Secret Santa 2011 Evaluation

Hi,

I wanted to put up this post to inform you of a few things and also to talk about the overall Secret Santa that was held this year.

Positives:

The majority of participants managed to follow everything and do everything very well, albeit simple things like make sure posts are read and packages sent.

People were happy with the gifts they received and enjoyed taking part!

Negatives:

EDIT: I have some emails so may be able to help that way - I don't have all of them though!

A few people did not manage to follow all the guidelines which made me extend deadlines, I can't force people to post on the correct dates but I left more than enough time for everyone to find a gift and post it. I said please post by 1st December, some people hadn't posted until 10th December.

Some people haven't received their gifts and are contacting me 2 weeks after the date I set and after Christmas for me to help them, when I clearly stated please contact me by 14th, or if you haven't received a gift by then. Those that did, I was able to deal with their inquiries and respond quickly. I've received really very rude emails blaming me, when people clearly haven't read the constant flurry of Secret Santa posts I've been writing.

I've been very angry and upset recently because of people's rude emails and the fact that I'm being blamed for their own faults. I clearly set out terms and conditions, and I think it is a bit obvious that if you are participating you should really keep up to date with all the posts. I assumed that everyone had received their gifts and deleted the spreadsheet with all the details a few days ago, when I meant to delete it immediately after the 14th. I think people who were sending or receiving gifts from Europe had a major issue, sending to and receiving from other countries was fine. I don't want to make this post too negative but I am furious, I felt sorry for the people who had sent their gifts on time and received nothing but this email has completely flipped that around. If you haven't received you gift and haven't bothered contacting me or reading the posts I put up then I can't do anything to help you, and now I don't have anything to go on, so you've lost your £15 you spent on the present.

Next year I originally thought I'd make it UK only and maybe a £10 spend, but I have been put off it completely and I won't be hosting another Secret Santa or taking part in one, obviously people aren't competent enough to follow rules, read my blog or to think that I have other things to do, which is why I've posted so many times that I am on a blogging break. I even noticed some participants don't follow the blog, how did they expect to keep up to date with everything? It took me ages sorting everything out for this Santa, absolutely ages, I had to match people up, make sure everyone wanted to participate and agreed to the terms, then email everyone individually twice, or more with their Santa's details, I don't think it's worth it if people can't even abide by the terms!

To conclude:

There will not be a Secret Santa held on this blog next year, or probably ever again, because of the few that can't keep to the rules. By entering you chose to agree to all the terms and still didn't manage to pull through. It is NOT my fault if people didn't receive their parcels and didn't bother contacting me until 4 weeks after the sending date. Congratulations to all those who did participate successfully and contacted me immediately regarding any issues.

Thank you for reading, I'm sorry this was a very long post, but frankly some of the emails I have made me cry. I thought it was a valid reason enough to write this post, I've tried not to be too angry. I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas and I wish you all a prosperous 2012.

Winners of My 4 Christmas Giveaways!

Hi!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered, and a belated Merry Christmas to you all! I've now completed the extremely time-consuming and boring task of sorting entries and using random.org to pick winners, there are 4 - obviously!

Winner of;

Christmas Giveaway #1: Nails - Vintage and Cake
Christmas Giveaway #2: Lips - Simple Country Girl
Christmas Giveaway #3: Eyes - funkiichiicka Claire Louise
Christmas Giveaway #4: Face - Lucy likes blogging

PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR POSTAL ADDRESS @ naviliciousbeauty@yahoo.com by 28th December or I will redraw a winner for the giveaway prize that hasn't been claimed! I HAVE REDRAWN FOR THE PRIZE THAT WASN'T CLAIMED.

My email address for the blog isn't working at the moment, everytime I try to load up the inbox I don't receive any new emails so please don't email me yet with your addresses, this won't actually delay the sending of your prize but as I have 0p to my name that will! I will post again/email you for your postal addresses, this might be very soon or it could be in January! Sorry for that!

I also had entries after the closing time, I did think to add them in as it's Christmas and everything but then thought it wouldn't be fair to everyone who did enter on time! This is my last set of giveaways I will have funded personally, I will not be digging into my own pocket whether I reach 200 followers or 1000 followers because I just cannot afford it. I hope this doesn't put you off reading my blog, and if it does well then you were just in it for the free stuff frankly, and I don't want to attract people like that anyway!

