

I find it sad that people in what used to be a friendly community have felt not qualms about freely and publicly making accusations against me as a bad host. This is for one mistake in 6+ years of swapping and hosting, and is without giving me the chance or time to try and fix my mistake. Rather they have made the assumption that I must be like so many other hosts who give no thought or effort into creating their swaps, and do not try to fix problems that arise as a result.

However, I am a person and a swapper of integrity, and as I stated in the swap description, I am going to spend the next few weeks going through and identifying those who were supposed to receive from these scammers and send you your cards.

If making one mistake, but committing to spend the necessary time and money to fix that mistake, makes me a bad host, then I guess I am indeed a bad host. However, I have always been more than willing to give people the benefit of the doubt, and hope those of you who are not so quick to judge others are willing to do the same.

I sincerely believe that Christmas should be a time of renewing our spirits, loving others, and giving people second chances. So for those of you who have openly, publicly, and without contacting me, posted comments calling me lazy and more, you are certainly welcome to remain in or join my other swaps. I hope you will reconsider labeling me as a "bad host" given my many years of swapping and hosting experience. Had I abandoned those who got "dud" swappers, then you could certainly label me as such and with my blessing. But considering the time, money, and emotional energy I have spent (and will continue to spend) finding out about the problems with this swap and trying to fix them, I think that makes me anything but a bad host.

For those of you who have remained patient through this situation, thank you. You are a true blessing and an asset to the swap bot community and I look forward to continuing to swap with you in the future.

I'll help angel if you need me I'm here.

Me too -- happy to help angel if need be. All of my partners seem to be legit and not scammers. Like some other folks here, I'll send a little bit closer to Thanksgiving (when I usually send cards out). And LINBUR0100 -- thank you for updating on what's going on & keeping us informed & working hard to be a good swap host.

I just looked at all partner a couple of newbies but that's OK we all started out that way. On a side note Christmas is about giving not getting and if I get flaked on oh well I hope they have a Merry Christmas anyway.

Clarification to @tommigail32 if you received some of the new "swappers" that do not have addresses at all (basically the blank profile scammers) as your partners, don't worry about trying to send the ones you would have sent them to their partners if that's what you meant. It isn't your responsibility to deal with that mess. I am making a list of the people they should have sent to so I can angel to the recipients. If you have addresses that just don't seem right to you but still look like addresses you should still send those because it could be that addresses are configured differently where they live. (You can certainly pm them before hand to confirm the address is that seems right to you)

So, to sum up, no address at all? Don't worry about sending your cards to the partners they should have had. Unusual addresses? Plan to send as usual.

Thanks!

I can help angel if need be.

Thanks @NorthernBorder My current plan is to send for all the blank profile "newbies" since that was my mistake and is my responsibility to fix. If there are any "regular old" flakers that end up not sending, then I may you up on that offer. But hopefully that won't be the case. :-)

Happy swapping!

Let's have fun!!!! Ours will go out towards the send date.

Just for the record, there were 2 profiles that slipped through the cracks. Two completely blank profiles that should have been deleted before the swap based on the guidelines. That is slightly more than a 1% error rate.

Thanks @Futters I think sending toward the send date is fine especially with it being a US only swap. :-)

Happy swapping!

Let me know if I can help you with Angels!

I can also angel!

I believe in 2nd chances. :) I can angel if you need me. Thank you for hosting this swap.

@LINBURG0100 - as I mentioned in my email to you, I'm here to help. Please let me know what I can do. It looks as if you have several lovely people offering to angel. Let's show the Christmas Spirit!

Thanks everyone. As of now, there are the 2 blank profiles and one person who just contacted me to say "I need to drop out of this swap". I explained it doesn't work that way and encouraged them to go ahead and try to send if they possibly can to avoid receiving 20 ratings of 1 or 3. If they insist they will not be sending, I'll take some of you up on your offers to angel for that person. But I'll handle the cards for the two blank profiles since I missed that.

One of my partners had a one-paragraph profile, so I just asked her to please give us more info. She jumped right on it. I also suggested she read a few other profiles to get some ideas of what is needed. Now, I just feel like I have a new friend.

Oh, I meant to add that I have already received three cards. What a treat. Thanks again for hosting this swap, Linda.

Sent mine out today. I didn't want to forget or miss place them. I have received two so far. This is a good swap.

As I told you in an email I will help angel too if needed. You know where to find me! :) Already received two cards, one with a very thoughtful note. :)

Will be more than happy to angel this swap !

