My wife is a thoughtful gift giver – she really makes an effort in selecting the right gift for the recipient. However, she has a history of tipping her hand when it comes to gifts for me.
One year she called me at work, a little angry that I’d been spending money. There was a cryptic entry in the online register at our bank and she was certain it was my doing. A little research determined the entry (something like AMZ) was amazon.com, and a little more research led me to the item she’d purchased as a gift for me. Oops.
Another year she directed me to look in the closet for something, the same closet she’d stashed a really nice print – my birthday gift. It’s now hanging in our family room if you’d like to come by and see it sometime.
This year I figured she’d have no trouble keeping a lid on things. I don’t like to spoil surprises so I’m careful not to look at anything that might compromise the secret. Heck, I’ve been in FL nearly the whole month – I couldn’t make it any easier to hide things from me if I’d tried!
Last night we were wrapping gifts after the kids went to bed. Eventually she retired so I could wrap my gifts for her. Cleaning up after I was done I discovered a stack of printouts…the top being the confirmation of a gift magazine subscription for me (Plane & Pilot – just what I’d asked for…thanks hon!) A quick glance at the next sheet in the pile told me it too was gift-related so I whisked the whole stack off to the shredder.
I didn’t see anything else, dear, I swear.
Except for that J Crew receipt that was elsewhere on the floor. I can’t wait to see the shirt the kids got me…I’ll be sure to act completely surprised when I open it. Shouldn’t be too hard – I don’t know what it looks like. Since I too shopped at J Crew I first thought the receipt was one of mine, otherwise I would have sent it straight to the shredder too.
I can’t fault my bride for being a little forgetful right now. She was really on top of things while I was gone, taking care of everything this month – kids, school, shopping, decorating, even baking and putting lights up outside which I normally do. When she’s gone I invariably fall behind so I know it’s an accomplishment to keep ahead of the game in December.
If I was smart I would have just kept my mouth shut. I guess I’m not much for keeping things under my hat either. Hmmm…I’d better not mention that to the investigator currently working on my security clearance!
With what I’ve spent of flight lessons over the past few months, I begged my wife not to get me anything for Christmas. That was probably a futile gesture. I only have to shop for one person, my wife. She shops for the rest. Pretty sweet.