I've also cancelled all of my beauty boxes apart from one pre-paid one for a year, so I probably won't be posting about them much! I'm happy about it though because I've noticed that I won't use at least 2/5 products out of each one, so I'll be saving a lot of money!

Anyway, I won't be blogging as I am on a break still and will be back in February/March with the blogging, I have so many new things to share with you and tons of reviews to write! This makes me very excited! Actually incredibly excited! *squeals*

So I'll shut up now! Thank you to all of you who entered, I also wish you a very happy new year and hope that 2012 brings all of you exactly what you desire!

Thanks for reading! x

Christmas Giveaway #4: Face *CLOSED*

Here's my last Christmas giveaway, this one is open internationally and closes on Christmas Day at 6pm.

What one person will win:

- No7 Skin Illuminator in Peach

- MeMeMe Blush in Pink

You must be a follower of this blog and 18+ or have your parents' permission to enter.

You can follow @nav_beauty on twitter and tweet about the giveaway for extra entries.

Please enter by leaving a comment using this template:

GFC:

Twitter: (optional)

Tweet: (optional)

Email address: (optional)

Thank you and good luck!

Christmas Giveaway #3: Eyes *CLOSED*

Hi!

Here's my third giveaway of four, this one is open internationally and closes on Christmas Day at 6pm.

What one person will win:

- The Body Shop Eyeliner

- Studio Makeup Eyeliner Pen

- Cosmetics a la Carte Brow Ink

- The Body Shop Big and Curvy Mascara

You must be a follower of this blog and 18+ or have your parents' permission to enter.

You can follow @nav_beauty on twitter and tweet about the giveaway for extra entries.

Please enter by leaving a comment using this template:

GFC:

Twitter: (optional)

Tweet: (optional)

Email address: (optional)

Thank you and good luck!

Christmas Giveaway #2: Lips *CLOSED*

Hi!

Here's my second giveaway of four, this one is open internationally and closes on Christmas Day at 6pm.

What one person will win:

- ELF Mineral Lipglosses in Night Owl, Daring and Sorority Girl

- Rose Petal Salve

- Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Vixen

You must be a follower of this blog and 18+ or have your parents' permission to enter.

You can follow @nav_beauty on twitter and tweet about the giveaway for extra entries.

Please enter by leaving a comment using this template:

GFC:

Twitter: (optional)

Tweet: (optional)

Email address: (optional)

Thank you and good luck!

Christmas Giveaway #1: Nails *CLOSED*

Hi!

I've decided to host 4 giveaways until Christmas day! Each will be a collection for eyes/lips/face/nails and all will end on Christmas Day at 6pm GMT. This particular giveaway is UK only because they are nail polishes and I don't want anyone to miss out if their country's regulations don't allow nail polishes to be shipped in. All winners will be announced on boxing day and depending on the postal service shipped whenever the post offices reopen!

Here's what you will win:

- Trind Nail Repair Natural

- Orly mini

- ELF polish

- Leighton Denny Babydoll

- Maybelline Ivory Rose

You must be a follower of this blog and 18+ or have your parents' permission to enter.

You can follow @nav_beauty on twitter and tweet about the giveaway for extra entries.

Please enter by leaving a comment using this template:

GFC:

Twitter: (optional)

Tweet: (optional)

Email address: (optional)

Thank you and good luck!

Secret Santa

Source

Hi!

I hope everyone has posted their Secret Santa packages by today, I've had a few emails saying they were delayed/need more time for whatever reason which is absolutely fine provided the packages reach everyone before 14th December. I think this allows plenty of time for everyone to make sure their packages are sent and received.

If you have not received your secret santa package by 14th December, please email me and I'll do my best to track it down.

Otherwise happy holidays! :) If you do post about your packages please link them to me and I'll put a collaborative post up with everyone's posts.

Organising and hosting this Secret Santa has been great fun and I'll definitely be doing it all over again next year, I will have to think of more ideas to make it even more fun!

Thank you to everyone who took part and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I have!