I think you are doing great! Just trying to organize this. I appreciate the opportunity to participate. I am a newby & have not participated yet on a swap on this site. I have signed up for several, already bought stuff for 2 others & then got notified I had been banned from those because I was new. So I really do appreciate being able to participate. I have all my cards filled out & will be sending them closer to Thanksgiving. That being said if you need me to help send out extra please let me know. Allison

Geez people! If everyone sends their cards and plays fair we can all enjoy the Christmas message, this is all LINBUR0100 is trying to do.

Aweso me swap! All done sending all 20 cards!! Will help angel..let me know..I have plenty more..and would love to do it! elena..Good Job!!!

Mailed cards today. Be on the look out.

I am sending a few out day by day. So I won't click sent until the last batch goes out. Will be done by deadline tho..

Ah... Finished my cards..it was so fun reading everyone's profiles and writing little letters :). I just read all the comments and excited to see all those who are swapping... It is so much fun receiving cards and sending... Happy holidays all..and Asbi said Lin I too am happy to angel.... Cheers maggie

Have sent the angeled cards for littlebird. The ones for craftycrochetmama or whatever her name was will be going out in another day or so. If I see any other definite flakers, will get in touch with those who have offered to angel. Thanks everyone!

@LINBUR0100 another great swap. I'm waiting on only three more cards to arrive. That is an awesome swap.

So Is thelittlebird not doing this swap.I sent her a card and the address is very wrong. It came back and I sent a message wanting the right address

I hope I didn't miss anyone.I'm in the process of moving and trying to be organized is not working. Please let me know if you haven't received a crad

i've been flaked by three people. anyone willing to angel? ):

thank you so much for the angeling(?), @LINBUR0100 ! i got the card today~

Is it possible? I amwaiting on my LAST card to arrive. That is awesome.

Approx. half have not rated. Don't understand that at all.

I am still receiving cards from people. I don't know if all of my cards have been delivered. I seem to be missing a few ratings. I also have not received from only a couple of swappers.

It's still a good swap, no matter how it stacks up.

I have received all but 1 card and have left feedback for all received. Thanks for hosting this swap!

I'm still receiving cards and leaving ratings. This was an AWESOME swap. Thank you for hosting it.

We are still waiting on ratings. Please remember to rate!!!!! We are up to date on our ratings. Thanks and have a Merry Christmas!!!!

I have already sent some angel cards and am sending more this week. Some other people have offered to angel as well. So if you were flaked on, you will probably be getting an angel card soon.

Thanks everyone, and don't forget to rate.

I apologize for the tardiness of my ratings.... Things get crazy this time of year, as we all know.... And despite any of the troubles and confusions that came up with this swap, I am still in awe of the generosity and understanding shown by members of this swap. Wishing you ALL a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

hear! hear! @9angelmom

@LINBUR0100 Thank you for being an Angel for my Christmas Card! I think it was a great card & a great swap! Merry Christmas!

Littletiscrafty I got my angle card yesterday. Thank you so much.Merry Christmas

omgosh!!! leave this alone already!!!! THIS IS CHRISTMAS TIME... A SIMPLE TASK.. IF YOU SIGNED UP.. THEN DO IT.. OR ELSE.. YOUR GONE.. IT IS NOT THIS COORDINATOR'S FAULT.. WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN SWAP..IF THEY ARE GOING TO BITCH AND COMPLAIN AND NOT DO THIS?? IT'S HORRIBLE!!! IT IS ON YOU.. DO NOT RATE THIS PERSON LESS THEN GREAT! IT WAS A DIFFICULT THING FOR HER..WITH FLAKERS.. WHO SHOULD JUST VANISH... WHY??? THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE FUN!!! WHAT IS UP???? I HAD NO PROBLEMS.. JUST WAITING FOR ONE.. OUR OF 20... THAT IS GOOD!!!!! I WILL ANGEL... PLEASE PEOPLE.. MERRY CHRISTMAS.. BE SERIOUS.. DON'T JOIN IF YOU ARE GOING TO COMPLAIN!!! PLEASE FIGURE IT OUT!!! SORRY,... I JUST HAD TO SAY SOMETHING.. IT'S INSANE!!!! E

I am needing to round up the cards I have gotten to make sure I have rated everyone according. Please be patient, I have 2 nights on the computer so I don't get on alot anymore. Jodie

Today I received a card from "Doreen", no username. The last card I was expecting should be from Samantha (notyourprize).

Was this an angel card? Or are Doreen and Samantha the same person? I really would like to rate and archive this swap.

Cristin91, I have received your card that you angeled for Jennifer Annifer, thank you so much for angeling it. Its such a cute reindeer and penguin card ! Merry Christmas my swap bot friend,

Hi, are you doing this swap this year 2015, as would love to join, I love sending card, Hope to hear from you soon. Patricia