Have you done a Fish Extender? Will you do it again?

[DLBDS]

Question for OP... How do your children feel about the FE exchange?

 

[mommameah]

Last time I checked, the title of this thread was, "will you do it again?" This is a discussion board. We're here to discuss different points of view.

Pardon my faux pa. I was so emblazonly focused on the negativity that title of the thread whisked right by me.

 

[PizzieDuster]

My m&ms were personalized. I gave crap! I would order that crap again. And I love all the crap we received. I love the FE exchange. The kids love it. It's the thought that counts and I love that about the entire FE concept. Let's not put guidelines or judgments on this activity.

 

[lilpooh108]

My m&ms were personalized. I gave crap! I would order that crap again. And I love all the crap we received. I love the FE exchange. The kids love it. It's the thought that counts and I love that about the entire FE concept. Let's not put guidelines or judgments on this activity.

This is hilarious. I was just checking the personalized m&ms out the other day for FE. That crap ain't cheap! That is some expensive crap! I love m&ms.

But seriously, I mean, what isnt considered crap? Everyone has different tastes.

 

[Silverfox97]

My m&ms were personalized. I gave crap!

When was that called crap?

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[PizzieDuster]

This is hilarious. I was just checking the personalized m&ms out the other day for FE. That crap ain't cheap! That is some expensive crap! I love m&ms.

But seriously, I mean, what isnt considered crap? Everyone has different tastes.

Oh, got them in the DCL colors: blue, red, yellow, white.

 

[lilpooh108]

Oh, got them in the DCL colors: blue, red, yellow, white.

Well I would have been happy to receive those.

 

[Toniann966]

I'd love it!!

I hope the op is happy. See she is making this kind person wonder if their very thoughtful gift will be lame. ( I think it is fantastic gift idea btw). ( The military family from germany)
Perhaps that is what the op wants. If she doesn't want to continue with FE's , she wants everyone to stop. For goodness sakes, do you count up the dollar amount your relatives spend on your gifts against what you spent on theirs?
My kids loved all of the gifts we received. A person with heart would know that it is more about the spirit of the event.
By all means, do the rest of us a favor and don't do another fe.

 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

We did the FE on our Dream cruise last June. My kids LOVED it! I think we had 15 or 16 cabins participating and every night our FE was overflowing! The kids got lots of loot for pirate night and they loved seeing their treasure every time we came back to the room.

 

[manateesmom]

ITA. I have zero desire to participate in a FE or meet up with any fellow "DISers". No offence meant to anyone, but I want to spend the cruise with my family, not hanging out with or giving little scret santa gifts to strangers on the internet. But I did join our Facebook group and love chatting on the boards because it helps me plan and keeps me excited for the upcoming cruise. I like chatting with the people who will be on the same cruise I am. But that's where it ends for me.

Seriously. I can't imagine why I'd want to spend hours before and on my vacation planning, buying, and distributing gifts to strangers. I can give my son the same experience by just buying for him and giving him a surprise each day (in fact, we do).

I say this with a lot of affection, really, but only women can create this scenario. There is no way a dude decides to spend a bunch of money on strangers, obsesses about whether gifts to random strangers are socially acceptable (am I cool enough? thoughtful enough? wealthy enough?), obsesses about whether strangers are fully appreciating what they're receiving, spends precious vacation time delivering packages to strangers, and then accounts for the relative worth of the trinkets received from strangers. It's so fascinating to see the energy that is devoted to planning this stuff, I do not get it at all. FEers have just created a whole new set of social obligations and anxieties completely out of thin air. It's not for us, that is for sure.

 

[dgmommie]

only women can create this scenario. There is no way a dude decides to spend a bunch of money on strangers

We are doing our first FE exchange next month. It was my husband who told me to sign up.

 

[JessicasMom]

We've done three 14-day DCL cruises as adults-only; one as a couple and two with other adult family members. We all participated in the FE's (gifting to every cabin, no matter how many) and had a blast! I cannot tell you how much fun it was for my DH and 28 yr-old DD and DNiece to find little gifts every day (usually several times a day). Was it all high-quality, home-crafted Disney items? Nope, and it didn't matter at all. My crafty daughter made our FE's and some of our FE gifts; we tried to give out useful things that people would want to keep. But if someone considered them "crap"...so be it...I cannot control that. Some of the gifts we received were definitely very thoughtful, but we also received what some may perceive as "junk" (not us!). Actually, on our most recent trip, we had a good chuckle over a very small bag of candy received from an experienced Disser whom we sat near at dinner every night...who never smiled and seemed to be quite dour. The gift just seemed to reflect her persona , so rather than be annoyed, we found it humorous. I enjoy the gifts that are obviously made by children, even though they may just end up in a plastic bin that we maintain for every cruise, with all of our papers, souvenirs, etc. It's fun to look back from time to time. Seriously, the fun is in the giving and receiving, not in comparisons. Yep, I would do it again, even though the novelty does wear off.

