💀 Halloween Trick & Treat...your elf 💀

[ZombieMetroAnt]

          *  Sign ups are now closed and names have been drawn.  *

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Something's brewing, and it 'll be ghoulishly fun! A wicked good time for everyone...

Our previous rounds have been wonderful platforms for bringing us all together though our appreciation for beauty, treats and camaraderie. We're glad that you've  decided to join in on the haunting fun!

With ghoulish appreciation,
Mcakes & ZombieMetroAnt

🎃 Tips, Tricks & Other spooktacular ideas!

Spoiler

💀 Elfster Tips:

   -> Ask questions! Anyone can ask anyone an anonymous question, that will help you get a better idea of likes and dislikes, haves and wants, etc. 

   ->When you purchase something, click "Mark As Purchased." They won't see it, but they might be using the same wishlist for other gift exchanges, so this can prevent them potentially getting the same gift from two different people.

   ->If you got something for yourself, remove it from your wishlist! 

🎃 Shipping suggestions 

Spoiler

💀 How to ship abroad/add a customs label while still using online shipping:
1. Creating an account: First, you must create a free account on the USPS website. The paypal.com/shipnow site will not let you create customs forms.
2. Shipping Label: To create the shipping label, you want to use the "Click n Ship" function from the dropdown menu under Mail & Ship. Many of the directions from above are basically the same but the key difference is under, "Where are you sending to?" you will need to use the dropdown menu to select the country of choice.
3. Finishing the Shipping Label:Fill in all the corresponding information until the end of the form including the value of the package. The Canadians on the board may have more to speak to with this but I always kept this amount on the lower side so the recipient doesn't get hit with high customs fee. (average amount I would put would be $10-$20) A great feature is at the end of the page it will give you all your options for shipping. I can tell you on a personal note that when I ship to England I always choose first class international mail and I have never had a problem. Once again, delivery confirmation is thrown in for FREE.
3. Beginning the Customs Form: You will then get to a page that will you through step by step filling in the customs form. The first question will ask you to "Enter Package Information." This is where you can just write this is a gift box for a friend. You do not need to write anything more!
4. Customs Inventory: Next up is, "Enter Item Information." Okay, this one is a little tricky. If you want to itemize, and fill in every single thing in the box, you can. If you only want to do a couple, you can. I've done both over the years and both have been okay. I'm not going to tell you though that it will work every time so ultimately, the decision is up to you. Make sure though that you mark each item a GIFT so that the recipient does not get charged increased fees. Also, and this is IMPORTANT, the total that adds up for the all the items has to be the same total you gave on the previous page for the value of the box. So if you make something worth $1, that's fine! (Again, Canadians speak up hear if I'm wrong but my abroad friends always told me it was better to do this to reduce customs fees for the recipient.) Lastly, each weight of each individual item will need to add up to the to the total weight item, so I've honestly literally made up ratio numbers in the past. (I have never had a problem in years of sending packages)
5. Tarrif Number: Lastly, you do not have a tariff number so leave that blank. Okay, one last thing, choose your AES exemption. I would choose the second one having to do with gifts.
6. Obtaining the Label/Customs Form: The steps following this are similar to the ones from above except that I believe the payment options for USPS may also include credit card options as well as PayPal. Go ahead and print your label which will also contain your completed customs form. (Please note: you may need to sign your customs form before affixing it to your package) On a positive note, YOU STILL SAVE MONEY BY USING THE ONLINE POSTAGE SYSTEM!
7. How to actually ship it:For international packages, my personal advice is yes, bring it to the post office, and yes, actually check it in and get a receipt saying it was checked in by a postal worker. Since many international packages take quite longer than domestic and tend to get delayed at different intervals, you want to make sure that everything is okay when it first enters the system.


Duty Info:
US can receive a gift up to 100 USD. If you send from Canada and mark your gift as 100 you are actually saying it cost you 100 CAD. Today Google converts that to 75.87USD so your recipient should be ok and not pay additional fees.

Canada can receive a gift up to 60 CAD. If you send from the US and mark your gift as 60, you are actually saying it cost you 60 USD. Today Google converts that to 79.08 CAD. So your Canadian friend in this case might pay duties/taxes/fees.

I believe customs will check the rate on the day the item is processed. Seems Canada is at somewhat the same range recently but it does go down a bit. Just things to keep in mind.

 🎃 Participants - exactly 31 muahahahahahah 

Spoiler

Asche
beadshopgirl
ClassicallyFab
darkiceis
Dyslexia
gonerogue
Ispend2much6
jen143xo
jozkid
kso1225
LCResz
Lipstick4Soul
luvgloss13
Mcakes
mermadelove
MissPuff
myumew
NotCrocker
OhheyitscindyK
PaletteAddict99
prettyinpa
RGBrown
Samtian
shimmerbait
snoflakefaerie
SpaceLlama
Tamara76
txcatx
unfungirl
willa25
ZombieMetroAnt

Mix one part Scream with two parts Scare,

a pinch of Fear, a dash of Dare...

and give your elf a Halloween Box Extraordinare!

