A few things that made us laugh over the holidays. Today we go and brave the Boxing Day sales ... wish us luck.
A television reporter was doing a segment on the most popular electronic gadgets for people based on their ages. She interviewed a child, a teen, an adult, and finally a man just over 75. When he was asked what electronic gadget he most wanted, he blinked a couple of times into the harsh television light and then said, 'memory'. She, unaware of his joke, then rushed around showing him various sticks and attachments that increased a computers capacity. He just smiled at her, I think he thought she was simple.
I had done my Christmas shopping for Joe. I put WORK into shopping. I love it. I think about gifts, look for just the right thing, ponder reactions to my efforts. Then I noticed something on line. It was the Canadian Weather Trivia calender. Joe loves anything to do with weather. When we travel the first thing he does in a hotel room is go to the television and flip to find the weather station. If they don't have it I have to listen to a 'hotels should be mandated to carry the weather station, travelers need to know about the weather, I don't think we should stay in this hotel again ...'speech. So, even though done, I ordered the calender. It was a joke gift. I had him open it first, that was a mistake. Nothing that came after lived up to the calender. I got him something made with rare Welsh gold and it was, 'That's lovely, hey it says here that the coldest day experienced in Saskatchewan was ...' Oh, well.
We watched over our web cam as Ruby opened her big gift from Santa. She had quietly confided in us that she wanted a Barbie and Car. The gift magically appeared overnight and it was sat on one end so was nearly taller than she. She approached the gift as if it still bore magic from Santa's shop. She tore a bit at a piece of paper and then said, 'I can't open this, it's too big.' Her dad said, 'You are the master of unwrappers, go for it.' So she did. When she saw what it was she called out, 'It's Barbie, She's in a car, And it's PINK.' Slam dunk, Santa got that one just right. Apparently the magic dust from Santa's shop stayed with her the entire day.
Somewhere in England, in a Waitrose, I walked Joe right up to the display. There were several different canisters but I wanted the gold one and the silver one. The gold one held green tea, the silver one white tea. They canisters are simply lovely. 'I want these for Christmas.' I have learned to be very specific in my hints with Joe. He is not half the shopper I am. Sometimes his 'inspirations' are frightening. So, later in the trip we were at a Waitrose and I stayed in the car IN CASE HE HAD CHRISTMAS SHOPPING TO DO. I really wanted those canisters. Weeks pass, Christmas day comes. I get this package that's oddly shaped. I open it to find the Waitrose Gold Elephant canister full of green tea. I had managed to forget entirely the asking for the present so it came as a lovely shock. Rah, aging!
A lovely time was had by all here ... and you?
5 comments:
There is nothing like the look in a child's eyes when they unwrap that special gift they were dreaming of....for my niece it was a stuffed, fluffy horse and glow dome...and then I did my auntie duty by appreciating listening to "smoke on the water" by my nephew on his new electric guitar! His smile gave hints of hours of practice to become an expert...Santa forgot the ear plugs for the rest of the family, oh well, maybe they will be on sale on Boxing Day. Still basking in the spirit of the holidays in Nova Scotia.
Well its over but the cleaning. Just finished loading the dishwasher again. The table was fuller than usual with kids bringing new partners. The youngest yesterday was 17. We made a new rule this year as gift cards had become the choice for all. We decide gift cards only for the kids, real gifts for the adults. We pick names each year as opposed to buying for all (other than the kids) This made opening presents special again as people had to actually put some time into it. I however fore went the gift card for my neice and bought her one of those designer hoodie ski jackets which she went crazy for. She wore it half the night. Most of the day was spent razzying the newbies at the table. My son, the oldest will not bring his girlfriend - afraid of how she'll fair! I don't have the energy to hit the stores - today is quiet day, hunker down and re-energize. Boxing day will have to wait till tomorrow!
Happy to report my spouse, who also lacks the gift-selecting gene, got it right this year too. He had help from our daughters, but still...I was quite impressed. Glad you and Joe had a lovely Christmas. (P.S. Joe, right there with you re: the weather fascination.)
Thanks Dave.
We in Sydney too had a lovely Christmas. Eventhough the weather is "all wrong" for the season...
Hope you survived the sales ok, you mad shopper you.
I am replete! It was a wonderful day of celebrating, with 6 children and 6 adults, plus connecting with relatives in England and Switzerland via Skype. Chaotic, exhausting, wonderful.
I laughed at Joe's shopping skills. Paul, when I said that honestly there was nothing I wanted or needed, said, "You'd better tell me or I'll go out and get you something stupid." I begged him not to! I still have the air compressor of a couple of Christmases ago. :)
How wonderful to have seen Ruby open her Barbie and car.
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