Good day and welcome to the FOURTEENTH ANNUAL James Garfield Miracle! WHAT?!
“What’s the James Garfield Miracle?” you ask.
You have to be new right here. WELCOME.
So! 14 years in the past I walked into an property sale and fell in love with an historic taxidermied boars head that appeared so rattling blissful to see me.
I didn’t purchase him and spent every week in mild mourning. Then the subsequent week A MIRACLE HAPPENED and James Garfield got here into my life ceaselessly. (I’m observing him proper now, in reality and he’s nonetheless magnificent.)
However Victor wasn’t fully thrilled that we’d spent $90 on a literal Christmas miracle of mangey fur and lacking enamel so I made a decision that I’d make vacation playing cards of James Garfield to make up for it and if I bought a pair dozen it’d be like James Garfield was making us cash.
However then everybody went loopy and James Garfield made extra that week than I did in my precise job and so I made a decision that I’d take all the cash James Garfield made and use it to present presents to the children of people that have been struggling that 12 months as a result of I’ve been there prior to now myself. And I purchased items for the primary 30 one thing folks after which I ran out of cash however then all of a sudden everybody within the feedback have been like, “I WANT TO HELP A STRANGER IN NEED! LET ME BUY A GIFT FOR SOMEONE” and that’s how this all of a sudden grew to become 14th years of an odd neighborhood challenge of strangers serving to strangers anonymously and it’s fairly rattling wonderful.
Over time we’ve had many alternative iterations of the James Garfield Miracle and the one actual draw back is that occassionally a scammer would slip in and ask for stuff for themselves, so we determined to return to the fundamentals and simply give out teddy bears. Why? As a result of everybody loves teddy bears (hell, I really like teddy bears) and if somebody goes to go to the difficulty to make a complete wishlist account for a teddy bear they positively want one.
So this 12 months I’m sending out 150+ teddy bears to children proper right here.
That’s it. Simply candy, snuggly teddy bears. Nicely, not simply teddy bears as a result of the teddy bears have eyes that infants can swallow (cease swallowing eyes, bizarre infants) so I’m additionally including a couple of different stuffed animals you possibly can select from in case you have an eye-devouring child or your youngster has a bear phobia or Amazon sells out of teddy bears.
However that’s it. Easy. Simple. Not good as a result of in an ideal world everybody would get all the things they want, however I’d prefer to think about that even individuals who could also be disillusioned that we’re simply doing stuffed animals will not less than be blissful imagining all the children discovering surprising fluffy new stuffed animals of their arms this vacation. It makes me smile, not less than.
So, if you’re struggling this 12 months and also you need assistance getting your youngster a gift for Christmas/ (late) Hanukkah/winter solstice/whateveryoucelebrate then I’m able to Santa Claus it up and drop one pretty plushie at the doorstep. And I’ll stroll you thru easy methods to get one anonymously.
Listed below are the hyperlinks for the plushes you possibly can decide from. Select the one which finest works on your child:
Child Gund 12 inch Stuffed Fox
12 inch Matcha Latte Squishmallow
Stuffed lobster (Hailey assures me that children love lobsters?)
15.7 inch Puffer Fish ?? (Pay attention. Hailey picked this one and it appears ridiculous, however apparently it’s the nice form of ridiculous? Shit. I don’t know the way children work, y’all.)
At the moment these are all between $12-$20 every however Amazon could be wonky about altering up the costs when issues begin to run low so if I see that taking place I’ll come again right here so as to add different selections to select from to interchange any that promote out or all of a sudden skyrocket in worth from $20 to $180. (Wtf, Amazon?) If I haven’t purchased you a stuffy it’s in all probability as a result of they bought out, jacked up the value, otherwise you forgot so as to add your deal with so simply come again and take a look at once more.
(Additionally, I exploit plenty of the earnings I make on advertisements and stuff to purchase toys for youths, and all the royalties from the 2024 Bloggess Calendar go to this as effectively, in order that signifies that when you’ve even clicked on a hyperlink this 12 months or purchased an advert then you’re the purpose why I’m going to have the ability to purchase toys for not less than 150 children this 12 months. That’s wonderful and I’m so grateful. Thanks!)
The wishlists must be posted within the feedback so (as all the time) if you wish to purchase a gift for a stranger you completely can. Or you possibly can donate to Venture Evening Evening, an wonderful group that gives a tote bag, guide, stuffed animal and safety blanket to displaced children all year long. They’re FANTASTIC they usually have extra requests than they will fill so I can’t suggest them sufficient. In reality, this afternoon I donated $500 to them in your title. Completely happy holidays!
SO…if you’d like in on this you must learn all of the instructions and stick with the principles or in any other case you’ll be set on hearth and pushed out a shifting airplane. Or perhaps I’ll simply delete your remark and have a look at you with that disillusioned look your mother offers you when she is aware of you’re attempting however are nonetheless fucking up. A kind of. Listed below are the principles:
IF YOU WANT TO GIVE:
Okay, how do I do that?
