***Holiday Card Swap 2013***

[Casper]

***2013 Holiday Card Swap***

Its that time of year again... time to sign up for the annual PT card swap!
For those that are unfamiliar, its a fun way to celebrate the holidays by sending cards out to fellow PTers and receiving many wonderful cards in return. Generally we have upwards of 20 people participating, with some being from other countries, so be sure you are able to follow through with sending out cards before you sign up and commit.

General Rules:

You must be a member of PT for at least the past 3 months.
You are required to send cards to everyone on the list. No picking or choosing!
If you are under 16 years of age you must have your parents permission, then contact Karen before joining.

If you would like to join in on the fun, please PM (private message) me the following info....

your full name and address
any family members/pets you would like to be included on the card

Deadline is November 21st!
After the deadline arrives I will compile everyone's addresses together into a list and send it out via PM to everyone who has signed up. If you would rather me send the list to your e-mail, just send me a note with your e-mail address and I can do it that way.

Don't hesitate to PM me if you have any questions or concerns!




List of Participants:

Barbara
Bonny
Casper
Catty1
Freedom
Karen
Maya & Inka's mommy
mrspunkysmom
phesina
Pinot's Mom
ramanth
RICHARD

[Karen]

Count us in! And I'll sticky the thread! Thanks for heading this up, kiddo!

[cassiesmom]

The card exchange used to have its own e-mail address, ptcards(at)gmail.com ... I don't know the password for it, though. Isabel might have it.

[captain]

Sadly I can't do this year as we will be away for most of December/January ... I will miss it tho! It's great to get so many wonderful cards every Christmas.

Thanks so much for arranging it this year!

[Catty1]

I think the PMs will work pretty well for now. Casper, do you want us to include our email addresses in the PM so you can email us all a list? (hint: use BCC when you email it) :)

[Casper]

I think the PMs will work pretty well for now. Casper, do you want us to include our email addresses in the PM so you can email us all a list? (hint: use BCC when you email it) :)

You can if you want, but since the list will probably be a bit shorter than normal this year, I figured I could just PM everybody a copy of the list. If anyone prefers it to be emailed, I am more than happy to do that, too.

[Barbara]

I just sent you the PM:) I hope many people sign up as it is so much fun!

[mrspunkysmom]

It was a lot of fun. I'm trying not to procrastinate this year

[krazyaboutkatz]

I've always signed up in the past and it's a lot of fun.:) I'm waiting to see how many people sign up this year. I just don't have a lot of spare time these days and I'm also not doing well financially.:(

[Randi]

I've always signed up in the past and it's a lot of fun.:) I'm waiting to see how many people sign up this year. I just don't have a lot of spare time these days and I'm also not doing well financially.:(
Tracey, you can always sign up for the e-mail cards. I started a thread. ;)

[Casper]

Two more weeks until the deadline!

Just updated the list. Glad to see some people joining us! :) And anyone facing time or financial problems, don't feel bad. I didn't participate a few years ago for the same reason. Like Randi said, consider joining the e-mail card swap!

[ramanth]

I'm in. :D:love::cool:

[Pinot's Mom]

Just PM'd! :)

[Casper]

Just updated the list. Remember the deadline is the 21st! :)

[Casper]

I just sent out the list of participants via PM. (Let me know if you guys got it.) I'll send out the list via e-mail to those who requested it in the morning, I'm short on time tonight.

Thanks to all who signed up! :) Its going to be a great swap!

[Freedom]

I got it - TWICE! Ha ha haaa

[Karen]

I got it, too!

[Pinot's Mom]

Got it x 2 - thanks!!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

I got it twice too!!! Does this mean I have to send everybody 2 cards??

LOL!!!

Thank you!!!

[Casper]

Glad to hear you guys got the PM... twice! lol I don't have internet at home so sometimes I can't tell if it went through. I'm having problems with my e-mail at the moment, but it looks like everyone got it. If you didn't just PM me and we can figure it out. :)

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

All my cards are on their way since yesterday !!!

[Freedom]

Lut, received yours today. OMGosh you are too fast!!!! Thank you, and thanks for pointing out that the stamp is your new King Filip.

[Barbara]

I got Lut's and Bonnie's - and mine are ready to go:)

[Casper]

I received lovely cards from Lut and Bonnie, as well. :) Mine will be in the mail by Friday!

[phesina]

Thanks to Lut.. lovely card; what is the language of the greetings, Dutch? And also for the stamp with your King's portrait... I didn't even know Belgium was a monarchy!

And thanks to Bonnie.. I love the sweet picture of Roselle!

And thanks to Barbara.. and Kiri and Orion, for writing the greeting and stamping the gold.. lovely snowflake! And I just now discovered the card is a built-in Advent Calendar, so I've opened all the days so far.

Happy holidays, everyone!

:love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

[Freedom]

All mailed out this morning!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Thanks to Lut.. lovely card; what is the language of the greetings, Dutch? And also for the stamp with your King's portrait... I didn't even know Belgium was a monarchy!



My country became a monarchy after many foreign occupations (the last 2 were Napoleon, and The Netherlands. We didn't want that any longer, so Belgium became a monarchy in 1830.
Since then we had several kings: Leopold I, Leopold II, Albert I, Leopold I, Boudewijn I, King Albert 2, and Filip I. King Leopold abdicated last summer and made his oldest son the new King of Belgium.
Belgium may be a very small country (size of Maryland), but it has a very interesting history!!