⚰EDITED TO ADD:

     👻 Shipping: our goal is to have boxes delivered by (or before) 10/31.  Boxes being shipped across the border take a bit longer

     👻 Wish lists: if you haven't already, please update your wishlist on elfster 🍬

[unfungirl]

@luvgloss13 i'm so sorry to hear about your mom! i hope she, and you, are both ok!

i've been super busy too, so i'm behind as well. i really hope we get some cooler weather by halloween here as well! it's way too hot!

i was invited to a few parties so i need to think of a costume!

[luvgloss13]

TY @unfungirl she has a slipped disc.  I am happy my mom keeps active and is robust . But I worry like crazy! 

What are you thinking of as far as a costume? I like @Tamara76 wonder woman. 

[jozkid]

Oh I'm so sorry @luvgloss13. I hope it's nothing serious. Do take care of yourself. Stuff like this is hard on the caretakers too. 

We do up our yard with a cemetery and smoke machines and spooky music and dress up slightly to give out candy. Our kids hide inside and watch TV - teenagers!

[luvgloss13]

Hi @jozkid Ty so much!  

Your house sounds so much fun . Please post pics if you can? 🙂

I hope you scare lots of kids, lol.

[jozkid]

@luvgloss13 I enjoy doing it and lots of people come back to see it year after year. Lots of people take pics of their kids in the graveyard too - some more willingly than others! Lol!  My husband and I sit out in our yard near the street to give out candy because too many kids refused to go through the yard to get to the door!

My neighbor who is kind of a b-word to me told me once that one of her kids was afraid of my house and I was thinking, "Good! That's the point!"    

Did she expect me to stop because of her kid? Sheesh!  Sorry. Our ac crapped out last night and it was hot and super muggy and I didn't sleep well and I can kind of tell I'm rambling, so I'd better go. 😜

[Tamara76]

Oh no!  Hope your mom feels better soon, girl!  Hugs to her!   @luvgloss13

I know what you mean - It's 95 here today and super humid - feels more like August - I'd rather lounge by the pool than trick or treat!  

I am super excited that my daughter wants to dress up as Cinderella this year!   It is going to be so much fun helping her pick her costume!!!   I was afraid she was over Halloween...

I was supposed to to a Super Hero themed Halloween party and was going to dress up as Wonder Woman (of course), but we decided to do my daughter's bday party that same weekend ....  I may have to dress up anyway - lol! 😊

[luvgloss13]

Hi @Tamara76  TY.  I am trying to be a good daughter. Hard when you have a stubborn Italian mom!

I want cool breezes and to carve pumpkins. Fall is my season. 🙂

I love that your daughter is dressing up as Cinderella. How amazing and magical. I know you guys will have fun with costumes and makeup. Ahh the makeup. I wanna go out with you guys, lol.

Have fun dressing up and are you thinking or Lynda Carter wonder woman? Please say yes!!

[Tamara76]

But, of course!   @luvgloss13  I adore the WW reboot, but Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman is my idol! ❤️  

I'm still undecided on dressing up just to hand out candy and chaperone teenagers (they always want to trick or treat with me!), but maybe I'll post a pic if I do. 🙂

[SpaceLlama]

@luvgloss13 I'm so sorry about what happened to your mother. Hopefully she'll be okay ❤ 

I haven't determined my Halloween plans yet. I still need to find a costume. 🙂

How about you, darling?

[luvgloss13]

@SpaceLlama TY hunnie.

I want to trick or treat. LOL. I will just get dressed up and go out. I love Halloween! I usually host parties. But not this year. 

[SpaceLlama]

I did it. After a long day of shopping, I can finally say I'm done 😊 There are so many more items that I would've wanted to include, but my budget was already blown a while ago 😂 Now I just need to find a box and decorate! 

[Tamara76]

Yay!  Can't wait to see what you picked out for your elfkin, @SpaceLlama!!!!

[PaletteAddict99]

Oooookaaaay Happy Monday 😉 everyone

[PaletteAddict99]

OH GEEZE I NEED A BIGGER BOX!!!

One question...

Is it ok to send multiple boxes? 😉

[Ispend2much6]

@PaletteAddict99  Be careful there; you don't want to damage anything. 😉  Cute!

[PaletteAddict99]

@Ispend2much6 😂

[Mcakes]

@PaletteAddict99 Yes, totally ok 😉 

[PaletteAddict99]

Oh COOL!!! TY @Mcakes 🙂

[Ispend2much6]

I think....I'm done shopping?  I don't recognize this emotion. lol

[Asche]

I keep feeling this way too @Ispend2much6. How do we know when we are done? I think I'm done but it doesn't feel right. Then again, I could probably shop forever. 😄

[Mcakes]

Done shopping?

lol...just kidding! I'm almost done myself 😉