Christmas Card Café?

[Tim Lund]

It was great to see a couple of new faces at the Dolphin STF social this Sunday, but I think it was hampered by at least three things:

• The difficulty of finding a time which suits everyone - this is clear;
• That some people may not want to socialise in a pub - I prefer cafés for choice; and
• Some people may not want to encounter some posters going full on - thanks, Mrs Sydenham

Now, today I'm also thinking about Christmas cards, which I'd like to send to several of the posters I know best via this Forum. However, in general I don't know where they live. So here's the deal:

We buy a concertina file,



donate it to a local café to be held behind the counter, and if we have Christmas cards for each other, as a minimum, we go to the café, put the cards in the right section, pick up any for ourselves, and of course have a coffee. Better, however, is to arrange a time for this café visit with one or more other posters, and have a social chat too, but only those you feel like meeting.

Anyone else up for this? Which café? Kenté, Sugahill, Blue Mountain, Cherry & Ice?

Happy to buy the concertina file, support local businesses, and encourage face to face socialising.

[mosy]

I don't really "get" your idea TBH. I do say a Thank You to Admin for organising Sunday's meet though.

[Tim Lund]

Mosy, the file works as temporary sorting office, so we agree to meet up at the cafe, we go there with cards for Eagle, Maria, marymck, whoever, put them in the right slots by first letter, and collect any left for us. Then we have a nice chat over coffee. By pm or open postings we let others know we have left cards for them, and they then go in, pick them up, and have a coffee themselves.

[JRobinson]

It's not a bad idea Tim, but this is quite a small forum, why not just send pms to those people that you want to send cars to or have coffee with?

[Tim Lund]

Because it would encourage the exchange of cards, and patronage of local cafes.

[chrisj1948]

donate it to a local café to be held behind the counter, and if we have Christmas cards for each other, as a minimum, we go to the café, put the cards in the right section, pick up any for ourselves, and of course have a coffee. Better, however, is to arrange a time for this café visit with one or more other posters, and have a social chat too, but only those you feel like meeting.

It is a nice idea, Tim, but I think the population size of participating café-frequenting STF members would be too small to make it viable. Likely scenario - X goes to Y café, asks if there is anything in the file for him/her, is told that there is not, and drinks the coffee feeling a bit Billy No Mates.

Regards
Chris

[Tim Lund]

I do realise this one is not going to fly, but the idea was to arrange to go at the same time as at least one other person. But, yes, there's nowhere near the critical mass.

[JMLF]

Maybe a tad late and similar idea but you could always do a cheeky little secret santa if people know each other a bit/wanna do something a bit more fun. Everyone interested chucks their name in, someone takes charge to randomly pull names for people (I'm happy to do so if this flies as the organiser doesn't really get to be part of the whole "secret" bit), they leave a little gift (max: £5?) behind a small fake tree kindly allowed to be propped up in one of the cafes (could also ask cafe staff if they want in). People involved welcome to go collect whenever free/cafe is open...

If people think it's a nice idea/more then a few are interested could make this a new topic - only thing would be organising the cafe/fake tree (or whatever) as I'm not in the area as of yet/don't know places that well it would have to be someone else doing the legwork..

[Tim Lund]

Maybe a tad late and similar idea but you could always do a cheeky little secret santa if people know each other a bit/wanna do something a bit more fun. Everyone interested chucks their name in, someone takes charge to randomly pull names for people (I'm happy to do so if this flies as the organiser doesn't really get to be part of the whole "secret" bit), they leave a little gift (max: £5?) behind a small fake tree kindly allowed to be propped up in one of the cafes (could also ask cafe staff if they want in). People involved welcome to go collect whenever free/cafe is open...

If people think it's a nice idea/more then a few are interested could make this a new topic - only thing would be organising the cafe/fake tree (or whatever) as I'm not in the area as of yet/don't know places that well it would have to be someone else doing the legwork..

Yes - I originally thought of pitching the idea to Admin. Maybe next year in Sydenham.

Meanwhile, tomorrow, a maybe lycra clad figure may be glanced pedalling round the area with various cards for those whose addresses he knows ...