Goodwilled the christmas ornaments by mistake

[zachnsamsmommy]

We decided to put up our tree this weekend since I am 37 weeks pg, and am having my c-section in two weeks. DH looked in the garage for the ornaments, and only found a box I *thought* I gave to Goodwill last year. Apparently, I gave away the wrong box...I gave Goodwill the box with all the Hallmark ornaments, including the "Our First Christas Together" and both boys' "My First Christmas" dated ornaments..along w/ about 35 other Hallmark ornaments.

I am literally sick to my stomach. Do you think they would have held onto them since some had pictures in them? (our wedding picture, boys pictures their first Christmas). Ours is closed tomorrow, but will be open Monday...I plan on calling first thing.

I did find at least the "My first Christmas" dated ones on ebay for a reasonable price, and rebought them. But I feel just sick over this...

 

[castleview]

Please don't be sick over this. You will laugh about it one day when talking about what pregnancy brain does to you. I'd say this is the perfect excuse to do some shopping.

 

[Hannathy]

sorry but if you gave them away last year there is no way Goodwill would still have them. They really don't care if there are photos in them. Now if you had said yesterday you might have a shot

Glad you were able to get your kids ornaments tho.

 

[ENSOCK]

 

[klj27]

When I read your title my first thought was, please don't let them be Hallmark Keepsakes. It might cost a bit of money but if I were you I would rebuy them all off ebay. You could probably save some cash by waiting to buy at an off time, but I am not sure what the inventory will be then. We have all the special ornaments for our kids and I was devastated four years ago when I realized what I thought was the first in my oldest's series wasn't actually part of that series. I found the right one with the right year on ebay and it cost me $52 but I am so happy when I see it each year now.

I also keep all of our Christmas items in red and green rubbermaid bins to help this from happening. Maybe put any new ones in a special type box like that.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

When I read your title my first thought was, please don't let them be Hallmark Keepsakes. It might cost a bit of money but if I were you I would rebuy them all off ebay. You could probably save some cash by waiting to buy at an off time, but I am not sure what the inventory will be then. We have all the special ornaments for our kids and I was devastated four years ago when I realized what I thought was the first in my oldest's series wasn't actually part of that series. I found the right one with the right year on ebay and it cost me $52 but I am so happy when I see it each year now.

I also keep all of our Christmas items in red and green rubbermaid bins to help this from happening. Maybe put any new ones in a special type box like that.

I would buy them all, but I figure it would probably cost at least $400...since I had about 35 of them, including a POTC ornament that played music and cost $25 along. I really can only afford the two I just bought, even though I had the "Child's First Christmas" series for both my boys, and those alone would cost $100 or more to replace.

And the crazy thing is that I do keep all my Christmas stuff in rubbermaid bins...a nice dark green that is only used for Christmas items. I'm still racking my brain wondering how I mixed up the 'keep' ornaments and the 'pitch/donate' ones last year. I put them in shoeboxes prior to putting them in the bins, and must have gotten rid of them at that point.

Our goodwill doesn't sell holiday items until the next holiday, so that was why I was hoping they still have them. Highly unlikely, but I'll at least feel like I've done all I can do if I call on Monday.

Thanks for they sympathy...I really feel like poo over all this...

 

[DisneyBeagle]

Is there any chance that the ornament box got moved elsewhere in your house and wasn't given to goodwill? Did you or your DH get into the storage area and move boxes around during the year?

 

[klj27]

Well I am going to keep hoping that somehow they are in shoe boxes or the dark green tote somewhere hidden in your house.

 

[SandrA9810]

I'd be searching head to toe in the house/attic/garage... and even the smallest closet looking for that box.

From now on, always go over the items with the employee before turning it in. Like when I donate, I notice that they have a tendency to place similar items together for easier sorting. So if I have a great big box of something, I take the stuff out with like items.

 

[marybet]

Many years ago my then husband was taking stuff to donate and took the wrong box. It had my mother's nativity set, among other very nice things. I know that sick feeling you are talking about. You do get over that feeling but I have never been able to laugh about it.

Hope you get lucky and they still have the ornaments at Goodwill.

 

[dismom2]

My DH has taken the 'wrong' bag to Goodwill. Never got any of it back because I didn't realize his mistake right away. I know how you feel. I hope you can replace many of them, at least a little at a time.

 

[handinpocket]

Well, that really sucks. Sending hugs and happy ornament shopping to you.

 

[Imzadi]

sorry but if you gave them away last year there is no way Goodwill would still have them. They really don't care if there are photos in them. Now if you had said yesterday you might have a shot.

Sorry this happened. I agree with the above. Goodwill isn't a storage facility. They have no way of knowing if those photo ornaments were donated because the person who previously owned them is deceased and the people in the photos no longer have any meaning to anyone else. If they can't resale them, they'd most likely toss them to make room for items that are incoming all the time. A few Goodwills I know of, routinely stop accepting new items because they are innundated with items.

Time to create new holiday ornament traditions.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

UGH. I'm so sorry this happened! I completely understand how you're feeling. I'm with the other posters who are hoping that box is just misplaced somewhere in your house...

 

[Magic Mom]

I bet you feel just awful right now.

I think though that after the holidays, when the initial shock wears off, you won't miss most of the ornaments. Replace the "Firsts" ornaments, because those have real meaning. But the rest won't seem as important after you've had some time to digest it all.

Take the boys to Hallmark today and let them both pick out an ornament that is special to them. That will mean more than paying crazy prices on Ebay to replace the old.

 

[tweedlemom]

Can you please find pictures (maybe from ebay) of the most treasured ornaments and post them for us to see? The people on this board are so kind and generous. I'm sure some of us would be more than happy to help you out, by either donating extra same/similar ornaments or keeping our eyes open at yard sales for you. Don't fret! Concentrate on picking out new ornaments for new memories and little by little you can work on getting those old memories back.

 

[erincon23]

I'm so sorry! I know I would feel absolutely horrible if I did that. If it were me, I would replace only just the most important ones if I could find them, and use this as an opportunity to try a whole different decorating direction for my tree, so you can avoid a comparison to the "before" set of ornaments. You'll get through this. Good luck when you call Goodwill, but at the best, they'll have you looking through boxes and boxes and boxes.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Don't be so hard on yourself. It could happen to anyone.

It wouldn't hurt to call or go by there and explain what happened. It was so recent you might get lucky. I hope you do.

 

[mickeyboat]

Oh man. I would be devastated. Hope you are able to find or replace them.

 

[poohbear7]

If you google Hallmark Christmas ornaments they have ornaments available from 1979-2010. Maybe you can find some of your missing ornaments. They are different prices. good luck