Hi there, last year I held the first annual Expat Holiday Care Package Exchange where expats around the world sent care packages to each other in the hope of spreading holiday cheer. Overall it was a success but a few things have given me pause. I intended to host it again this year… but will I/should I? Let me tell you what’s giving me trouble… would love to hear your thoughts.
GO!
Expat Holiday Care Package Exchange
So first, thank you again to everyone who participated last year. I’d especially love to hear from you in the comments (or email me if you don’t want to publicly post your thoughts).
I wanted to start the 2015 exchange planning early this year and while thinking things through, three points have come up that I can’t shake. They’ve made me reconsider hosting the expat exchange this year…. which I feel bad about because it was such a hit and I said I’d do it again this year. I’m a woman of her word.
Three little issues:
1. The fact that packages will be majorly delayed/lost.
Despite my best efforts, several packages were delayed and/or never delivered last year. When I wrote the final wrap-up post about the exchange, only one or two packages had not yet arrived but I realized much later that another two packages never arrived (Turkey seemed to be the culprit) meaning several people never got a gift.
I have no control over the mail delivery practices in other countries and it’s disappointing to spend money on someone else, send your package out on time and get nothing in return. I guess it’s the risk we take when we sign up, but still. We had 32 participants last year and I believe 4 packages never arrived (1 was never picked up by the recipient thought and I never heard from her. That package actually did arrive in one piece once it was sent back to the sender in the US). A 10% non-delivery rate is significant. To make sure things get delivered in time if I do the exchange this year, I am going to ask that we all ship by mid-November. But even shipping early won’t prevent packages from getting lost. I felt I had an obligation to help and do something but there wasn’t much I could do. I hate feeling helpless.
2. The cost.
Last January just after the exchange ended, shipping rates in France skyrocketed and packages under 1 kg (2.2 lbs) are now about 26 euros to ship. Shipping costs in other areas of the world are just as bad or worse. So once you factor in the gift itself and the packaging costs in addition to the shipping, this gets to be a pricey endeavor. Especially if the gift never shows up or you don’t get something in return.
3. The time factor.
With work and personal commitments, I’m scared that if we have a good turnout again that coordinating the Secret Santas will get complicated, stressful and time consuming. I was thinking of using a Google Form so you sign up and give me all your address info in one fell swoop so there’s less back and forth.
Last year I got a bunch of emails with people changing their address, asking if their Secret Santa shipped their package, if the gift they sent arrived, etc. I understand these are all questions that come with the territory but it takes a lot of time (which I had last year). More frustrating were the non-responses. I sent a few emails asking for a reply and the reply took a week to come or never came. That’s really annoying and I definitely don’t have time to chase people down this year with other things I have on my plate.
So my questions for you…
If you’re thinking of participating in the exchange, do you think I should ask for a volunteer to help coordinate? Let someone else coordinate entirely? Exclude Turkey? Not host it at all? Even if you’re not an expat, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I want to do the exchange again this year but the cost may be prohibitive and it really bums me out to think about packages not arriving.
What do you think?
I didn’t participate last year, but I think it’s a great way to spread some holiday cheer. I think the Google form could save you some back and forth. Ask for a volunteer to help. I decided not to participate based on the cost of postage on top of the price of the gifts. If people could send by mid-November, maybe they could choose a slower and less expensive type of shipping?
Susan
Thanks Susan, a woman from last year kindly volunteered to help so I feel a little more at ease knowing if it gets out of hand that I have someone to take the load off a bit. There’s no less expensive option in France based on speed, it’s by weight unfortunately. ;-(
Well, I’m in. I love Christmas & I love getting packages. I know the cost might be a bit high but hey, it’s the holidays. Thought on participants – anyone who was non-responsive is out. If you can’t bother to answer the person coordinating then you shouldn’t be involved. And if you know the mail is an issue, send that package registered mail or return receipt.
Love your hard stance, Melissa. It’s very ‘me.’ I’m going to explore a bunch of options and stress to people that only hardcore gift lovers (and those who love giving) should participate. No time for people who say they’re too busy to reply or get their gift out on time. Thank you for weighing in
Hello Diane,
I just love wanted to say I love your blog and look forward to reading it.
I’m from NJ! You have such a great sense of humor.
Anyway, I would do it! It’s fun. Maybe limit the amount of people. Explain the issues to the people in Turkey. You have the Summer to think about it over a bottle of wine. If it brings you joy, do it. Take care!
Thanks so much, Lori! Where in NJ are you from. Are you living abroad now? I appreciate your feedback and have given this a lot of thought. Someone from last year kindly volunteered to help so I’m going to go ahead with it. ;-). Thanks again!
Hi there, sign up for this year’s exchange is now open! 😉
http://www.ouiinfrance.dev/2015/10/16/sign-up-for-the-2nd-annual-expat-holiday-care-package-exchange/
This is a really cool idea; it’s something I’d like to participate in too. I’m sure that by explaining to people the mail risks (especially if they’re in Turkey) they’ll understand, or perhaps have any participants living there provide the address of a family member/friend from their home country who plans on visiting them in Turkey and can bring along the present when they go?
Thanks , Ashley, for sharing your thoughts. Glad you’re interested in participating this year!
Hi there, sign up for this year’s exchange is now open!
http://www.ouiinfrance.dev/2015/10/16/sign-up-for-the-2nd-annual-expat-holiday-care-package-exchange/
(1) Packages being delayed or lost are a risk of the exchange. If this is a problem for people, they should not participate.
(2) The cost is a consideration for participation. If it’s too much for someone, they should not participate.
(3) Participants might take issue with anything that publicly displays their information. A Google Form is fine only if it sends the information to you, Diane, and nobody else gets to see it. Typeform is good for this too (and free as well for the basic form).
Time is concern. Maybe a volunteer to help would be good or perhaps capping the exchange at x-amount of participants.
As an aside, I don’t know if my gift reached the expat last year. I never heard from her and it wasn’t part of your wrap-up.
Ack, I’m sorry Cosette! I had no idea you had no contact from the person you sent to. I sent everyone the info provided such as blog and social media contact (not to mention I asked that a card be put in the box w/an email address) to make sure the receiver said thanks to the sender. I also asked people to take pics and post on social media or send to me and I didn’t hear from a bunch of people. Same thing when I asked for feedback. This is what I mean about people not communicating. It’s only normal for me to thank someone for a gift. Next time around, I’m underlining this point 300 times. Sorry again.
All your feedback is good. Thank you! And yes the responses to the forms will only go to me and won’t be public at all. It’s just that the form will be the same for everyone and I’ll have the responses all in one place (for my eyes only). Luckily, a participant from last year emailed me to help. 😉
I didn’t worry about it. Once I shipped the package, I crossed my fingers, and was done. I had held up my end of that bargain and you can’t worry too much about what other people do. When I received my package, I thanked the giver, took a pic, blogged about it – again, fulfilling my end of that bargain. And I loved it. It was a great idea, I got a lovely gift, and I can only hope mine arrived and was liked too.
I hope everyone who participates this year has the same mindset as you do 😉