Wanted: Scotland-loving Elves

Welcome to my first "pay it forward" giveaway. Know any veteran organizations or someone who just loves Scotland? Give them something special.

I love Scotland. I love that I am able to live in this country. I love that this sense of gratitude has not once left me in the four and a half years I have been here.

Scotland for the Senses an extension of that appreciation, of the overall giddy enthusiasm I feel for this remarkable place. When I started this blog I decided I wanted to make what I have dubbed “the giving of treats” a regular feature.

Gift-giving is a special thing for me, which is why I don’t burden my giveaways with too many rules. No hoops to jump through, no special badges to post or links required (not that I don’t love links. I do, but it will never be a rule) Comment or email and you’re in the draw, unless (usually) you were last month’s winner. The only real rule is that the item about which I am rambling is something that genuinely gives your imagination a buzz or causes you to giggle uncontrollably.

Question: Have you ever given gifts that you just knew the receivers would love, and watched them open those gifts and seen their expressions change, as their hearts filled up with so much wordless joy?

WHAT I HAVE: Copies of the 2009 Edinburgh Military Tattoo on DVD (Not to be confused with a CD, which is just music, a DVD is both sound and picture). We’re talking ancient castle, massed pipes and drums, Robert Burns poetry and music, snare drum performances, Royal Air Force, Amazing Grace and the Lone Piper. AND the DVDs are region-free, which means they will play ANYWHERE.

WHAT I NEED: Delivery people.

The story behind this giveaway: Every year I send one of these DVDs back to Canada to the senior’s home in the town where I used to live. Following the Robert Burns supper they hold in January, they play the DVD on the big telly and they all sit around to enjoy it. It then gets added to the DVD library, available for people to borrow whenever they wish. In this way, one small thing = big impact.

This year I want to expand (as much as my wallet will allow), and while I have done some research I feel unsure about sending them out “blind.”

Which is where you, my lovely wee clutch of Scotland-loving readers, come into play. Please help me in my quest and put your hand up if you know a group or an individual who would truly benefit from this gift.

Perhaps you have an elderly neighbour who was born in Scotland and hasn’t been home for many years. What a nice surprise it would be. Maybe your mother’s grandfather was in the Black Watch, or perhaps the local legion could share it among its members. Or maybe someone you know simply loves the bagpipes, military music or Scottish history.

This month’s giveaway also differs in a couple of other ways. If there is a story or suggestion that really moves me, I give myself permission to pull rank and choose that person or group. That said, if there are too many good ones and I just can’t decide, I will draw names from the hat as usual. Finally for this month, last month’s winners are also welcome to include suggestions.

I can either ship the DVD to you to deliver or, if you are comfortable giving me an address, I can send it directly to the person or group you have chosen (I promise to include a wee card so they don‘t think some nutter is sending them post for no reason). The goal is to have all the DVDs at their destinations well in time for Christmas. Any more postal strikes in the UK have now been suspended until the New Year, so despite the reported backlog, I think I’m in with a chance.

The way to join in is to enter a comment (don’t forget to link back to your blog) or send me an email to scotland4thesenses@googlemail.com. Please include “Tattoo DVD” in the subject line. I’ll make the cut off Monday, 16 November and I’ll make announcements on Tuesday the 17th.

I realize that I may seem a bit silly or naïve, but I don’t mind. It is the feeling of gratitude I wrote about that makes me want to “pay it forward” as much as I can.

Ta very much.