everyone’s been asking me how the office Christmas party went. No, not this Office party.
I was stressing over the Secret Santa…which i now know is called a White Elephant or a Yankee Swap. It involves stealing. it’s most definitely in the Christmas spirit. ahem. I bought an Old Navy gift card and put some lollipops and mini m&ms inside. (mine was most definitely the best wrapped gift…even if i copped-out and got a gift card.) when it came to my turn, i stole Ian’s gift – a $20 Chapters gift card and a gingerbread cookie recipe and cookie cutter. THE perfect gift for me. i was sitting pretty until Jason stole it from me. grr. so, i stole another chapters gift card from someone else…which is what i ended up with in the end. but alas, no cookie cutter or recipe. still good, though. i’m planning to buy the Hinder CD, since i can’t seem to be able to download it. i haven’t bought a cd in years.
Last night we had another Secret Santa gift exchange. this one was more civil. no stealing. it was with the husband’s family. we do it every year with his parents, and two of his sisters and their husbands (his third sister lives in Israel). I’m pretty sure that i pick my father in law every year. he’s VERY easy to buy for. SWEATER. something he needs. something he won’t buy for himself. perfect.
I used to think that buying for me was an easy task, but now i’m realizing that i’m NOT easy at all! I don’t like gifts that aren’t tangible…ala leafs tickets or theater tickets. i don’t like gifts that once you use them, they are gone. you’re left with nothing. If i want to go to the theater, i’ll pay for that myself. I don’t like gifts that are practical. for example, Sharon got a hair dryer last night. she was actually quite pleased with the gift. she wanted one. and she got one. personally, i would have been uber-annoyed. if i need a hair dryer, i’ll go out and buy one. for me, the whole point of a gift is to get something that you wouldn’t necessarily get for yourself.
i got the best gift i could have gotten this year. i got three months to the gym. from the husband. yes, yes, he spent more than the $50 he was supposed to spend, but he’s my husband, he’s allowed a little latitude. The funny thing is that i opened up the present and it was a gym bag. i was all, "who bought me a gym bag?" feeling slightly shafted. i already have a gym bag. a nice one too. and then i opened it up. and was pleased as punch. it’s EXACTLY what i wanted. EXACTLY. i can’t wait to start using it come January.
the husband, on the other hand, got the turkey gift of the night. he got….wait for it…a paper shredder. wait, there’s more. and lubricant. for the paper shredder. could you just die? his dad certainly means well. but the husband was nonplussed. a paper shredder? we all got a good laugh out of that one. even my sister-in-law and brother-in-law in Montreal who were connected via Skype got to laugh at the shredder. and the lubricant. don’t forget the lubricant. ah, the wonders of modern technology.
i can’t wait for next year. the unsuspecting person may just receive something like this from me. or this. my goodness i love this season. relax, relax. i’m just being funny. or trying to be. this gift exchange is all in good fun.
and i still don’t have a gift for my sister…so please help. please.
song of the day: California by Mates of State. i can’t find it right now. i’m looking. it’s the alternative beginning of the OC. a little slower, a little less rocky. love!
come on over and say hi at Cheaper Than Therapy today for a little Christmas meme and some Survivor love.