God help all the postal carriers wandering around with lost packages.......

LOL You're right especially if it is snowing

As for a complete list on the customs form, well you fake it :wink: When our company sends out items to another country we just put down a general description and have never had any problems. And I have sent items to Mexico and "embellished " the contents and of course you never claim the correct value :shock: Especially with Secret Santa.. why should the receiver have to pay duties and taxes and whatever else on a gift :?

Exactly, Sharon!
The only thing on a Customs Form that you need to be careful of is the return address...but that goes for any package. If you are making up a ficticious address and the package is undeliverable, then the package will just "disappear". If you do like I do and use the same SEND and FROM address, there's no way for the package to be undeliverable IF the addy that it is going to IS INDEED a good addy.
Customs Forms need to be filled out correctly. In contents if you are shipping fabric, put CLOTHES....same difference. You don't have to list everything. If you have 2 candbars, 7 rulers 5 skunks, and a partridge in a pear tree, you can list...candy, quilt items, animals.
If it's going to a country where they pay Duty Tax, ie...Europe/Canada, ALWAYS make sure you put the amount below $25. Not a nice thing for someone to have to pay a duty tax.
Make sure you check GIFT and on the right side of the form is a block...check RETURN TO SENDER on that block. (a bit hard to do that if the addys are the same lol)

This is really easy to do. No need to make it difficult or stressful.

You guys are saying you have to pay tax on mail. That really sucks. I guess I have never sent anything out of the country before. That is really weird. Is it because it is a gift?

No, some countries have you (recipient) pay Duty Taxes. Mainly means....we are going to make you pay because what you got wasn't bought here.

No...its because some countries have a "value added tax" and also they pay "duties" .....think about those stores at the airports???? Duty free??? that means no additional taxes.

Stupid Canadian tax system :(

I'm sure this has been said before but if you tick 'gift' on the label and put a low value - I think for you guys it's under 25 USD - there won't be tax. However, don't insure anything internationally because then the recipient pays tax on the insured value. :D

Also, I always put a vague description of the goods - if it's a quilt, I put 'fabric scraps' for example - less attractive to potential thieves. :?

Steals MoonPies? Tortures them? How big is this cat?

<backing up slowly>

Oh Shadow I hope you will post instructions again when you let us know who our partner is.

I am so confused right now! :lol:

me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me see if I can unconfuse you.
Shadow will contact you by PM to let you know who you are sending to. (the person you send to IS NOT the person that is sending back to you).
All packages must be mailed by Nov 14th. That has to be a HARD deadline because of the mail. Sometimes it's slow, other times, it's really quick. When you receive your package. Just let it sit and DO NOT OPEN until Dec 13th when everyone is in chat. If you are on dial-up and cannot chat, that's ok. Just wait until the time that everyone will be in chat and open. There will be a thread posted for everyone to post pics of their goodies and to publicly thank their SS.
IF you have not yet received a PM from Shadow with a person, that means you DO NOT have someone overseas. Don't fret.....Shadow is doing the best she can. She has over 100 names to put out, so this will take her a bit of time.
Are you unconfused now??

shadow dancer how many do we have now

Thanks Teri, I got it now but have another question...

what are we supposed to send, I forgot. Is it 5 fats and a gift and anything else we want to include?

gO BACK & CHECK PAGE ONE. i THINK IT IS 5 FAT QUARTERS & A SMALL GIFT.

5 fat quarters and a gift valued at $20.00. Sometimes the person you are buying for will say what type of fat quarters they want , other times it is any kind :lol:

In another group we all used the leaders address so if something went wrong she got the package and let us know. And we send whatever was needed to correct it. If you have one address wrong you don't want the same address for sender so it will also go to dead mail room.

Almost have everything for my package to go out.

Yes I am confused about the do not open part, I thought you and I and only you and I were allowed to open them when they arrive.

Okay, all International people have been sent a PM with the information for their person. The participants who are sending overseas have also been sent a PM with their person's info.

Parcels are to be in the mail by November 14th, this is a hard deadline to ensure all participants receive their Secret Santa package for the December 13th chat. International participants can mail anytime from now to November 14th.

This is the 3rd Secret Santa swap and aside from one glitch last year, all parcels were received and none were lost or sent to dead mail. I can understand some swaps having everything sent to the person running the swap, but I have 121 people participating and my post office would probably lynch me if all those parcels started arriving to me! LOL

This way has worked in the past and I have all the faith in the world that it will work again this year. :)

Now you all know the one rule that is not to be broken ever... and that rule is...

Have Fun!!!

I will send out the remaining PMs on October 24th. :)

S.D.

Oh Shadow you are the BEST :thumbup: Looking forward to having a ball!

I know who my recipient is!!! And someone, somewhere knows they got me! :D This is so exciting, now I'm off to work on my package! :D

Thanks so much SD for organising this, you ROCK! :D

OH I can't wait!! waiting for a name is hard how am I ever going to be able to wait to open it!!! :shock:

I got the name of the person I'm sending to! HEHEHEHE
Anyone wanna know who it is? HEHEHEHE
Tell ya what.....if you answer correctly...I'll send you hmmm.....a gecko? lol

This is going to be TOO much fun! muhahahahaha!!!!

So it must be overseas? Or are you classed as overseas? :?: :D

Hi there...
Just wanted to add a couple of things with regards to customs...for packages coming to Canada it is best to have a value of $20.00 or less....
The packages should be marked gift...and if the description is Craft materials - No commercial value - the package should go though without any problems, duty, etc....craft materials are duty free between the U.S. and Canada.
Bill

Thanx for the info Bill!!

I dunno...I could be!
Hmm......maybe I gots you! lol

I got a name and it's a secret!!! Whoever you are, where ever you are, can't wait to get it out. Ah the joy of suspense.... :D

Awww....come on Crafty. You can tell me, I won't tell lol

Here’s two hints You ready…. It a name and country that’s between the letters A-Z. hehehehe

This is going to be so much fun!!!! :lol:

Oh I nearly can't stand the excitement!!!! :shock: :lol:

I got my person!!!

This is going to be so much fun!!
Except that we have to wait TWO MONTHS!!!

but Mel, that should be a piece of cake for you...after all, you are getting plenty of practice waiting on great little packages! :wink:

wootie hoo, the fun-fun has begun!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I WANT MY NAME RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What? I have to wait? How come? It's not fair....Oh, I see, I'm a grown up and have to wait??? B
ut it works for my kids most of the time!!!! Okay, I'll wait my turn...:(

I know, esq, you can wait here, with little mouse...hold my paw now, or I'll just bust...and...
get mousie guts everywhere! but not too worry too much...
I'm so full of cheese, it would be a bright, sunshiney day :mrgreen:

When do we get our names? I already have my gift, just waiting to see if they want a special kind of fattie. Mousie you should be a comedian.

sew if i get you all you really want is cheese????????

Hey mousie, if you get me I like cheese. Not crazy about american cheese tho.

Don't forget the crackers either! I like saltines :lol:

I'm getting soooo excited now. Another reason to go shopping in my favorite candy umm, quilt store. :lol:

Darn it! I want my name too! :cry: