Harry Potter giveaway!

I hope there are Harry Potter fans reading my blog, because I’m giving away a couple of authentic Harry Potter plushie keychains!

I’m not watching the upcoming movie — long story, let’s just say I have major issues with the films that prevent me from enjoying them — but I know half the world is looking forward to seeing it, so I’ll join the fanfare anyway.

I’m giving away two Gund plush keychains: a Golden Snitch and a Sorting Hat. I’ve always loved the Gund Harry Potter line because they capture the warmth and whimsicality of Harry Potter, and the detail is quite excellent, for plushies. And they’re quite faithful to the Mary Grandpre art. Too bad they didn’t make any more toys after the first movie, and they’re hard to find nowadays. I only have the Golden Snitch, the Sorting Hat, and the Harry doll.

Check out the loot (note: the HP audiobooks are for background purposes only, and are not included in the giveaway!):

Sorting hat plushie keychain

Golden snitch plushie keychain

Mechanics

1. The contest is open to Harry Potter fans in the Philippines, with a local mailing address (Restriction on family, relatives, and high school friends — see #5).

2. To join the contest, answer the question below in the comments section.

What is your favorite Harry Potter memory?

Share a story of your Harry Potter fandom, your experience reading the books, a Harry Potter-related activity you took part in (e.g. live Quidditch, or a Harry Potter party), or any personal HP-related experience that you want to share.

3. Entries will be accepted until Friday, Nov. 26th, 12 midnight, Manila time.

4. One raffle entry per email address, but ip addresses will be screened as a safeguard against spam entries. I will reply to your entry in the comments section to validate it, and I reserve the right to weed out suspicious entries.

5. Because I want the prizes to go to a Harry Potter fan, winners will be chosen according to their answers. I will judge the entries with the help of my cousin Dianne (my partner in crime in Harry Potter fandom), and we will choose our top two entries. Due to the subjective nature of the judging, siblings, relatives, and high school friends are not allowed to join.

6. Our choice for the top entry will get to choose which keychain he/she wants, while the runner-up will get the remaining keychain.

7. An email will also be sent to the winners to request their (Philippine) mailing address. Each keychain will be packaged securely and sent via a local courier.

***

Let me get the ball rolling, here’s one of my favorite Harry Potter memories (not counting the Harry Birthday party, or my obsessive collection of Harry Potter books in different languages): on the eve of the release of Deathly Hallows, my cousin Dianne and I attended a release party in full wizard regalia — Can you guess who we are?

Oh, and if you’re wondering about the top photo, well, we were rooting for our favorite character Severus Snape, so we had matching Snape shirts printed for the launch of the final book.

That’s me and Dianne on the eve of the Deathly Hallows release!

We heart Severus!

Good luck to everyone joining the giveaway — it starts now!

(For Deathly Hallows movie premium items, check out the New Worlds contest!)

41 thoughts on “Harry Potter giveaway!”

  1. (I want that Golden Snitch, so I’m commenting.)

    My favorite memory has got to be finishing Book 7, after several hours of crying and being reeled in one crazy adventure with a lot of shocks and stuff. I just thought it had to be the most fitting end after a decade of being swept in the magic (and the movies get better, but you’re such a purist. :p).

    Dressing up as Bellatrix Lestrange comes a close second. I totally had fun with that.

    1. Myx, I’m not using random.org this time, so I can’t let you join (rule #5)… Will see if I can wrangle up another Snitch for you, though (wink wink)…

  2. My favorite HP memory would be when I woke up around 530am and dressed up to went to the release day of HP 5 hardbound at NBS Crossings Quezon Avenue Branch, knowing that a lot would show up for the release day eventhough I had already reserved for the book. Also it was my 1st time to do that as well. I can still remember how I snuck out of the house to go there so needless to say when I came home my mom asked me where I go and I lied telling her I need to go to the office to pick up some documents but little that I know my mom knew I snuck out of the house to go to NBS and lined up for the HP book. I was speechless when I first learned my mom knew it.

    1. Snuck out of the house, huh? I know the feeling, when we went to that launch party in costume, we had to figure out how to get to the very public venue without attracting a lot of attention! :D hahaha!