We are sailing on our 6th cruise in May and signed up for the FE for the first time. I am doing it because I wanted to add some extra magic this year. My husband passed away the night before my son's birthday last year. So not only will my son celebrate his birthday on board, but it will also be bittersweet as we will be quietly marking the 1 year anniversary of my husbands passing. Will my son care if he gets what others deem "crap"? Absolutely not! He will be over the moon at finding gifts left for him! I am not crafty, and yes I had to buy my gifts, but I did spend a lot of time and put a lot of thought into what I am giving out. I sincerely hope people appreciate what I give them, but we live in a world where you truly cannot please everyone!

Go and enjoy celebrating his birthday and remembering his wonderful father . The FE exchange will be a magical experience for him! I'm sure your gifts will be perfectly fine....don't give it a second thought.

Wow, yeah you probably should not participate again. I typically spend quite a bit of time and energy on making some of our gifts but my reason for doing so is because I want to do something nice for someone else...not for my own reward or anything in return. What I do receive in the FE exchange is much appreciated. I do not know what everyone's story is, what they can afford, how much time they have on their hands, etc. Being able to provide a little fun and pixie dust for someone else is the true reward. Anything back my way is just a nice surprise.

As for candy, my coworkers certainly appreciate what I receive...and again, it's a way to give to others.

I will continue to participate, especially considering the majority of folks who have participated in the FEs I have been involved with have been nothing but kind and generous. As for the ones who skip out on giving to others or whatever, I just chalk it up to something going on in their lives, and I don't sweat it.

Yep . And my co-workers enjoy the "Sleepy" chocolates, which we don't eat and I use to fill the candy dish on my desk.

Exactly! This will be my first Disney Cruise and FE. I am doing it fir the joy of giving. I'm on a limited income (the cruise is a gift) and I am having a ball picking up gifts for the kids, and hope I can find something I casn handcraft or pick up for the adults. I am looking forward to the giving, not expecting the receiving!!!

Great attitude!

What a sad thread. The reason I signed up to participate in the FE was because I thought my daughter would love to return to our cabin and find little surprises. It's about the magic, not the gifts. I'm not expecting to come home with "presents" that we will cherish forever. And if we do, bonus. I'm expecting small surprises. I'm sorry to hear that some people are not very appreciative or decide to judge others on their choice in gifts. For the record, I plan on hand making two items for each person and ordering two more small items from oriental trading. I want to believe that most participants are appreciative to receive anything.

Most are, and the ones who aren't really shouldn't be participating, because it will clearly detract from their overall cruise experience (and who wants that on a vacation? ).

No way was I going to tell her that her pirate patches weren't cut nice enough or that the holes she made for the elastic were too big. I believe in instilling wholesome values and principles in children. It's not about how perfect or expensive the gift is, it is about caring and giving with the intention to bring a little happiness and a smile to another human being.

I have never done a FE before, but it is pretty obvious to me that if getting a certain level of quality, price, or finely crafted gift is important to me - then most likely the FE exchange is not for me! I hope no one in our group goes away thinking our gifts are "cr*p"...but I suppose in the end it will be their loss because our intentions are good and my granddaughter will have a ball distributing our gifts.

You are obviously a loving, attentive grandmother who is teaching your granddaughter the right values and principles. I know she'll have the time of her life!

 

[texasgirl73]

I participated in the FE on my first cruise back in August. It was fun. I did receive some wonderful handmade and unique items, and plenty of trinkets and candy. While my husband and I loved and cherished the handmade, unique items....the kids liked the trinkets. With them its all about quantity, not quality.....hahaha. (The item from my cruise that I use the most, by the way, is a simple travel kleenex cover made out of mickey material...it goes great in my Disney Dooney purse- I love it but kids looked at it like it was boring junk...hahaha.)

