Wtf even is the dwfandomcardexchange?
Hi y’all! I know a lot of you are returners (it always makes me so excited to see folks coming back year after year), but I figured it can’t hurt to have a little info post for any newbies thinking of joining in the wintry fun, or general reminders for our returners. So here is a list of common questions you may have, but if you have a question that I don’t address here, feel free to send an ask to this blog, and I’ll be happy to answer.
What is the general timeline of this event?
Sign-ups will open in late September/early October (depending how well I stay on top of things), and will close at the end of October/early November. I will compile the list of participants into a Google Sheet and share the list with all participants sometime in early November. I recommend getting your cards in the mail by the beginning of December so that we can all enjoy the festive cheer all month long. For sending cards internationally, you may want to consider mailing them in late November, just in case.
Should I be worried about giving out my contact information to virtual strangers?
As a child who grew up with all the internet stranger danger talks, this was a fear of mine when I first started participating. However, I’ve been participating ever since the beginning and I’ve never had an issue, nor have any of our other participants. Nobody shares the contact list with anyone else, nor does anyone creepily stalk you and show up at your house. If an issue ever DOES arise, please please please let me know, and that individual will be blocked from any future exchanges.
And as far as your email address goes, I am the only person who will see that. I will compile the list of names/addresses of the participants and share the Google Sheets link with everyone using the Blind Carbon Copy function, so nobody will be able to see anyone else’s email.
How many people usually participate?
Last year there were 20 participants. 15 of whom lived in the US, and 5 of whom were scattered internationally. I’ve seen upwards of 30 or so participants in the past, it just all depends on the year.
How many people do I have to send a card to?
It would be nice if you could send a card to everybody on the list, but it’s not required (and there is no way for me to enforce this). I definitely understand that buying cards and postage can get expensive. There are usually enough of us that are able to send a card to everybody, so nobody will ever be left out.
Do the cards have to be Christmassy?
Nope! They don’t need to have any religious holiday affiliations to them. It’s nice to keep them wintry-themed, because it’s winter (except for you lot down in the southern hemisphere), but it’s not mandatory that they be Christmassy or wintry.
Do the cards have to be fandomy?
Nope again! Find some cards you vibe with and have at it!
Do the cards need to be store-bought?
Nope again (again)! Homemade cards are just as special and wonderful, and they’re very much welcome! It’s so much fun to see people’s artsy/creative sides.
Do I need to send anything with my card?
In the past, some participants choose to include little goodies (tea bags, stickers, art prints, doodles, etc), but this is NOT mandatory. All you have to do is send a card to the people on the list. It’s nice to jot down a small sentiment, but you don’t need to do any more than that. If you want to add small goodies with your card, that is completely up to you, but it’s not required.
What do I do when I receive a card?
Open it! Grin like an idiot! Bask in the love! Then take and post photos, @ mention the blog and the sender, and use #dwfandomcardexchange (and #username of the sender) within the first five tags of your post so we can all see the beautiful cards and share in the love! (Remember to not share photos that display anyone else’s personal info/address!)
Hopefully this hits all of the most common questions, but again, feel free to send me a message if you think of anything else! I can’t wait to spread the holiday cheer with you all!!