      Am sure your mom wouldn’t have minded you telling her you wanted to get the book at 5:30 am :D

      This counts as your entry, ella. Good luck!

  3. I’m a compulsive contest joiner, so here’s mine. :)

    Like most the other fans, I wanted to have each book immediately upon release, but since my copies are UK editions I always had to wait a little while to get them. They were all, save Books 1 and 6, online purchases sent to different people in different countries, so each holds special significance for me.

    My sister was studying in London at the time I started reading the series, so she would bring the books home for me every July when she came home for the summer. (Books 1 and 2 together, then Book 3 softbound and Book 4 first edition a year later, all courtesy of Amazon UK.)

    She graduated by the time Book 5 was published, so I had to ask a colleague who was luckily in Singapore at the time of the release to bring home my Bloomsbury hardcover from there. (To date my only online purchase from Singapore’s Popular bookstore)

    Book 6 was kindly purchased by my best friend’s mother, who was in Hong Kong about a week after it was published.

    Book 7 was the most special. It was the last book and I really wanted to be in the UK, home of Harry and Hogwarts, for its release. But I was 9 months pregnant and due to give birth a few days before the release date so the London trip was an impossibility. But it had to be a UK edition from the UK, so a very good friend who was working in London at the time agreed to take the book home for me. She was planning to return to Manila in time to be godmother at my son’s christening.

    It was the longest wait I had to endure for an HP book, and the last one at that, but it didn’t seem like it as I held and nursed and burped and changed my new bundle of joy while hearing how everyone loved or hated the conclusion. (No spoilers though!)

    I finally got my copy exactly two months after the release date, and had to read it in bits and pieces every 3 hours over two days as I sat in the rocking chair beside my son’s crib while he slept. I missed my old habit of being able to read straight through, but just like Harry’s, my life had changed significantly between books 6 and 7, so it seemed like a very fitting way to end things.

  4. When I was a high school sophomore, Harry Potter was a big hit within the class room so most of my classmates decided to exchange gifts for christmas with the rule that only Harry Potter stuff be given to each other. Since im such an arrogant fan, I declined to join thinking that it’s too “cliche” and “childish”. On the day of the christmas party when it’s time to exchange their harry potter gifts, turns out I was the only one who decided not to join so I just sat there in the corner, watching everybody else shriek and giggle with excitement as they opened their harry potter gifts. I sulked as I watched them with envy (but I never admitted it to myself, until now) as they brought home their harry potter tumblers, pillows, pencil cases and etc.!

    Since then, I’ve learned my lesson and I’ve joined every contest and activity which involves my favorite stories or characters but unfortunately, I’ve never won anything yet. Serves me right for being such a killjoy that christmas time! hahahah!

    So you see, I read your blog almost everyday and I really want that keychain (that snitch is really really cute!). I hope I win this time! :D

    1. Hey Sheila. Thanks for being a regular reader. This is your first time to comment, I believe? I do hope it won’t be your last, I love hearing from readers :)

      That’s cool, a Harry Potter gift exchange! I’ve never had one. Maybe I should round up my Potterhead pals so we can do one this Christ[mas.

      This counts as your entry, good luck!

  5. Okay, my happiest Potter memories:

    – Way back in university, I asked a friend of mine who was living in NZ to get me a copy of Book 4 since there were no paperback books available at the time! And she did, UK format too! Wheee!

    – When I was on my first year at work, my mentor gave me book 7 as a gift when he was leaving to go to Singapore. Sooo yeah, lots of memories with that book.

    – When I was in the UK, my friends and I did a little Potter tour. One day after work, we went off to Leadenhall Market to take our pictures where they shot the Diagon Alley scenes in the Philosopher’s Stone movie. Never expected that market to be close to our office, but it was gorgeous!! After that, we boarded the tube and went to Kings Cross/St Pancras station for a photo with platform 9 3/4! While there was a car parked near the platform, that didn’t stop us from getting an awesome photo holding the trolley as we go through the wall.

