2008 Cellar Secret Santa

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

Yes, I like them a lot. Perhaps it just reflects my own psychosis, but I never thought it was any great thing to deal with a human clerk, teller, etc. for routine stuff.

My issue is that anything I need to go into a post office for is not routine. For sending gifts by USPS, if I wanted tracking and reasonable delivery times, is it better to ship certified, parcel, priority, or first class? This is especially difficult because the post office only shows the priority rates overhead. The clerk told me which would be best and then let me fill out the correct label while he took the next customer. He did not send me back to end of the line.

These issues don't come up when I ship Fedex or UPS, mostly because there's only one form to fill out for ground and picking an option involves checking a box.

I've never encountered a rude clerk in the USPS.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by richlevy

I've never encountered a rude clerk in the USPS.

I can't recall any rude ones, but I've had to talk to several who were dumb as rocks, and fundamentally didn't know how to do their job. It's not very comforting to send a registered and insured package when you have to tell the clerk what that means and how to do it.

[jinx]

I love our usps clerks, both of them. They know me by name and PO box number, and are always super friendly. It reminds me of when I lived in a small town.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I though anything weighing more than 13 oz had to be handed to a postal clerk?

You just can't drop those in a standard post box. Anything that you've put through the magic kiosk is okay to drop in the big slot at post office. You just have to cross your heart and promise the machine that there aren't any animal parts, explosives, or radiological materials in your package.

[richlevy]

Once again, a CSS gift has inspired me to web search.

This site seems familiar. I think that someone on the Cellar linked to it a while ago.

Just the catapults

http://www.mcphee.com/categories/catapults.html

The aptly named "Stupid Products". I like the Cold War unicorn play set.:p

http://www.mcphee.com/categories/stupidproducts.html

Does anyone here want to split a 'mystery box'? http://www.mcphee.com/items/M5633.html

[wolf]

I'm torn between the flying nuns and the flying monkeys.

What a delight.

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by wolf

I'm torn between the flying nuns and the flying monkeys.

What a delight.

I like the monkeys for style. But I'm a sucker for puns, so I also like the cats.

The only downside is that most of the 'extra ammo' comes in large tubs. I don't mind $5, but an extra $25 is a bit much for whimsy.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by richlevy

Once again, a CSS gift has inspired me to web search.

This site seems familiar. I think that someone on the Cellar linked to it a while ago.

Just the catapults

http://www.mcphee.com/categories/catapults.html

The aptly named "Stupid Products". I like the Cold War unicorn play set.:p

http://www.mcphee.com/categories/stupidproducts.html

Does anyone here want to split a 'mystery box'? http://www.mcphee.com/items/M5633.html

Originally Posted by wolf

I'm torn between the flying nuns and the flying monkeys.

What a delight.

Originally Posted by richlevy

I like the monkeys for style. But I'm a sucker for puns, so I also like the cats.

The only downside is that most of the 'extra ammo' comes in large tubs. I don't mind $5, but an extra $25 is a bit much for whimsy.

It's down the street.

I'd be your hands and feet if you wish.

It is an *awesome* store!!

[wolf]

Living near the Harriet Carter warehouse pales in comparison. (Harriet Carter will take a phone order and if you tell them it's a "showroom" order they'll have your box ready for you and you don't have to pay S&H.)

I get chills just thinking about being able to go and play with the stuff at McPhee's before buying too much of it!

I got the Freud Bobblehead for the shrink's office at work from them. And a Magic Therapy 8-Ball. And some Crime Scene Bandaids. And well, a bunch of other stuff.

[Sundae]

I used to buy bits and bobs from Hawkins Bazaar when it was just a mail order catalogue. I knew they had shops now. I saw one in Bluewater (BIG shopping, although not as grand as American malls) when I had time to eat up and Uncle Ken's discount travel meant it was 90p to travel 3 hours on the bus (45p & 1.5 hours there and the same on the way back and a centre to wander round for a couple of hours) but I had no spare cash to spend.

Imagine my delight when I realised there is a Hawkins in Aylesbury! And our shopping centre is tiny. I spent nearly an hour in there, wanting to buy just about everything. Of course I didn't, couldn't, wouldn't. But I got my nephew's Christmas present there. A Mystery Stocking (Christmas, not fishnet) which is guaranteed to have £10 more in it than if you bought items separately. A blessing for me because sadly, apart from knowing he likes loud noises, smells and farts which combine both, I never know what to buy him. It doesn't help that he has a birthday on 15 December, so I have to come up with two in one month, selfish child.

A funny thing I learned about myself though. I like the exclusivity of buying from a catalogue. I was devastated when Cosmetics To Go went into receivership. I used to tout their catalogue round the office, and when we had a huge order - good stuff, very tempting and I gave user reviews - I'd send it off and keep the discounts and freebies to myself. Everyone knew I did, they saw it as the perk of collating the order, collecting the money and distributing the goods. Then Lush opened. Same people, similar products just different names and scents. But it was never quite the same. I have at least 3 Lush products in the bathroom/ bedroom still, but since they stopped doing the Ginger range our relationshoip has never been the same.

Same with Hawkins Bazaar. They sell weird and wacky things, and hit upon the device of showing a 50p piece to denote size on the smaller items. Again, I'd tout it round the office (different office) and reap the reward of zero postage and free gifts. It was so exciting! But hearing dull people in the shop, talking rubbish about the products they haven't properly read the POS cards for, or with children who whine, "Vem! Vem, iss vem ones I want!" it's just not the same.

Am I forever trying to recapture the exciting post (mail) of my childhood? Where any day in the summer holidays might bring the toy I saved up tokens for? Or photos, when the camera was only brought out for special occasions? Or the hamper at Christmas? Is that why this Secret Santa excites me?

Maybe I'm just lonely. Which is why I've written a long post about nothing. In the Cellar bar I'm the bore who tells you how to get the best from your nudges on your fruit machine.

[LabRat]

Sundae, of all the wonderful things you are, a bore is not one of them. Evar.

Just a SS update: I have heard from all but one person that they have at the very least bought their present and are intending on sending it by this weekend. I hated to PM and ask, but just trying to keep things moving, not practice my nagging skillz. (I have those down pat )

Thanks again to all who are participating, it's been fun!

[Nirvana]

SG your tales keep me searching the board for your interesting posts.
Bore? Not hardly!

[LabRat]

My SS gift is sent as of 15 minutes ago, priority mail. I took a before pic because I am curious to see what shape it arrives in after seeing some of the others...

[limey]

I WANT MINE
NOW

[wolf]

I'm being a bit anxious as well.