1. How does the system work?
Whenever you help a neighbour either by filling a crate or reviving a tree an envelope will appear at their end attached to your avatar icon. If they click once on the envelope for crates and double click for trees they will automatically send you a thank you letter, which may or may not contain a gift card. Vice versa, if somebody helps you, you will see the icon and must click on it within a certain amount of time if you want to send them a thank you note. If you choose not to for some reason the crate or tree will still be filled or revived. Within about 24 hours your postman will arrive with the letters you have received from people you have helped. (He usually comes at the same time as Greg restocks his shop and the wheel of fortune arrives.)
When you click on your new postbox you will see a pile of envelopes. There are 2 ways to collect these. Either click on 'collect all' - in which case the envelopes will whizz into the air depositing any enclosed gift cards in your catalogue, or, if you want to see the contents, swipe the letters slowly upwards and each one will open individually so you can see who sent them and which ones contain gift cards, and then you can click on 'collect all' to receive them. You can see how many gift cards you have received on the front of the catalogue.
2 How many letters and gift cards do I get?
Depending on how many people you have helped you should receive up to 30 envelopes containing a maximum of 5 gift cards. You will already have received one gift card as a present in the tutorial.
3 I helped a lot more people than that, what happens to the surplus?
The maximum amount of thank you cards you can receive a day is 30, but you can store up to 60 letters before Alfred stops delivering until you have emptied your mailbox.
4 I am only receiving 5 letters and I helped a lot more people. Why is that?
It could be you clicked on 'collect all' so only saw the 5 gift cards, not all the thank you letters that flew into the air! Or it is possible that not everyone clicked on your icon, so no letter will have been sent. If you are still only receiving 5 envelopes a day now, contact support under your game settings.
5 Can I choose the gifts that are given or the wording of the thank you card I send?
No, I'm afraid not. These are randomly generated and are rather like thank you cards you can buy in real life. I'm afraid if, for example, one of your neighbour's cards says, 'I'll send you an ice cream' they didn't actually write it, so I'm afraid you won't be receiving a lovely dairy treat!
6 If I don't play for a couple of days, what happens to the letters?
Once you have 60 letters in your mailbox Alfred will see you are not in and will move on to the next farm! He won't deliver again until you have collected your post. (Thanks aussiebob for the info!)
7 How do I get my gift?
When you have saved up the requisite number of cards click on the package in the catalogue you wish to receive. Within a minute or two you should see the mailman arriving (now that's quick service!) with your package which he will leave by your house for you to open.
8 I haven't received a visit from the mailman yet. Why?
You have to be level 15 or above. If you are and have helped enough people and they have all clicked on the envelope you should have received some gift cards. You may have missed him, I'm not sure how long he hangs around! Try clicking on your new mailbox again and if you still get nothing contact SC through your Hay Day settings as it may be a glitch. (I'm a little in the dark about this one as haven't seen much feedback on it)
9 I paid diamonds and still haven't received my package. It says, 'order pending'
Difficult one this. Again little feedback. Did the diamonds go off of your total? It may also be a question of which package you purchased. The fourth package does get changed and might need a refresh. Also the amount of diamonds needed for this package varies, so you might have been unlucky enough to have been caught between two offers, in which case the amount of diamonds you paid might not tarry with the cost. If you still haven't received it contact SC support under the help button in the top left of your screen.
10 Is there a difference in gifts between iPhone and iPad? I can see a tractor in my game and my husband has got a penny farthing. He's jealous!
It's not a difference between the devices, just random on both. Next time you may see the bike and he may have a chance at the tractor!
11 Do you know if it could be possible that the gifts under the ? could be linked to the level of the player? i am a level 55 player and got coins, which I have plenty of, my partner who hasn't been playing very long (I think he thought if you can't beat them join them LOL) got TNT which he can't use as he's already cleared his land, but hasn't got the mine yet. He would have loved the coins. He did sell the TNT to me, but it would have been nicer if it had been the other way around with a couple of extra TNT's perhaps?
I'm afraid that I can't help there. Maybe you could send a feedback email to Hay Day suggesting this? I certainly know the concept of a surplus of coins!
12 Is there any way I can see the farms of people who have helped me so I can go see if they need any help?
Yes there is. The very handy new addition to your menu where you can see which of your friends and followers and strangers helped you last, entitled, - wait for it!...... 'last helpers'! Click on their icon and go see their farm! Each helper is visible for a limited amount of time though, so will disappear eventually when more helpers are added. Also do know that strangers you help will see your icon, too, so will have access to your road side stall, which I know can be a problem for some who like only to sell to friends and followers, though the newspaper and the leader board do already give people this option.
13 Can I send thank you notes via Alfred from the roadside markets as I'd like to let them know how much they helped me out with my orders.
I'm sorry I'm afraid you can't, though I know that would be nice!
14 What happens when I go over the 40 gift cards shown on the front of the catalogue? Do I still receive the extra ones?
Up until now I have heard of two people who have received more. The front of their catalogues now show 41/40 and 42/40 respectively. JUST IN - quote from aussiebob ( thanks!)
'Max letter daily is 30
Max letter storage is 60 (if you don't collect them daily)
5 gift cards per day max and you can store 40, unless you get 5 when you have 39 then you have 44.'
15 I claimed my gift yesterday, and can't find it anywhere. Where is it?
First of all, check by your house. Is there a package there? If so your gift is in there. If you have already opened the package it depends what was in it. If it was a decoration it will be under your decorations tab, if it was an expansion item or tool it will be in your barn, and if it was coins it will have been added to your total.