 

[Toniann966]

This is our first Disney cruise, and our 6 yr old granddaughter is sooo excited about the FE gift exchange! She loves to do crafts, but is not extraordinarily talented at it, shall we say? Just this morning we spent a couple of hours making our pirate eye patches...are they perfect? No. But as we crafted, we talked about the cruise, all the kids that will be on the ship, her "cruise fund" that she has been diligently saving for almost a year now, the programs on the ship, her Belle gown hanging in the closet, as well as how the FE exchange works. She is so excited to "sneak" around on the ship with me and distribute the gifts! LOL When she realized that she might also get some gifts similar to what we are giving (Disney tattooes, stickers, glo sticks, etc) - well, that just made her day...she will be wanting to make several trips to the cabin during the day, just in case something is there for her!

No way was I going to tell her that her pirate patches weren't cut nice enough or that the holes she made for the elastic were too big. I believe in instilling wholesome values and principles in children. It's not about how perfect or expensive the gift is, it is about caring and giving with the intention to bring a little happiness and a smile to another human being.

I have never done a FE before, but it is pretty obvious to me that if getting a certain level of quality, price, or finely crafted gift is important to me - then most likely the FE exchange is not for me! I hope no one in our group goes away thinking our gifts are "cr*p"...but I suppose in the end it will be their loss because our intentions are good and my granddaughter will have a ball distributing our gifts.

EXACTLY!! My daughters made playdough mickeys (used black and red, made the eyes and whiskers too) they let them dry for weeks. They did this over the summer. My cruise is in february. To them , the long hours they spent was a labor of love. Are they perfect? no. But to them they were picturing the happiness of the receivers. It is what was in their hearts. I would hate to see what the ops kids had to say if they received such GARISH gifts. The apple won't fall far from the tree.

 

[Ptwolfman]

The OP stated that they gave out facts, oreo's & business cards. Hmmm

 

[violetmonarch]

FWIW: My children and I just came back from the store today, and the first thing I thought was "Gee, what can I get for FE gifts?" I am always looking for cute things that I would just love to see someone enjoy, even it it means that my gift saved them a bit of money at concessions or such. My kids and I live simply, and like to give whatever we have to give. The thought IS DEFINITELY there...just not always the $$$. Just my 2 cents...

 

[Toniann966]

Oh my God. Love it!!! I was getting so angry, but you made me laugh.
Now that is crafty!!!!

 

[PizzieDuster]

When was that called crap?

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

At 7:41 pm, January 19, 2013. To be exact. Move on, quit picking on me. jk That Yoda is scaring me some and is so awesome. Can I get that on a magnet?

 

[PizzieDuster]

Well I would have been happy to receive those.

Thank you! I had the cruise date, the ship name, our names and the title of our cruise thread on them. I don't think my candy was "lazy" and I sure didn't need to "explain" it.

 

[mimmi]

Few, thanks for posting. You haven't discouraged me as much as affirmed to me that I made the right decision for my family. I kept feeling all anti disney like for not wanting to pack, lug and deliver things to strangers while on vacation.

I do like to give gifts too, and I am crafty, I even write monthly family craft articles for a local magazine. I just don't like clutter, and we are both thrifty. I do however have a swag crazy daughter, so the less opportunities for her to gain junk(aka her most prized treasures) the better.

My suggestion for the OP is if you like giving gifts still make a thing or two and surprise someone you catch being good, or maybe the people you share dinner with on the last night after you have gotten to know them, and on the last night so they don't feel the need to return the favor.

No one said you have to be on a list to give a gift, and you don't have to bring 200 either. And no candy or junk in sight. If it is truly about the giving, still be joyful, just where you want to give, not where others tell you you need to.

How about magnets for those lonely empty doors that people(first timers) didn't know about decorating. That would make our family smile.

I personally have a few pixie dust items up our sleeves for the trip.

Sorry to join the party so late, but this caught my eye: aren't you the one who is giving out rocks to CMs? Wouldn't that be clutter, too?
And decorating the doors of strangers is crossing the line, in my opinion. How do you know if those people hadn't known about magnets before their cruise or simply don't want to have their doors decorated?

Personally, I like the FE thing, it's perfectly ok for me, if other people don't want to join or if they invest less time and money in their gifts. The only thing I'm asking the members of my group is that, even if they don't like my gifts, they don't come here after the cruise just to insult me and call my gift "crap".
That would be beyond rude and is not my understanding of proper manners.