12:20 p.m. - 2006-12-13
HOLIDAY MEMORIES
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
HOLIDAY MEMORIES
My husband had been a police officer for several years but even before that he was always able to figure out what his gift was by feeling the package. It became a goal for me to give him a gift that he couldn�t guess before opening.
One year I KNEW I had the perfect gift. We had purchased a Chevrolet hatchback in the Spring. I saved up my money and called the same salesman to order the wind deflector several months before Christmas. I didn�t drive at that time so a co-worker took me to the dealership, I got the deflector and he drove me home. I hide the box underneath our bed for weeks. I was so happy knowing I would finally surprise my husband.
My husband worked 10 P.M. to 6 A.M. I was getting ready for work on the last week before the Christmas holiday. I had to catch a bus at 7:45 AM. I was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for the bus to go by to the East so I could catch it as it made its return trip to the West. It was snowing and cold.
Instead of going to bed that morning, my husband started to tell me about this wonderful idea he and his buddy had planned for that weekend. He then proceeded to outline why he needed to buy a wind deflector for the car, how he and his buddy could install it easily, how it would help with gas mileage, etc. I, of course, was horrified! My wonderful idea was going up in flames before my eyes. I didn�t want to start an argument but I knew I had to talk him out of it immediately. I brought up all kinds of reasons why he shouldn�t do it but he wouldn�t budge from his position. The clock was ticking for me to leave for work and I wasn�t getting anywhere with him.
Finally I jumped up, ran into the bedroom and got the gift wrapped box, came to the kitchen and threw it on the table, yelled Merry Christmas and burst into tears as I ran out of the door for the bus.
Of course, he was sorry he had hurt my feelings but he was happy he got the wind deflector and had it installed by the time I got home.
Another few years went by and I was still determined to buy him a gift that he couldn�t guess before hand. I decided to buy him a huge wheelbarrow because he did a lot of yard work after we moved to the country. I got it from Sears and got it home. (I did drive by that time). I hide it in my closet which had no door. My husband always teased me about my messy closet so I just stuffed more things in front of the wheelbarrow and threw some bathrobes over it. The closet had no door and now it just looked messier than it ever had.
Fortunately my husband had his own closet so he didn�t get into mine. One day I came home from work and the wheelbarrow had fallen out of the closet. I pushed it back further. On Christmas morning, while he was taken a shower, I wheeled it out and put it into the living room where he found it when he came out. He couldn�t believe I had kept a huge wheelbarrow in my closet and he never knew.
With that triumph I thought I could pull off another surprise a couple of years later.
My husband had taken up horseback riding and used the saddles provided by the stables where he rented a horse and rode. He came home one day and said someone had a brand new saddle but they didn�t like it and it was for sale. He said he tried it out and he liked it very much but it cost $300. He couldn�t justify spending that much money on himself. He talked himself out of it after a couple of weeks. I called the stable owner. I made arrangements to buy the saddle and had them keep it for me. I asked them to put a sold sign on it so he would think he had missed out. On Christmas morning, I gave him a card with a note that his saddle was waiting for him at the horse stable.
I still try to surprise him from year to year but it happens less often than I would like.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
