Annie's Corner
Gifts with their Own Surprises
by Anne O. Stout

 With the approach of Christmas and Hanukkah come the searches for the perfect gift for everyone on your list: but despite our good intentions, gifts don't always turn out as well received as we pictured. 

 Like a time when one of my brothers gave my nephew a six-foot- long snake which my nephew just loved but after a few draggings around his home, split apart leaking a zillion Styrofoam balls everywhere. 

 Appealing to their creative nature, I gave my nieces a tray of beads, each with their own compartment.  The tray didn't last long I heard, and the vacuum got some of the beads, but now the beads are all mixed together in a bucket and every time someone accidentally spills the bucket I have to hear about it. The gift that keeps giving. (grin)

 How about clothes you so carefully pick out and never see loved ones wearing, and after you were so sure they would just love the item.  Never sure what to make of it when my in-laws buy me items that are outrageously too large.  Are they trying to tell me something, or just poor judges? The clothes for my children have a tendency to run too small.  M-m-m-m, a hidden message there somewhere. 

 Sometimes I think "practical" for a gift and I see the look, "Gee thanks for the pots and pans, you shouldn't have," and the look says they are totally serious. Husbands, let me give you a clue; the wife only wants a practical gift from you if there is also a frivolous one as well. Jewelry, music, clothing - think personal and you'll get a better response. 

 One gift we received was a lovely crock pot and couldn't wait to use it.  Returned home after a hard day's work to enjoy the stew that had slow cooked all day, only to discover it was the worst tasting food we have ever tasted.  Took it to an expert to discover the inside, which is ceramic, was not "fired in the kiln" enough, hence the clay taste to the stew. Course this is no fault of the giver but you just never know. 

 Friends received a decorative table lamp which the husband loved but felt it needed to be brighter so put in a higher wattage light bulb and melted the lamp.  Luckily no fire!  This doesn't mean they didn't like the gift, just a little careless. 

 Ever watch a child open their gifts, you can tell which is liked by the wide-eyed grins as opposed to the sad frowns they do not hide while they shove their clothes under the couch. 

 Another joy to Christmas is the wise guy wrappers; you know the ones who used a whole roll of tape just to wrap your gift. Once my mother received a ring, a very lovely ring that came in an enormous box which held another box, which held another box,  etc., etc. The actual ring box was very small but she worked to get to it, believe me. 

 Well, good luck with the Christmas shopping and wrapping, you will need it. 
 Happy Holidays!