Monday Moments - ...and the winner is...

LINDSEY H.!

Congratulations Lindsey! I can't wait to get you your new bag or should I say bags. I'll contact you via email with all the details.

Thanks to everyone for your participation in my first big giveaway. I have several other things coming, so stay tuned.

I have to say it's been so fun and exciting to give something away again. When I worked in the Shopping Center industry as a Marketing Director, giveaways were the best part of the job. Of course at a shopping center there are amazing resources for giving away great things. I thought I'd share a few of my favorite giveaway moments.

$9,400 in 94 minutes

For Christmas one year we partnered with ZHT (back when they were 94.9) and gave one winner $9,400 that they had to spend in 94 minutes. They also couldn't spend more than $1000 in any one particular store. However, they were allowed to take one shopping partner to help them. It was madness following around these two awesome ladies as they went from one store to the next buying everything they could haul out. From a treadmill at Sports Authority, bikes at Pedersons, watches at a couple different jewelery stores, cloths, shoes, handbags etc...etc... My poor Assistant, Cindy, and I were literally running through the mall after them. One family had a very merry Christmas! Good times!

Sending someone "Home for the Holidays"

When I was at the University Mall, our Christmas tag line was "Your Home for the Holidays". So we decided it was only fitting to actually bring or send someone "Home for the Holidays". We had an essay contest, asking people to nominate someone or themselves to win airfare home. They had to write the essay, letting us know why this person needed or wanted to go home. After reading countless essays, Cindy and I wanted to send everyone home for the holidays. It's moments like that you really wish you were made of money and could make every dream come true. However, we finally decided on a loyal shopper who, for financial reasons, had never been able to meet her 3 grandchildren that lived on the East coast. We decided it was criminal that a grandma not know her grandchildren. When we called to tell her she had won, she burst into tears of joy. Giving the gift of family...the best giveaway ever!

Back to School Shopping

During a back to school promotion we decided to giveaway $1000 in gift certificates for back to school shopping. We randomly pulled a name out of the box and called the winner. When she arrived to pick up the prize, she had about 6 kids in tow. As I gave her the gift certificates she had tears in her eyes. She then began to tell me that her husband had recently lost his job and they weren't sure were they were going to get the money to buy all the kids new clothes that they desperately needed. In that moment I wished more than anything it was $1000 in cash, as I knew $1000 in the mall doesn't go nearly as far as it would at Walmart or Target. But gift certificates was all I could do. It still felt good, knowing how deserving and in need this family was.

Mom Makeover

For Mother's Day one year we had another essay contest. Tell us why your mom deserves a makeover and a full day of pampering. The winner would receive a full day of massage, hair, nails, and makeup at Remedez Spa. She would also receive new clothes from Nordstrom, Dinner at PF Changs, and a limo ride to the Ballet Downtown. Once again, we poured through numerous entries wishing we had more packages to giveaway. However, one entry really stood out. A mom from an Eastern European country that I unfortunately can't remember. But the short story i; she had been raised in a communist country and had escaped as a young girl with her parents. They had lived on the streets until they scraped together enough money to come to the United States. Then they struggled to make a life here, moving frequently for jobs. She had married young and spent her life working her fingers to the bone to provide a better life fro her children. She had never had any luxuries of life and pretty much given everything she ever received, back to her family. It was an honor to give her daughter the chance to surprise her mom with a day of pampering and luxury. She was more than deserving.

I honestly could tell hundreds of amazing giveaway stories. Too bad no one pays me to give stuff away anymore! But no worries, my blog giveaways won't be quite as extravagant, but free stuff is free stuff! Stay tuned...