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CHRISTMAS

Vienna auction house sells undelivered parcels

A Viennese auction house is holding a sale of undelivered parcels, including high value items which could make great Christmas presents - such as drones, tablets, and smartphones.

Vienna auction house sells undelivered parcels
The Dorotheum is one of the world's oldest auction houses. Photo: Extrawurst/Wikimedia

The Dorotheum auctions undelivered parcels every year on behalf of the Austrian Post. This year there are 200 items and bids for each item start at just €10. Usually the items are all new and still packaged.

“Parcels which we’re unable to deliver are stored for three months. We wait to see if anyone comes to claim them, and after that they’re opened and we check if the contents are usable,” Kathrin Schrammel from the Austrian Post said.

This year, items which were never claimed include fitness apparatus, smartphones, scooters, tablets, laptops, drones and kitchen appliances. “This year we expect around 1,000 bids,” says Karl Sauberer, who works at the Dorotheum.

Last year the auction attracted 320 people, and this year the Dorotheum decided to make it an online event. “It’s less complicated and it means that people from all over Austria get a chance to bid,” Sauberer said.

Every item will be listed online with a photo. And if you want to examine the item before you bid, you can go and browse the auction at the Dorotheum.

Anita Kauz is a regular at the auction, and says she has bought designer handbags, clothes and mattresses at the auction before – including items which she gave as Christmas gifts to her daughter.

Once the auction is over you can pick up the item from the Dorotheum, or ask for it to be delivered by post (the post office will charge around €10 for parcels up to 31 kilograms.

The auction ends on December 7th at 7pm. Browse the items online at: www.dorotheum-fahrzeuge.com or view them at the Dorotheum warehouse at Wien-Vösendorf Fahrzeug und Technik-Zentrum between 8am and 4pm.

 

 
 

CHRISTMAS

Thousands more families in Denmark seek Christmas charity

A significant increase in families have sought Christmas help from the Danish Red Cross compared to last winter.

Thousands more families in Denmark seek Christmas charity

Higher process for food, electricity, gas and fuel are being felt by vulnerable families in Denmark, driving more to apply for Christmas packages offered by the Red Cross, broadcaster DR writes.

The NGO said in a statement that more people than ever before have applied for its Christmas help or julehjælp assistance for vulnerable families.

While 15,000 people applied for the charity last year, the number has already reached 20,000 in 2022.

“We are in an extraordinary situation this year where a lot more people have to account for every single krone to make their finances work,” Danish Red Cross general secretary Anders Ladekarl said in the press statement.

“For many more, their finances no longer work, and this is unfortunately reflected by these numbers,” he said.

The Red Cross Christmas assistance consists of a voucher worth 900 kroner redeemable at Coop stores or, in some stores, a hamper consisting of products.

READ ALSO: These are Denmark’s deadlines for sending international mail in time for Christmas

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