Goodwilled the christmas ornaments by mistake

[ilovepete]

Thanks for all the replies! Now that I have had 24 hrs to 'digest' this, I am feeling better about things. My mom reminded me that people everyday lose all their possessions to fires, and all I have 'lost' is Christmas ornaments. Yes, I am still dissappointed...but I am dealing much better.

I just reordered the Baby's 1st Christmas ones on eBay, from a lady who was selling them at reasonable prices. And I did find some of the ones from when we were first married (pewter ones from the USVI, not the Hallmark ones)...so I still have 'some' of the memories. I am not going to worry about getting any more right now. DH had a good idea about buying some (if I still have the 'need') this summer when the prices might be slightly lower.

This year this tree will look different, lol. Older DS is making ormanents out of Legos for me, and I he's doiing such a good job I might just permanently keep a few...

Thanks again for all the kind words...

I am sorry that you are going through this, I would be really upset as well. But wow how sweet of your DS! I would love the lego ornaments.

 

[cm8]

Thanks for all the replies! Now that I have had 24 hrs to 'digest' this, I am feeling better about things. My mom reminded me that people everyday lose all their possessions to fires, and all I have 'lost' is Christmas ornaments. Yes, I am still dissappointed...but I am dealing much better.

I just reordered the Baby's 1st Christmas ones on eBay, from a lady who was selling them at reasonable prices. And I did find some of the ones from when we were first married (pewter ones from the USVI, not the Hallmark ones)...so I still have 'some' of the memories. I am not going to worry about getting any more right now. DH had a good idea about buying some (if I still have the 'need') this summer when the prices might be slightly lower.

This year this tree will look different, lol. Older DS is making ormanents out of Legos for me, and I he's doiing such a good job I might just permanently keep a few...

Thanks again for all the kind words...

 

[*BTMRR*]

DS making ornaments out of Legos is just about the sweetest thing ever.

 

[handinpocket]

I hope the OP will posts some pics. I'll send her an ornament. I can't imagine how terrible it must be to lose precious items like that and be pregnant to boot.

 

[happygirl]

Wow, I'm very impressed by people offering to help OP replace her ornaments what a nice gesture

 

[surfergirl602]

I'm so surprised that so many people do not anchor their trees to the wall when they have heavy and very sentamental ornaments on it! Really??? Learn something new every day. We anchor ours just on the off chance the cat or a kid tries to climb it.

 

[ksjayhawks]

Visit the local goodwill store and see what they are selling. You may find some of the ones you lost and can rebuy them.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

OP here again...

And I forgot to say...I appreciate all the kindness of my fellow DISers . I honestly can't remember what all of them look like, just the most sentimental from my kids birth years. I wouldn't want anyone to part with any just for me, and since this is the internet...I don't want anyone to 'feel' that I am just coying for free ornaments (which I am not).

I really am truly feeling better about the situation, and have bought/possibly will buy the most sentimental over the next few months.

DH came home with 2 new ones tonight...one for baby girl and one school one for my DS9. And my mom said she is going to get me a couple of the 'lost' ones for my birthday in a few months.

But it is good to know there are so many nice people on the DIS!

 

[klj27]

I doubt that you have a need for this exact ornament but I believe I have an extra Train Christmas series for boys. I believe it is the first or second Christmas so it would be 2000 or 2001. If it may match I will look for it when we get our tree out in a week or so.

 

[december]

I'm so surprised that so many people do not anchor their trees to the wall when they have heavy and very sentamental ornaments on it! Really??? Learn something new every day. We anchor ours just on the off chance the cat or a kid tries to climb it.

How do you anchor yours? I don't have a cat, but have an 18 month old that seems to be half monkey.........

 

[jlima]

How do you anchor yours? I don't have a cat, but have an 18 month old that seems to be half monkey.........

We've anchored ours to the ceiling in the past - put an eye screw into the ceiling, then take some wire and connect the top of the tree to what you've screwed into the ceiling. Your tree has to be nearly touching the ceiling so you don't see the wire.

 

[jlima]

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.

By all means, call & ask. Use the term "unintended donation". If your Goodwill has a warehouse and does store holiday items, they may still have your donations. However, my Goodwill begins to sell Christmas items in mid-October, so even if your items were not sold immediately, they may have been put into stores already. Good luck.

 

[aprilgail2]

I'm so surprised that so many people do not anchor their trees to the wall when they have heavy and very sentamental ornaments on it! Really??? Learn something new every day. We anchor ours just on the off chance the cat or a kid tries to climb it.

I have never heard of anyone anchoring a tree to a wall.

 

[zoemurr]

I have never heard of anyone anchoring a tree to a wall.

when I was growing up after the cat knocked it down once. But we tried doing it the way you did and the next time it just spun.

From then on my mom tied it to a hook in the wall behind it.

 

[MELSMICE]

I have never heard of anyone anchoring a tree to a wall.

Me either.

 

[Magpie]

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.

Accidents happen!

I was sorting the donations for our church's Christmas sale last week, and found a whole stack of a little girl's diaries, dating back years and including photos of her and personal letters to her from her dad. Luckily her dad overheard her name (as we were trying to figure out how we could contact her using her old address book) and popped his head into the room to see what was up!

If not for that lucky chance, they would have had to be discarded, which would have been very sad.

OP here again...

And I forgot to say...I appreciate all the kindness of my fellow DISers . I honestly can't remember what all of them look like, just the most sentimental from my kids birth years. I wouldn't want anyone to part with any just for me, and since this is the internet...I don't want anyone to 'feel' that I am just coying for free ornaments (which I am not).

I really am truly feeling better about the situation, and have bought/possibly will buy the most sentimental over the next few months.

DH came home with 2 new ones tonight...one for baby girl and one school one for my DS9. And my mom said she is going to get me a couple of the 'lost' ones for my birthday in a few months.

But it is good to know there are so many nice people on the DIS!

I'm glad you're feeling better! If you decide to keep the Lego ornaments, you might want to spray them with fixative (like you get in craft stores). That way they won't fall apart when you pack them.



P.S. We anchor our tree now every year - it's nice having an engineer in the family! We never anchored it when I was growing up, though, and I can remember two different occasions when our tree just toppled right over. It's a sad shock to come home to find glass all over and the tree in a big heap on the floor.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I still think it's worth a visit to their nearest stores....

If I were to find just one sentimental piece... It would be so worth it to me.