Cyn N.

This is the fourth Advent calendar from Jacquie Lawson I have bought and it is the first one with which I am disappointed.
When I saw the intro on her website for the Alpine village and compared it to the actual calendar there is a big difference. I expected the calendar to look like the come on video as to color and size and detail yet do not see that. Even when going to full screen mode there is a distinct difference. It just does not measure up to what I expected in the advertised video.
Next, we are informed that flash player is phased out and the only viewing option is in a browser. Previously I downloaded the calendars and was able to enjoy the daily events in a peaceful and relaxed fashion. Being compelled to use my browser is a pain in the neck. It requires connection to the internet and woe to you if your phone service goes down due to a storm. No calendar. The calendar frequently requires refreshing of the screen as nothing happens or it is slooow to load. I have been spoiled by the seamless functioning of the downloadable calendars of Christmases past so now having to click through 2 to 3 slow screens is not enjoyable. And once you click on the day's ornament, if you change your mind, you cannot cancel and go back until you enter the activity. There is no 'escape clause' until you go all the way in.
As to content, this year it seems less about evoking the feeling and spirit of Christmas and more about extolling Switzerland, the mountains, ( why are we seeing summer scenes? And with a bird which looks an awful lot like a bald eagle), the fondue, the St. Bernards. All very nice, I'm sure however are there no Swiss Christmas traditions to which we could be introduced? A quick Google and there are so many possibilities which we could be seeing.
I have been absolutely smitten with past calendars and this one just does not measure up as to content or ease of access however, there are still 10 days till Christmas. I hope the Christmas spirit will manifest itself.
Please, Ms. Lawson, restore Flash as an option and return to your roots and the things which you know so well and which make you unique.

I am neither a company nor a business nor anything other than a lowly consumer.

I live in the EU and I tried to make an online purchase with a company in the UK. After inputting my credit card info as required, verification screens and all, a message was returned stating my bank had declined the transaction and to contact them. Which I did immediately. To make a very long story shorter, my bank had NEVER denied the transaction, on the contrary they had approved it each and every time we (my bank and I together over the phone) tried to do the purchase. In fact, my bank informed me they had never even seen the transaction come through so could not have denied it even if they wanted to. What to do? Contact the merchant. Which I did. They contacted Braintree and were told Braintree would only tell them one word "Fraud". What did this mean? The merchant could not tell me and Braintree would not tell them. I tried a second card on a different bank with the same result. I tried contacting Braintree directly and they told me to 'contact the merchant'.
So now my card is not able to be used with this particular merchant (and I wonder how many others) and I have no way to resolve this problem. If they think there is some fraud involved, a reasonable person might think they (Braintree) ought to give some help in resolving this.
But since they insist the bank has declined the transaction and I know that is a lie, it is apparent to me they are neither a reliable nor responsible entity.