BIGBANG Anniversary Gifts: Questions & Answers

I have received a lot of questions about this, so I decided to explain it in further detail so to avoid any confusion in the future. This is a very long post, but I have tried to answer as much as possible, so please read this very carefully. All questions from this point on that I receive will be redirected to this post.

Q: What are the postcards for?

A: The postcards are a way for you to write your messages to BIGBANG to let them know your support and love for them, and they are also a way for the boys to see that they do have fans from all over the globe. Yes, they know that they have fans all over, but they don't necessarily get to hear much from those of us living outside of Asia.

Q: But isn't postage expensive?

A: It really is not. I once sent a small package weighing less than a pound to Indonesia and it cost $2.12 USD. A small envelope with a few postcards and birthday cards will not cost much. The more things you add to it, obviously the more it will weigh and the more postage will cost. But if you keep it to six postcards (which weigh virtually nothing) and two birthday cards (a little heavier, but still not that much weight), then postage should not be expensive.

I checked the USPS website, and they have international postage rates available. For instance, if you live in Indonesia, Malaysia, or the Philippines, and the envelope you send is a large, flat envelope (not a traditional, letter one) and weighs three ounces, postage will cost you $2.82 USD (26,159.6 IDR, 9.36093 MYR, 131.688 PHP). Check out the website and see how much it will roughly cost. I did the math and figured out that six postcards and two greeting cards will weigh approximately three ounces. That's the max number you are allowed to send to me, so it should not be any heavier than 3.5 ounces.

I strongly, strongly urge you to do this. Even if you don't donate toward the gifts for the boys, at least let them hear your messages of support and love.

Q: Can my friends and I send our postcards in one envelope?

A: Sure thing! As long as you all pitch in with the postage cost, I don't mind at all!

Q: Can I make a homemade birthday card for G-Dragon?

A: Absolutely! Be creative! Even if you want to make a homemade postcard, you're more than welcome! There are only a few requirements to both the postcards and the birthday cards (details below).

Q: Can we send candy or small gifts along with the postcards?

A: I'm sorry, I have to say no. Simply because of customs. If you send a small package to me (and live overseas), you must fill out a customs label. Also, it will be more for me to list on the tiny, tiny customs label I will have to fill out when I send everything to @aa_chan in August. And I am not joking when I say they're tiny labels!

If you all really insist on sending them candy or something sweet, we will see how much money is left over after the big gifts are purchased, and then I will take an appropriate amount out for shipping (which will be costly), and then I will see what is left for things like candy. That is if an only if there is enough funding left over.

As far as the small gifts, also no. Rather than spending the money on the small gift and candy and then shipping it to me, you could take that amount and donate it. It will go directly to paying for the boys' gifts.

Q: What are the guidelines?

A: There are eight guidelines.

1. All messages TO BIGBANG must be written in English. I'm sorry, but I don't speak any other languages and I just want to make sure nothing too inappropriate (i.e. negative) is being said. If you're uncomfortable with your English, or you're not sure how to say something, then email me and I will be more than happy to help you figure out what you want to say. (Place "English Help for BB" in the subject line!) Things written on store bought greeting cards or text on the postcard may be in your native language.
2. The postcard can have anything on it, but try to avoid the ones that say "Wish you were here" on it. Suggestions on where to find them would be your local grocery store, pharmacy/drug store, and honestly the best place to get them would be a tourist information center (if you have one near you).
3. As for birthday cards, they can be funny, serious, heartfelt, etc... Whatever you wish to send him.
4. Please do not seal the card envelopes, as I need to check to make sure it is written in English! I will seal them for you!
5. Include your name, age, and country. You can write your last name, I don't particularly care. That is up to you.
6. If you want to include your Twitter URL, you're more than welcome. However, please no email addresses. I'll either white it out or throw it away if I see an email address.
7. Six postcards per sender. If you and your friend want to send six each, then obviously there will be twelve.
8. Two birthday cards per sender. The same rule applies if you and a friend want to combine yours in one envelope.

You also must fill out this form and email it to me.

Name:

Twitter URL:

Age:

Country (include state if in U.S.):

Number of postcards:

Number of birthday cards:

If you and your friends are going to combine yours, then you MUST fill out the same form for them in the body of the email. So if three of you are going to do this together, then there should be three little forms in one email. This way when I receive an envelope with fifteen postcards, I will know exactly who it is from. I will email you all back upon receiving them in the mail.

Q: Why do we have to fill out that form?

A: Because it does two things.

1. It tells me that you will be participating and that I should expect it in the mail.
2. This is how you get my mailing address. I will not put it on the blog. You must email me. I honestly do not care if you feel weird about emailing me. If you want to participate in this, then you absolutely must email me or else you cannot participate. Case closed.

Q: How are we supposed to send these to you?

A: If you are sending only postcards, place them in a small (6 inch x 9 inch) manilla envelope (CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! I included a DVD case in the photo so you get the idea of its size). If you are sending cards, obviously you need a bit bigger of an envelope, but only big enough to fit it in. I highly recommend finding the self-sealing envelopes OR placing a piece of clear packing tape across the flap to make sure it does not open during its postal journey.

The reason I am asking you to send them all in one envelope is so when we go to give the boys their postcards, they won't have my address on them. Which, you know, could be a good thing having BIGBANG know my address, but still ... It also looks a lot nicer, neater, not having an address on it (and it will give you a bit more room to write your message, too!).

Q: When is the deadline for everything?

A: There are a few deadlines:

• Postcards and birthday cards: July 10th. This way I have plenty of time to receive them in the mail, and it will also give me some time to put them in some nice photo album or something, so they will have it all in one special place.
• Donation deadline for gifts: July 1st. This will give us plenty of time to raise enough money and it will give me almost one month to receive these products in the mail.
• Donation deadline for miscellaneous: July 10th. What's "miscellaneous," you ask? Shipping, packing supplies, maybe candy, albums to place postcards in, something to place birthday cards in, etc ... These are a lot of expenses that need to be covered that will be too expensive for me to pick up on my own! I will pay half of shipping out of my own pocket, and for the wrapping paper and ribbons and boxes/bags for the gifts to be placed in, as well as donate to both the gifts and the boxers.

Q: How much do we need to collect?

A: Okay ... this is the heartbreaking point of the post. Sorry about this guys, but I really do believe that we can collectively meet this amount goal. I broke it down so we all know roughly how much each thing will cost:

• Gifts for BIGBANG - $250 USD - T.O.P = $45, G-Dragon = $80, Taeyang = $35, Seungri = $35, and Daesung = $40. Note: We have not figured out a gift for Daesung, but I will allot him $40 to be sure. Yes, I realize that does not add up to $250, but I am adding a bit of a cushion just in case and to cover shipping and handling costs.
• Shipping - $35 USD - Like I just mentioned half the shipping cost will come out of my own pocket, and shipping will be expensive! I'm figuring that it will estimate about $70 USD total. It might be a bit cheaper than that, but I want to be on the safe side.
• Miscellaneous - $125 USD - I feel that this should be more than enough to take care of finding something to place the postcards in, the birthday cards in, and possibly candy.

Total cost for everything: $410 USD

I know it's a lot, guys, but I really do think that we will be able to accomplish this. I am sad that I had to cancel the TKPA boxers, but I know that they will have to be received at another time. If we included them in the total cost for everything, we would have to raise $515.44. I know that is too much to ask of you all in such a short amount of time, and quite honestly, the gifts are more important than the boxers.


Thanks for everything!

The K-Pop Addict