You might be my particular angel. Simply look within the feedback and discover somebody who has an unfilled Wishlist. I’m going to fill least 150 stuffed animal needs however there are all the time greater than I can deal with. (If there’s nothing on their record while you click on it it means their toy was already bought- yay!) Purchase their current and be certain while you try that you choose their transport deal with as an alternative of defaulting to yours. (It received’t provide you with their full deal with nevertheless it’ll let you know the city you’re transport it to so you possibly can evaluate it to their remark to be sure to have the precise particular person.) In case you attempt to fill a wishlist nevertheless it doesn’t provide you with a transport deal with to decide on meaning the particular person didn’t assign a transport deal with to their record so delete their current out of your cart and go on to the subsequent wishlist. If it says “these are duplicates. Another person might have already purchased this” while you strive to take a look at then another person has already purchased that stuff so delete it and take a look at one other one. I’ll replace the feedback as I can to notice which of them have been stuffed however it may possibly get a bit backlogged once I’m within the automobile or sleeping. 🙂 Please don’t fill any wishlists that don’t say the town the particular person lives within the feedback, or any wishlists the place the particular person doesn’t stick with the principles, please. (That is a technique we be sure that individuals are who they are saying they’re whereas nonetheless giving them anonymity.)
However what if I don’t dwell in America?
Verify the feedback as a result of we frequently have Canadians and others outdoors the US who need assistance and I can’t fill these lists as a result of transport kills me, so if you wish to undertake a household this can be a nice approach to do it.
You might be my particular angel. Listed below are the issues you must know and when you do them flawed you’ll get deleted so learn fastidiously, okay?: You need to make a BRAND NEW wishlist at the moment, you possibly can solely select one stuffed animal per youngster to place in your wishlist, and it must be one of many ones above. I’ll stroll you thru it under. Then simply come to this submit and depart a remark telling us the town and State you’re in (this location has to match what you may have in your wishlist), what number of children you may have, and a hyperlink to your wishlist. Don’t make a number of want lists. Simply make one. One of the vital essential issues (folks do that flawed yearly so PLEASE do that half proper) is that you just have to assign a transport deal with for this particular model new wishlist. It doesn’t matter when you’ve completed it earlier than or assume it’s in your profile. You need to do it for this new wishlist particularly at the moment or it received’t work. I’ll provide the particulars on establishing the wishlist under.
What if I need to make want lists to shock different individuals who I feel need assistance?
Nope. As a result of then we find yourself sending a number of issues to the identical folks. However you possibly can completely encourage them to go surfing and make their very own. That is for anybody struggling to get a toy for his or her youngster this vacation (and sure, that completely consists of teenagers and grownup youngsters with particular wants).
I’ve by no means completed this earlier than. How do I make a wishlist?
It’s fairly fast and straightforward when you comply with the components. I’ll stroll you thru step-by-step:
On Amazon, click on on “Accounts & Lists” (on the highest proper) after which on “Create an inventory”on the drop-down.
Identify it “James Garfield 2023” then select “create record”. This gives you a clean non-public wishlist with nothing on it.
On the precise you’ll see one thing that claims “…Extra“. Click on on that and select “Handle record.” Change “non-public” to “PUBLIC” so we are able to see it. Within the “description” half simply put what number of children your record is for. YOU MUST ADD YOUR ADDRESS FOR THIS SPECIFIC LIST so click on on the drop-down for the transport deal with and alter it from “none” to your deal with. PLEASE DON’T SKIP THIS PART. Please be sure that the checkboxes “maintain bought objects in your record” and “don’t spoil my surprises” are NOT chosen. Now return and double examine all the things on this paragraph. Is all of it good? Superior! Click on “Save adjustments”.
Now simply go decide one of many above stuffed lovies on your kiddo. When you may have the one you need click on on the “Add to record” drop down arrow on the precise (it’s beneath the place the value is) after which choose your “James Garfield 2023” record. Click on “view your record” to verify it’s added. If all the things is true you must have your stuffed animal(s) on the wishlist web page and while you click on on the “…extra” button it ought to say that your wishlist is public and your deal with ought to present up within the “…extra” field and “don’t spoil my surprises” and “maintain bought objects in your record” ought to NOT be checked. (Folks will see the town and state you might be in however your final title and the remainder of your deal with is hidden from everybody else.)
If in case you have one other child simply return to the record and decide a gift for them and add it to the identical record.
Copy the hyperlink to your wishlist. Now you go to the feedback under and depart a remark saying what number of children you may have, what metropolis and state you might be in, and a paste within the hyperlink to your wishlist. That’s it!
So for instance, I might say, “Hello. I dwell in San Antonio Texas, and I’ve one child who would love a stuffed lamb. Right here’s my record: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2M53431MTM6DN?ref_=wl_dp_view_your_list Thanks!”
Now…to buy groceries. Completely happy James Garfield Day!
PS. Please please please double examine earlier than you hit the submit button that you’ve got assigned a transport deal with to your wishlist, that it’s “public” and that your remark has a hyperlink to your wishlist, the town and state you reside it and the variety of children you may have. Love!
PPS. That is one in all my favourite issues to do every year nevertheless it isn’t good. Yearly some packing containers go lacking. Some get delivered after Christmas. Miscommunications occur. However I’d moderately attempt to do one thing small and fantastic even when it isn’t good. Thanks to each single one who asks for assist, to each single particular person to who helps and particularly to those that have completed each. Yearly we now have individuals who’ve been helped earlier than who’re so blissful to assist this 12 months, or individuals who’ve helped earlier than however now need assistance themselves. I do know what it feels prefer to be in each of these locations and I’m wishing love and lightweight to each single one who reads this.
PPPS. While you select one thing on your wishlist be certain it nonetheless says “delivers earlier than xmas” as a result of among the issues might promote out and never restock in time. 🙂 As of the time I’m penning this all of the stuffed animals arrive earlier than xmas but when they begin to promote out and should restock it would trigger your stuff to come back in later.
PPPPS. In case you’re having an issue leaving a remark you possibly can go to my James Garfield instagram submit and let me know and I can attempt to assist.
Completely happy holidays, y’all!