Oops sorry for going off-topic... ! No need to say I loved "history" at school ;)

[phesina]

Very interesting... Clearly you did, and do, love history!

Thank you, Lut!

[Catty1]

Anyone in the U.S.A. - please let me know if you got a card from me. I did part of the list and was SURE I would remember who I had sent a card to...um, nope. Just remembered a couple. I don't want to send double to someone and none to someone else. Thanks! :o

[mrspunkysmom]

I'm sending my stuff out next week. Working on exams and stuff this week.

:D

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Thanks to Lut.. lovely card; what is the language of the greetings, Dutch?

Oops, I forgot to answer on this question....:o
Yes, it is Dutch! Belgium has 3 official languages: Dutch, French & German!

[phesina]

Is there another language, Flemish? (Or is that a version of Dutch?)

Do you and your family, Lut, speak all those languages? Do Belgians in general? Do official publications need to be published in all three languages?

Thanks, Lut! You live in a very interesting country.

Pat, who speaks only one language

[Freedom]

We have received so many lovely cards!

Thank you Barbara, Bonny, Casper, Maya & Inka's Mommy, Phesina, and Ramanth!

Just 5 more from this swap, to come!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Is there another language, Flemish? (Or is that a version of Dutch?)

Do you and your family, Lut, speak all those languages? Do Belgians in general? Do official publications need to be published in all three languages?

Thanks, Lut! You live in a very interesting country.

Pat, who speaks only one language

Flemish is based on Dutch, it can be a bit different from region to region. There are really a lot of dialects, but we can all understand each other!
The Dutch spoken in the Netherlands and the Dutch spoken in Belgium is almost equal, only the accent is a bit different.
Then have the 3 languages spoken in Belgium. Nearly half the Belgians has Dutch as mother tongue. They all live in the north and western part of the country. This known as "Flanders".
The eastern and southern part of Belgium speaks French, the region is called "Wallonia".
Then there is a small region in the east of Belgium where German is spoken. This is a leftover from the 2nd world war; Germany was forced to give a small part of their country to Belgium as payment for the war.

You are right about official papers. They all have to be in 3 languages!

Because of this diversity of language, we already start with learning a second language at the age of 10. In Flanders that second language is French, and in Wallonia it is Dutch.
As from age 13 we all start to learn a 3rd language. But that is NOT German, but English. Students want to learn German too, can do that by following German in highschool, starting at age 15.

Of course most people are not fluent in all languages, but most people speak at least 2 languages, and most people understand a bit of German because German has the same roots as Dutch.

I can speak all 4 languages fluently, and I also speak enough Spanish to make myself understandable in Spain!

I hope I made myself clear!?

[Barbara]

Thank you Sandra and Candace- your cards arrived :) :)

[Karen]

I mailed all our cards this morning, so I know they will not arrive in time for Christmas, but hopefully by Epiphany! My apologies, folks!

[Freedom]

Pinot Noir Cooper, we got your card! :love:

[Freedom]

Today I received cards from Richard, and from Karen and Paul. Thank you!

[Barbara]

Orion and Kiri say thank you to Pinot!
Court and Kim-your cards arrived too:)

[Karen]

Such fun seeing when the cards arrive everywhere and getting cards still!

[phesina]

Thank you so much for the lovely cards, Sandie, Kim, Court, Pinot, and Karen!

They are all beautiful, and it has been such joy to receive them.

A wonderful, peaceful, prosperous 2014 to you all!

Love from Pat and cats :love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

[Casper]

I just wanted to say thanks again to all those who participated. I know the swap took place a little bit last minute, but I think we pulled it off just fine! I have really enjoyed each and every card from you guys and look forward to doing it all again next year. :)

[Karen]

We have so enjoyed getting the cards, and hope ours are arriving okay!

[Bonny]

Thank you everyone for the wonderful Christmas Card Greetings, & cute pictures of humans & their pets. I have them hanging on a long gold garland in the living room. I love this time of year. :D

[Barbara]

It looks as if the last cards arrived- Karen usually is late- but it was worth waiting for little Miss Hoppy and her halo.
I have participated in so many of these exchanges and it really makes this time of the year special:)

[Freedom]

Candace, today's mail brought my card from Cole, Oscar, Zoe . . . and YOU! :D

There were 2 other cards in my mail today as well -- not from a card swap.

[Karen]

I got my first returned card today, but got the correct address and will remain it tomorrow!

[Freedom]

I do this every year. Photo of all the cards I received -- took some time this year, as I was rotating them through on Dad's bulletin board at the nursing home. Family, friends, and 2 card swaps.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q57/sfsamm/2014/Dec%2031%20all%20cards%20from%20Christmas%202013/ChristmasCardsfor2013002Small_zps9fa6e5cc.jpg (http://s133.photobucket.com/user/sfsamm/media/2014/Dec%2031%20all%20cards%20from%20Christmas%202013/ChristmasCardsfor2013002Small_zps9fa6e5cc.jpg.html )

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q57/sfsamm/2014/Dec%2031%20all%20cards%20from%20Christmas%202013/ChristmasCardsfor2013001Small_zps047559aa.jpg (http://s133.photobucket.com/user/sfsamm/media/2014/Dec%2031%20all%20cards%20from%20Christmas%202013/ChristmasCardsfor2013001Small_zps047559aa.jpg.html )

[Karen]

Oh, how fun! I bet your Dad and everyone else at the Nursing Home enjoyed the cards, too!

[phesina]

How nice!!!