    Then the weekend after, we boarded a train to Oxford so we could go to Christ Church college and spent half a day there! From running around the hallway, imagining that we were late for class, going up and down the stairs leading to the great hall trying to get that perfect photo, and eventually going to the Great Hall to get awesome shots with the cutlery, the staff table, and the paintings. I wanted a photo seated at one of the tables but sadly, it was not to be — there were velvet ropes lining the seats. Mind you, I couldn’t imagine hoe much the cutlery would cost if I accidentally broke one of them. Though the Great Hall in Christ Church is smaller than what I would expect it to be, it was one excellent Potter week!

  6. Hi Bloo! Nice giveaway! I love the Snitch so I want to join XD

    It’s not really very Harry Potter Fandom moment.

    It’s not a secret that I’m the last Muggle who haven’t finished the whole series because I am forbidden to read, touch even a single book of Harry Potter. I remember when I was in Grade 5 when it became popular and I really really want to read them but of course, I am not allowed. I cried a lot because I cannot.

    Then I went to high school and we have copies of Harry Potter in the library, I read it there (I had the magical feeling as I turn the page, I couldn’t forget it and I still feel it now whenever I read my HP books) but due to limited time for that at school, I decided to borrow the book. I was in hell when mom saw it! :( Seriously, she yelled at me about the negative side of witchcraft, devilry, blah blah blah. So I returned it the next day and never touch it even in the library (I’m obedient like that). But mom will never know I watched the movies with friends. :P It’s like an adventure, how to ask for permission to go out just watch movies (without telling it’s Harry Potter or else!).

    I went to college still without reading any of the books until I got my very first copy accidentally. I got it in the book warehouse in Cavite two years ago and I am so ‘OH MY GOD, A HARRY POTTER BOOK’ and it felt like it’s my destiny to have it in my hands. I bought it and hid it from my mom. But unfortunately, mom saw it. hehe she didn’t got angry. you know why? I said, it’s better to read this than to read TWILIGHT. And oh, she let me read the book without nagging me! Isn’t it a miracle? Isn’t? I can finally read this awesome series after a series of attempt! I am destined to be a potterhead!

    I’m not watching the movie too. I need to finish all the books before watching it all.

    1. Ishay! Really, forbidden? Why?

      I’m glad you finally got to read the books though :) And you were a fan even before you got to read the books or see the movies, that’s awesome!

      You’re officially entered in the giveaway. Best of luck!

  7. my fondest HP memories:

    – Back in college, I sooo loved the series that I would impose on unsuspecting dorm mates that “this is the best book of the millenium.. read it!” They did, and enjoyed it too! :)
    – I joined an intercollegiate Harry Potter quizbee and won first prize. I got a miniature Firebolt, which unfortunately broke into pieces after a week as I was fond of showing it off to everyone! (tee-hee).
    – My first four books were given to me as gifts by my ex-boyfriend who also shared my passion for Harry Potter. However, we broke up after college. About that time, I was into the fifth installment, it was very difficult going through the chapters because of the shock of Sirius’ death and, although I can commiserate with Harry and his teeneage angst, I knew the tears were owing to the bad break up (sob!).
    – Afterwhich, I met a very wonderful man (who also loved Harry Potter and eventually became my hubby!) and our first date was at this place, sort of like an artists’ nook with lots of artwork and good food, which was slightly dingy and dark (candles and old, musty books — you get the idea). Until now, we refer to it as our “Leaky Cauldron.”
    – I had a brief stint in law school, and I succeeded in convincing my friends to read HP to cleanse the palate in between boring reads of constitutional and commercial law! Now you know why law school didn’t end up too well, I figured there are far better books out there! LoL!
    – I actually lined up for the final book in July 2007. I was very pregnant by then and expecting to burst at any time. The people lining up were so generous, they asked me to get the first copy! Yey!
    – When we learned that I was going to have a girl, my hubby and I wanted to name her Erin, Eriana or Ariana. Then we read the Deathly Hallows and found out Dumbledore’s sister was named Ariana! Bingo! (My firstborn, Ariana Ysabelle, was born a month or so after we read Book 7).
    – Severus Snape is my favorite character! I originally thought he was a shady and despicable character. J.K. Rowling had me going for most of Book 7 because Snape really seemed to be your typical villain until the very end. But there was redemption for him in the last chapters, everyone ultimately sees the good in him.

    All in all, my Harry Potter experience has so dramatically affected my life that my hobbies, my close friends, my husband and children have come into my life as a direct result of my obsession with HP. And eventually, when my children will have their own tots, I would want the series to touch their lives the same special way it affected mine.

