I have to join! I am getting married that day ,lol! (right across the street from the post office!!)

Does the postcard somehow have to represent leap day, or is it just mailed on that day?

Susieq11 - Congratulations!! I have a picture in my mind of a beautiful woman in a long flowing white dress running across the street holding up a postcard. LOL!

BassClarinetNerd - No, the postcard does not have to represent leap day but it certainly can if you want it to.

Thank you! Ha ha! No white dress but I will run and get it hand -canceled!!

I have a vntage card which actually IS a leap year's card for my partner!!

@Margothecat - really??!!

I know not everyone will be able to get theirs hand canceled (do they even do that in some countries??), but I always love hand canceled items. :)

@ColoradoKate - I have seen swappers in US say their PO won't do it! Mine is always willing. I think if you dropped the postcard in the mail the night before or that day it should be postmarked on the 29th.

Hi - I just featured this swap on the Swap-bot blog here. Thanks for hosting a great swap!

I'm going to watch and then ask my PO next time I'm there if they'll hand cancel. I don't wanna risk a rating because my PO is slow!

My son is a leap year baby btw... was born Feb 29th at 1:12 am :)

I love your *for the newbies:... I had a very risque post card mailed to me once.. in an envelope because they took "naked" literally. It was a riot and I laughed til I cried. Ok, I'm done blowing your comments up now. :D

@rachelcdoyle O.M.G. Can't. Stop. Laughing!!!!!

I looked it up when I saw it for the first time just because I didn't want to make that mistake!!!

Even though I know what it means, it still cracks me up when people put things like "Naked Valentine's Day Card" in their swap titles and no-one so much as blinks at it XD

I don't really know much about hand cancelling in the UK, if it's even possible or what a hand cancelled item looks like.

My research indicates that it is up to each individual post office to determine their policy on hand stamping mail. So, you will need to call you post office to find out. Hand stamping is not required for this swap, but a good idea. Here is a link with pictures showing the difference between hand stamped, a.k.a. hand cancelled, stamps and machined cancelled stamps: http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/03/11/theyre-off/

@Itti - I could not locate any information on the UK's policy. Let us know if you find anything out.

Oh, and I love the story about the naked post card!! Thanks rachelcdoyle. :-)

Nothing like living in a little town. The postmistress knows me when I come in and she gladly hand cancels all of my PCs!

@hereiam That's a great link, although the claim that it's against USPS policy to hand cancel regular envelopes doesn't ring any bells with me... I'll ask next time I get a chance. I go to a very small PO myself, and everyone knows me by name. :)

My PO will hand cancel, but then it gets machine canceled too. You can pay extra to have your mail be deemed "non machinable" and hand-handled only.

craftybarbie I have signed up to do the post card swap and it is the 28th and I have not gotten any address or name of who to send mine too. Thank you

Craftybarbie - This swap is for next month on the 29th. :-) You will get your partner in February probably during the early morning hours of the 25th.

Here's a clicky-link to the image of the hand-canceled stamp from above

I asked my PO, they said they'll hand cancel in small quantities and since it's just a post card they'd be more than happy. VERY small PO... so yay!

You can't get anything hand cancelled in the UK. Mail isn't cancelled at the post office but is taken to a sorting office and I think it is cancelled there allthough many postcards and envelopes manage to get through without getting cancelled at all.

what is the "angel"?

Iamamy - when someone flakes (does not send what she/he was supposed to for a swap), an angel is someone who sends the swap item in the flakers place. I hope that explaination makes sense. :-)

Have signed up and fingers crossed the wonderful UK Royal Mail manages to a) not lose it, b) actually stampt the card and c) stamp the postcard on the correct day!

sorry in advance if my card arrives unstamped or the wrong day. I PROMISE I will send it on the right day.

If I sign up-Can I mail it early; It doesn't have to be post marked ON the 29th does it? It would be safer to mail it the day before-as we are a very busy Post Office here & lot of times-(like today) I've gone in & there is such a long line -I have to go back; because I have other things to do & I really can't wait 20-30min. I went to the next town over today instead ,realizing it wasn't far & on my way to the library anyway& they had their window shut down -it was 1:45 & they weren't returning until 2:30pm. Needless to say,I wasn't happy-especially with the pressure to get things out on time. I do my best-but Life Does Happen & That's Out Of Our Hands! I had to wait at the library & had other errands to do as well,& missed it altogether today! Now I have to go back tomorrow,again. : (

Angeltea9 - Yes, if you sign up for this swap, you should do your best to get the postcard post marked on the 29th.

Tizzicat - I will keep my fingers crossed for you, too. :-)

Hello, I'm from Portugal and I'm new around here. So I have to send a postcard chosen by me and send it in 29-02-2012, right? :p

Catiafr - yes, that is correct and welcome!!

Just am so excited for this swap.

Great swap idea - simple and fun! My local PO (in Australia) is small-medium in size. Pretty sure they'd hand cancel if I asked. Most people here are pretty nice except at this particular PO where morale seems a bit lacking.

Thank You. I'm going to sign up then.

it's my boyfriend's birthday that day! :)

I don't normally join a swap without a rating requirement but am prepared to risk it this time!

I don't mean to be a stick in the mud, but the swap is specifically for a Leap Day postcard. I'll be real - if "life happens" and I can't get my stuff in the mail on February 29. I'm prepared to suck it up and take a 3 rating. I think the DAY is the point. I hope everyone will have good luck at the post office, but if I wasn't 99% sure I could get to the post office that day, I wouldn't risk it!

I'm with @ColoradoKate There's a 99.9999999999999% chance I"ll be at the post office on the 29th but if my post card comes not dated for the 29th I'm gonna be "that person". I HATE rating under 5s and generally just "not rate" rather than "bad rate" but I really hope my partner gets it right. I know it's going to get Angeled but even angeled it won't be post marked for the 29th :(

come on, how hard can it be to get the card to the PO that day (at least here in US) or in a box the day before. I live in a rural area and it aint that hard. I can even leave it for the postman. Hand canceling may be harder, but I'll make the effort. HAVE FUN EVERYONE!

Is it okay to get/make a Leap Year themed postcard?

when will u be sending us our partners???

and what is hand cancelling???

My first time and I haven't yet had a name and address to send to. Will this come to me in time?

Jellytot - It is ok to get Leap Year themed postcards or have them professionally printed. It is sender's choice so you do not have to have a Leap Year themed PC. Also, no homemade cards for this swap.

Jenni612 - Hand cancelling is when you walk the postcard up to the counter in the post office and they cancel, aka hand stamp, the card in front of you with that days date. Not all post offices do this and it is the only way to truly ensure that the card is stamped on the correct date. The sister swap is less stressfull for those that don't have a PO willing to hand cancel. It is here: http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/112906?new=1

SandraEC and Jenni612 - The partners will be assigned early on February 25th. Come back to this page then and you will see a link in the little yellow box up top that says, "See the partners you send to."

I want to change to the non-hand cancelled swap as I am not sure they do hand cancelled in France. Thanks.

Can I sign up more than once and get and send multiple cards?

Grammag - I really like your enthusiasm but the bot only allows you to sign up one time.

They do hand-cancelling where I am (Southern Ontario, Canada). I'm really excited about this :)