Keeping your Post safe while on home exchange

Royal Mail Keepsafe Service

House swapping is one of tourism's booming trends, thanks in large part because of something it can offer which hotels or B&Bs will never be able to - it's free. And people taking part have a fairly good idea that their house will be looked after while they're away.

But occasionally for the more reluctant home exchangers, a comment that is sometimes expressed about embarking on a home exchange is: "I would be okay trusting someone to look after my property. But what about the more personal things...Such as mail? The "strangers" could open any mail that comes through the post box. . . !!"

Therefore I thought it might be useful to mention that in the UK at least you can pay Royal Mail to hold mail at the delivery office until your return home. This service is known as Keepsafe.

The service can be set up within five working days. You have to tell Royal Mail when you want the service to end and they will deliver to your address on that date. If you return early from your trip, you must send a written cancellation note. Your mail will then arrive with the next available delivery. You can use the Keepsafe service for up to two months. If you are moving business or home temporarily for a longer period, try the Royal Mail Redirections service .

Can any members in other countries please tell us what similar services are provided by the mail service in their country?

House swap for a cheap holiday

House swap for a cheap holiday

On MSNBC today, Dec. 28: TODAY host Matt Lauer talks with the show's consumer correspondent, Janice Lieberman, about how you can exchange your home for someone else's and save money. You can launch the video to view the show and listen to the advice and experiences of a variety of people who have embarked on a home exchange holiday from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16371926/.

Janice also gives tips on how to save money on your next holiday in her article published on the same page:
House swap for a cheap vacation

A quick glance at the home swapping Web-sites annual fees charged for membership reveals that Green Theme International Home Exchange is still one of the best deals available from a long established home exchange agency.

Who will descend your Home Exchange chimney this Christmas?

Father Christmas did not always have the appearance that he has today. In fact, as nobody has ever seen the real Father Christmas it is difficult to know what he is like. In each era and in every country children and adults alike have tried to guess his appearance and to give him a name: Father Christmas, Saint Nicolas, Santa Claus. The first traces of Father Christmas as we know him today originate from the United States about 173 years ago. This version of Father Christmas is in fact a synthesis borrowed from each tradition and belief in the world.

In Germany, Belgium, the German part of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, north and east France, Greece and Slovakia, children have already received their Christmas presents on the 5th December, St Nicolas day. But that is not so very surprising when you know that for a long time Christmas was not celebrated on December 25th.



Jul Tomte - or Little Christmas elf - is the Swedish vision of Father Christmas. He is a small thin little man, half imp, half gnome. He has a long white beard, a little pointed red hat, a coat and wooden clogs.

In France, before being known as Père Noël, the mysterious person was also known as 'le bonhomme Noël'. He gave treats and presents to good children on Christmas Eve. He wore a large cloak with a hood, often covered with snow, and had a long white beard. He was always accompanied by 'Père Fouettard' who dealt out dizzying blows to the children who were not good enough.

In Savoy and the south-east regions of France there was also 'Le Père Chalande' who came down the chimney on Christmas day to leave presents for the children. He, too, had a long white beard and a pointed hat.

If you're away from home on a home exchange this Christmas and receive a visit from a mysterious figure who ressembles Father Christmas, but is not quite the same, do write and tell us about him.

GTI Home Exchange Winter Newsletter

The GTI Home Exchange Winter newsletter has been distributed to subscribers registered on our mailing list, and is now available for viewing on the web-site.

Topics covered in the issue include:

-- Homesitting - Help!

-- Positives and Negatives of Home Exchange

-- Is there anybody there said the emailer?

-- Dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's on home swaps

-- Renters Beware

-- Feature Homes

If you would like to receive future copies by email, please subscribe to our the GTI News mailing list on our home page.

Merry Christmas to all.