    1. Hi Anne! Yay, another Snape fan! :)

      Wow, Harry Potter has really shaped your life… I can’t imagine my life without Harry Potter too! Naming the kids after HP characters, now there’s a thought!

      Thanks for joining, this counts as your official entry to the giveaway

  8. Blooey –

    Win or lose here are my HP Moments:

    HP Moment #1 – It was 2001 when I was at the height of my Potter obsession. I was pregnant with our youngest when I finished reading HP 4. In between 2001-2002, I bought Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages to while away the time waiting for Book 5. That school year, I was moderator of the Book Club. I had fifteen grade 5-6 boys combined. Not all of them were readers. They could read, but they’re very selective at what to read. Thick chapter books with very few illustrations are a no-no.

    Nonetheless, I urged them to read any of the HP series in preparation for Battle of the Books. They did and some even went as far as researching online. I had prepared my own set of activities to monitor their reading speed and space. On Battle of the Books day, we had FUN! As a wrap up activity, I had a write-the-author activity.

    Yep. We dared write to JK Rowling!

    I placed all of their letters in one big envelope and included mine as cover letter. I mailed it by snail to Scholastic New York. This was around Nov. or early Dec. of 2001.

    On February 2002, Scholastic sent us sixteen letters and photos with JK Rowling’s autograph!

    I know it came from the publicist, or some marketing-PR person in Scholastic New York, but the important thing is, they answered back! My boys and I were on cloud nine. A good number of them became HP fans to this day.

    HP Moment #2 – On the day HP 7 was released, I bought my copy at the Scholastic warehouse in Pasig City. I bought two copies actually – one for me and one for my friend, Mona Dy. It was my payback to her for something I owed. She claimed to have no memory at all on the debt.

    HP Moment #3 – In the summer of 2008, my son has turned twelve and by the time school started in June, he has finished reading HP 3 – my favorite book in the series.

    Looking back at the years when I was crazy over Harry made me realize that my HP moments extend beyond acquiring the books. It made me share reading magic to my students, my friend and my son. It made JK Rowling real to me as her publisher sent a letter recognizing our love for her writing and the books she created. There is love and wonder during those years that spanned age differences and geographic location. Books can do that. And if it is not magic, tell me what is?

    1. Awesome, Ms. Zarah!!! Do you have a photo of the autographs and the kids reading? I would love to see those.

      (Now that is something I have not tried to do — send a letter to J.K. Rowling! I should make that a goal for next year!)

      And I agree, the real magic of Harry Potter was getting readers around the world to turn page after page of the books just to experience more of the Potterverse JKR so wonderfully created!

      This counts as your official entry to the giveaway :) Good luck!

  9. Blooey, at that time I do not have a digicam to document the event. But I saved a copy of the letter, the envelope and JK Rowling’s photo.

    Check my blog. I uploaded my entry cum photo :-)

    Now I hope I win!

  10. Wow, this is really a cool thing Blooey. It made me looked back all this past years and thinking about my “moments” with Harry indeed made me smile. So here goes:

    I first met Harry when i was a first year college student. That was in year 2001. I was living in a dormitory in Dapitan and my roomates were all raving about a couple of books. Being the natural “chismosa” that I am (esp. about books) I immediately asked them about the fuss their making. A roomie showed HP and The Sorcerer’s Stone to me and as I read the back teaser, I felt my pulse quicken and knew right then and there that I really really need to read it. But even before I opened my mouth to borrow it, my roomie snatched the book back from my hands and informed me that I was third in line. What?? I couldn’t wait that long! So I made a quick decision and said that I would read HP and Chamber of Secrets first. ^_^ and so my journey to Hogwarts and to Harry Potter’s world began…

    So I was wrapped in that world, feeling absolutely happy because I thought that only a few of us were lucky enough to know Harry Potter that time, when my seatmate in college brought with him a hardbound copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for his book report. I was absolutely green with envy! And I was reluctant to share Harry, Ron, Hermione and the lot of them to other people. But the thing was I had a crush on my seatmate so Harry Potter served gave me another way to be closer to him. We spent countless of afternoons just talking about the first three books (and he thoughtfully told me that I can borrow his book once he finished reading it). ^_^

