Darleen Sichley and I are excited to again bring you The Country Christmas Connection! A rural secret Christmas gift exchange. We are so glad you are here to sign up! After you have read the rules and requirements below, click the sign up link above. After completing the form you will be ready to share the holiday spirit and make new connections!
Dates to Remember
- November 13 – signups begin
- November 27 – signups close
- December 2 – receive your recipients name via e-mail
- December 7 – Canadian shipping deadline
- December 14 – Shipping deadline within the U.S.
- January 5 – link up to reveal your Country Christmas Connection opens
- January 5-12 – share on your favorite social about your TCCC experience. If you blog add your post to the link up
How the Exchange Works:
First you need to read and review the rules and expectations of the exchange below. If it sounds like a good fit for you then fill out the sign-up form above so we can get all of your important information. Then, after sign-ups close you will receive a name – do your research (be sure to keep this a secret, don’t let them know that you have their name), then pick and send the perfect gift! Be sure to include a note in your gift revealing who you are and your info so your person can contact you to say thank you! In the mean time, someone else is doing their research on you and your gift is on it’s way! When you receive a gift, snap some pictures and thank your sender! Then, on Jan 5th-12th, share on your favorite social about your experience and the gift you received. If you blog then link it up the party linkup we share. All in the spirit of making new connections with like minded rural lovers in the spirit of holiday fun!
Rules of the Exchange:
Each participant must fill out an information form. This information will be sent to another who will be your Secret Santa- Secret Social Pal. You in turn will receive a name and information of a person whom you will be sending a gift. (All exchanging of information is done via email, so please provide an email in the sign up form that you check on a regular basis! We promise to the best of our ability that your information will only be used for the exchange.)
Each participant needs to post on their blog or favorite social about the exchange. This year we are opening the exchange to rural individuals that are active on any platform of social media. Open to US, Canada and all international requests. Please note international outside of Canada will have to be reviewed before approval for shipping match ups and dates. Be kind to us this year as we open this up a bit and work through the logistics! After you’ve signed up post on your blog or favorite social using the hashtag #TCCC17. Make sure to share and invite others who would enjoy the experience! The more the merrier!
Everyone who signs up will send and receive a gift. Once you receive your persons name and information, head on over to their blog and other social media sites and take a minute to secretly get to know them. The more you can learn about your person, the more personal you can make your gift. Suggested price range for gifts is around $20. (Local and handmade is encouraged, highlighting what is special about your area, state, commodity or special Christmas tradition. Keep in mind what you’ve learned from your research of your recipient to make it thoughtfully personal!) Also make sure to include a note revealing and introducing who you are, your blog, social channels and the best way to contact you for a Thank You.
Packages must be sent by Shipping Deadlines. When mailing your package you must be sure to include a tracking number. Once you have mailed your package by the deadline you must send the tracking number to your host. If the hosts do not hear from you by the 7th for Candadian/International or 14th for U.S., we will be emailing you to ask for the information! We know this time of year is busy, but please help us out when you sign up for the exchange by being willing and able to meet this deadline. We do not want anyone left out!! Also please make sure to provide an address in the sign up form to a secure location where you are certain to receive your gift – PO Box, office, etc. – if you don’t trust your home doorstep. (We as hosts are not responsible for unsent, lost or stolen packages.)
When you receive your package from your Secret Social Pal connect and say Thank You! Post to your favorite social media channel with the tag #TCCC17 and tag your sender in it. Follow along with their blog and social channels. Also make sure to send them a personal Thank You note through their preferred contact. This is all about the connection you make in sending and receiving your gift.
Blog posts need to be posted on your blog and linked up between January 5th-12th. The hosts will post the new linkup for the blog posts on their blogs January 5th. You will be notified by e-mail when the link up is open. Please make sure to add your post to the link up no later then January 12th. Not a blogger, be sure to post to your favorite social with the traceable hashtag #TCCC17 on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Please make it a permanent post, so no Insta stories or Snaps. Take the time to browse, comment and connect with all the Secret Social Pals who participated!
Share the love! Please take a minute to connect and follow the host blogs, and like their Facebook pages and social channels – this will help to remind you of all the important dates coming up for the exchange.
- Jenny
Darleen – Guernsey Dairy Mama
We would love it if you would share about the swap on your blog, Facebook page, or favorite social – the more the merrier! Don’t forget the tag #TCCC17, browse through the tags to discover some new bloggers and share the excitement of the exchange.
*Host Disclaimer: We are looking forward to hosting and organizing The Country Christmas Connection and hope you will be patient with us as we work out the kinks in opening this up for our second year. We also need your help to make this a successful and fun exchange. If you plan to participate, you must be willing to agree to all the points above. The only way this works and is fair for everyone is for you to fully participate. If you can’t agree to any point above then this exchange is not for you. Failure to fully participate will result in our asking you not to participate again. We can’t stress enough that this is about the connections you will make and hope you will find value, joy and fun in that as well!*
We are so excited to see all The Country Christmas Connections that are made this year!
Thank you for signing up! SIGN UP FORM
If you have any questions or concerns at any time don’t hesitate to contact us at the e-mail addresses above. Also be sure to check out our announcement podcast for a little background information about how this exchange came together and have evolved in this second year!
May your holiday season be merry and bright,