Project Secret Santa Update

Since announcing PROJECT SECRET SANTA yesterday, we've had an overwhelming response from people looking to help!  First off, huge thanks to my wonderful blog friend Kate at The Shopping Mama, the super savvy Amy and Bri from Savvy Mom's Guide, the fabulous Gina of Gina Parker PR Online and one of our amazing partners, Paula from Frog Prince Paperie for spreading the word about PROJECT SECRET SANTA.  The more people who know about it, the more who can get involved and I so appreciate you sharing this idea with your readers.

Second, several terrific vendors e-mailed me yesterday to see how they could take part.  Since we already have a $100 gift card for the reader who collects the most toys, the products they're donating will go into a drawing that anyone who buys a toy for Jack's Toy Drive can enter.  Isn't that fantastic?  And the more toys you buy, the more chances you'll have to win.  It's that simple!  I'll be announcing these prizes next week along with how you entries will work.  If you'd like to provide a prize and help us to motivate and inspire more people to take part in this endeavor, e-mail me at afomft@gmail.com.

And last but not least, you may be thinking that throwing one of these Secret Santa parties is going to be too much work but it doesn't have to be.  You can do something as simple as invite four friends over for a play date and ask each of them to buy one toy.  Your play date party would yield 5 toys (your four friends' plus yours), right?  AFOMFT has approximately 3,000 readers and if just 1% of you - just 30! - collect 5 toys each, that's 150 gifts going to hospitalized kids this Christmas.  Imagine how many smiles that will yield!

And your "party" doesn't have to be Christmas themed.  You could ask all of your Thanksgiving dinner guests to buy or bring a toy.  Or throw an "I'm Thankful" party like the ones I featured in Turkey Day The Kids' Way Part 1 and Part 2.  What better way to show your gratitude for the blessings in your life than by giving back?

I'll have some more great "I'm Thankful" party suggestions this week and the free party printable parade will continue too so stay tuned!   And please keep spreading the word about PROJECT SECRET SANTA.  Let's get these parties started!