    When I turned 18, the most treasured gifts I’ve had received were these: A guitar and a copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, both from my high school friends. It has come to their knowledge that I was simply gaga over J.K. Rowling’s masterpiece…

    Even my sister realized how important Harry Potter’s to me. One night, she brought me home a copy of HP and The Chamber of Secrets and The Prisoner of Azkaban, both from a Shakey’s promo and I could not thank her enough…

    I did not care for the first two movie adaptations; I felt that they were too restricted, too boxed, and too limited. Our imaginations were nothing like that…

    The ONLY time I watched a movie alone, I watched HP and The Goblet of Fire and I can say that I did not quite enjoyed it…What I’ve realized all those years was Harry Potter is meant to be shared with friends and with other HP fans. It is only then that he becomes more alive…more real…

    There are two characters that are really close to my heart. Like you Blooey, I put my trust in Snape too. Even when his persona was in most doubtful, I rooted for him, believed in his goodness. The other character is Dobby, he was helping Harry in every step in his own special way. I fault the movies for excluding Dobby’s role and opting to pass it to Neville’s character. Every time I watch the movie, I would always end up asking “Why could they not let Dobby do that? Is it too much to ask??” And so it was with too much heartache when I first read HP and The Deathly Hallows and first read the lines that end Dobby’s life. I was crying for him, crying for the injustice of it all. (Take that moviemakers! How can you exclude Dobby this time?) I just could not stop crying…

    I can’t tell how many times I’ve read the series. All I can say is each time is an invigorating experience. It’s like revisiting your favorite place and meeting old friends once again. The magic never ends; instead it only grows with age. J.K. Rowling’s prose transcends time, it speaks to our hearts and helps us to open our minds…

    1. Wee another Snape fan!!!

      Thank you for sharing, Welski. I can see how Harry Potter’s a big part of your life, too.

      This serves as your entry to the giveaway! Good luck!

  11. Back in High school, Harry Potter was all over the news. I was certainly not what you would call a bookworm back in the days. My readings were limited to school textbooks and Archie Comic Books, thus I hardly ever gave Harry Potter the time of day. Despite my being a “non-bookworm” I was the quintessential nerd. An achiever in academics and a failure in sports. So, school intramurals (aside from the fact that there are no regular lessons to be had. Yipee!) would often bore me. I am often delegated the task of officiating in a certain game or sport which I find even more boring. My officiating breaks are often spent inside the classroom either chatting or playing board games or Uno cards. And it was during a certain officiating break that drew me into Harry’s World. After officiating a very looong chess game, I headed back to the classroom ready to challenge anyone for a game of UNO. But for some strange reason, once I entered the classroom, playing UNO cards just flew out of my head. I sat down, a bit dazed (Obliviate spell anyone? Or maybe the Imperius Curse?). Not sure what to do, I glanced around and there it was, a book with a boy on a broomstick flying through what seems to be an archway trying to catch a golden ball with wings. Before I knew it I was reaching for the book and emblazoned on the cover are the words HARRY POTTER and the SORCERRER’S STONE. I flipped through it and in that momentous day, I was initiated into the Harry Potter fandom. I have then waited in anticipation for each book of the series and have breezed through all of them. It was then that I began the most noble task an HP fan could carry and that is to take up the cause of inviting (but really its luring, forcing, and coercing) anyone I know into reading the Harry Potter books in the hope that I may yet usher another into Harry Potter fandom. I have under my belt, three Harry Potter converts. My sister, another cousin, and a friend. Thus asking me about reading suggestions is very dangerous. My little cousin once had that mistake and thus she has now been forever saddled with hearing the name Harry Potter pop up in any of her future book related conversations with me. So far, she has proven to be a tough nut to crack. But I will not despair! (Okay I may be going over the top with this line. Haha!) Therefore, I need that golden snitch keychain to serve as a symbol of my noble cause for the Harry Potter Fandom!

