Good morning all, I understand that it's August but, as last year was so popular and also a very frantic occasion, I am starting early (it was my birthday 2 days ago so we are officially allowed to talk about Christmas!). Communication can be a challenge with so many rescues and volunteer Santas, so the sooner we start getting ideas, the better it will be.
Please note, you are NOT committing yourself to anything at this point! This is just a general thread to put the feelers out. I will be open to applications for Santas in late September/early October, but please note that it might take some time to assign you your piggie(s), as rescues may wish to wait closer to the time to see who is likely to be in over Christmas.
Secret Santa is an international project run in collaboration with Potty for Piggies to get gifts to guinea pigs in rescue who are not likely to have a forever home to spoil them for Christmas. For some of them, the rescue is their forever home, but rescues do not have the funds that owners do to treat every guinea pig for the holidays. Last year we got 111 presents to 19 different rescues in 2 countries - we are hoping to branch out even more this year and get more presents to deserving piggies and their rescues.
Here is the advice that was given last year re: presents
Your Secret Santa could include:
Bin Bags
Towels
Water Bottles and food bowls
Vouchers to DIY or food shops to stock up on veggies
Snugglesafe pods and covers
Fleecy items such as lap pads, cosy cups and caves
Shampoos, including mite and/or fungal treatments
Disinfectant Tablets or sprays
Healthy Treats
Grooming combs
Probiotics
Cotton wool pads or cotton buds
Bottle brushes
Sticky Fly Papers (great time of year to get them!)
Hay
Herbs and/or vegetable seeds
Tubes/tunnels
And of course toys and treats!
You could also order online and have your order dispatched directly to a rescue, but please make sure you leave a message so they know who it is for and that it's from Secret Santa!
I will pair you all up from the end of October/early November (perhaps with the help of some elves!), and that should give you all time to get shopping and time to send the parcel before Christmas. Please consider posting time when thinking about when to send your present - it backs up nearer to Christmas. I will also give you a contact name, so that, if for whatever reason they need to go to the Post Office for your parcel they don't need to bring the guinea pigs with them!
Please note: Secret Santas are anonymous! So don't tell anyone!
When applications open and you PM me I will take it that you are definitely sending a parcel. If for any reason you can't send it, it really doesn't matter and no-one will mind but can you please let me know. I try to work it so all rescues receive a similar number of parcels. Some guineas may have special requirements (e.g. dietary requirements) - these will be communicated to you when you receive your piggies so you can cater for them and make sure that they can enjoy all their treats! I will ask the rescues to communicate with me when their presents have been received, and I'll post in the 'Presents received' thread ONCE A DAY to show which presents have reached their destination. The recipients then do not feel quite as pressured to get the pictures up straight away, and you will know that your present has made it safely. Please have patience; rescues get increasingly busy around Christmas, and life does happen around this: they will have a lot of work to do to keep their rescues running.
So, who wants to help?
Please note, you are NOT committing yourself to anything at this point! This is just a general thread to put the feelers out. I will be open to applications for Santas in late September/early October, but please note that it might take some time to assign you your piggie(s), as rescues may wish to wait closer to the time to see who is likely to be in over Christmas.
Secret Santa is an international project run in collaboration with Potty for Piggies to get gifts to guinea pigs in rescue who are not likely to have a forever home to spoil them for Christmas. For some of them, the rescue is their forever home, but rescues do not have the funds that owners do to treat every guinea pig for the holidays. Last year we got 111 presents to 19 different rescues in 2 countries - we are hoping to branch out even more this year and get more presents to deserving piggies and their rescues.
Here is the advice that was given last year re: presents
Your Secret Santa could include:
Bin Bags
Towels
Water Bottles and food bowls
Vouchers to DIY or food shops to stock up on veggies
Snugglesafe pods and covers
Fleecy items such as lap pads, cosy cups and caves
Shampoos, including mite and/or fungal treatments
Disinfectant Tablets or sprays
Healthy Treats
Grooming combs
Probiotics
Cotton wool pads or cotton buds
Bottle brushes
Sticky Fly Papers (great time of year to get them!)
Hay
Herbs and/or vegetable seeds
Tubes/tunnels
And of course toys and treats!
You could also order online and have your order dispatched directly to a rescue, but please make sure you leave a message so they know who it is for and that it's from Secret Santa!
I will pair you all up from the end of October/early November (perhaps with the help of some elves!), and that should give you all time to get shopping and time to send the parcel before Christmas. Please consider posting time when thinking about when to send your present - it backs up nearer to Christmas. I will also give you a contact name, so that, if for whatever reason they need to go to the Post Office for your parcel they don't need to bring the guinea pigs with them!
Please note: Secret Santas are anonymous! So don't tell anyone!
When applications open and you PM me I will take it that you are definitely sending a parcel. If for any reason you can't send it, it really doesn't matter and no-one will mind but can you please let me know. I try to work it so all rescues receive a similar number of parcels. Some guineas may have special requirements (e.g. dietary requirements) - these will be communicated to you when you receive your piggies so you can cater for them and make sure that they can enjoy all their treats! I will ask the rescues to communicate with me when their presents have been received, and I'll post in the 'Presents received' thread ONCE A DAY to show which presents have reached their destination. The recipients then do not feel quite as pressured to get the pictures up straight away, and you will know that your present has made it safely. Please have patience; rescues get increasingly busy around Christmas, and life does happen around this: they will have a lot of work to do to keep their rescues running.
So, who wants to help?