  12. The most favorite and most fantastic (and first) Harry Potter memory I had (because obviously, I had many great Harry Potter memories, hehe) was when I first read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. By then, I was not a big fan of Harry Potter but my friend told me that HP&SS is great novel, so I took a little glimpse on it. After reading the first chapter, I couldn’t resist to seek more, so there I was, read the whole book in just one day (from 08:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., without eating a proper lunch nor dinner!). So anyway, my most favorite (and first) Harry Potter, as i said, occurred after I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I slept that night and put the Harry Potter book under my pillow. I dreamed about me being Harry Potter, seeing Prof. Quirell and Voldemort. Then came next, I was holding the Sorcerer’s Stone and whatsoever. It’s really amazing because I still remember that dream clearly in my head. But the grip does not end there yet. I opened my eyes that morning and found out that my back and my bed are all sweaty even though the temperature is quite cool. I ignored it and get up to my usual everyday habit. I pulled the Harry Potter book under my pillow and examined it. The book gave me the gut feeling of buying my own Harry Potter books (for all you know the book I read was just lent to me by my friend). That evening, my friend went to my house and wanted for me to give back his Harry Potter book. I gave it back (with a sad look on my face) and told him the wonderful dream I had. And then, he was shocked (and happy at the same time) because he didn’t realize that Harry Potter will went through me that much. The next day, I woke up feeling my stomach upside down because I miss reading Harry Potter and I wished I could have the other books as well. I strode down the kitchen and saw my mother smiling while making pancakes. She told me to go outside our veranda. The phrase gave me a sudden bumps but then, I didn’t know why. I went out the veranda and there, I saw the whole set of Harry Potter lying on the table. Everything was quite unbelievable. How come mother knew I was longing for Harry Potter? My mum walked out the house towards me accompanied by my dad. They told me that my friend asked them to buy me my own set of Harry Potter because according to my friend, “I was so hooked on it” (and it is truly a fact). I touched my sealed Harry Potter books and smiled widely. I thanked my parents and of course, my friend whom without him, I would not able to find Harry Potter good and I would never have my own Harry Potter set.

    And that’s my favorite Harry Potter memory.
    (Sorry for the novel-like entry) ^-^

    1. Hi Sem! Wow, it’s like a Harry Potter miracle :D

      Thanks for joining, you’re officially entered in the contest. Check back again by the next weekend for the results

  13. Those are some really good HP experiences. Had a lot of fun reading them. I’m not joining but I just wanna say that Sorting Hat plushie is cute beyond words! Haha!

    And it’s sad you’re not enjoying the movies blooey. I lurve to death (hehe!) HP7 part one! I plan to see it 2 more times. But yeah, I think I get why you could never get into the movies. Hehe.

    Oh, and I’m guessing you are Luna and and Dianne is Tonks? No? :D

    1. :D It is cute, isn’t it! I’m looking for the hedwig keychain but no luck so far.

      And yup, you’re right, I am Luna and Dianne is Tonks.

  14. Way back in 1999 or 2000 the ninang of my sister gave her a Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone book. Upon seeing it, i thought it was JUST a simple book but still i read it. I Remembered that i never finished reading it and always stop at chapter 2 and then start all over again, because of this i MEMORIZED and remembered every single word of Chapter 1 first paragraph of the book. Years passed, I became a fan of Harry Potter when I was in my second year of high school. a classmate of mine was reading it at the corner of the room and i approached her. Upon seeing it, there is this wanting inside of me that tells me to read the book, so i read it again and finished all of the books. also, because of it i met my BEST FRIEND,.High school years passed and now i am in college and this month I’ve waited so long for Harry Potter 7 to be on theaters. When it does, i and my bestfriend excitedly went to IMAX to watch it. we are the FIRST to be in line of the ticketing booth. we are the FIRST to be in line on the popcorn booth. we are the FIRST to enter the cinemas. we are the FIRST to sit on the cinemas. and most of all we are the LAST one to leave the cinemas and finished it till the credits. Upon watching it, we pledge that both of us will watch the second part there also.

    PS. the keychain is so cute!ACCIO keychain..haha, even if i will not win this, still i am happy that i got to join this one, to tell you the truth this my first time joining in this kind of things online..but as harry does on book 1 during the sorting of ron, fingers crossed under the table..!(:

    1. Hi Joy. My cousin will be out of town tomorrow and won’t be back til Monday so I’ll announce the winners on Monday.

      Thanks!

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