A Tree of Their Own
A Christmas tree was just never been part of the holiday tradition for Ping and Cici in China. We put up a tree last year but the girls thought it was a lot of work, and they didn't really seem to get into the spirit of things. Ping did put some lights on the hedge beside the front walk and on some of the bushes in front of the house. She also bought the wreath and put it on the front gate. But the tree stayed in its box high on the shelves in the garage, clearly not destined to shine this year.
As we drove home from shopping last evening, the girls had me taking side streets so they could enjoy the winter wonderland in the neighborhoods near our home. Drive slowly, they kept telling me; this is so beautiful. When we got home, Ping surprised me by getting out the Christmas wrapping paper and wrapping the gifts for my son and his cousin. I wonder where she plans to put the gifts was going through my head as I watched.
The Marshall's gift cards that I bought went into the girls stockings. What is the fun of that? You might be thinking. There is no element of surprise. But old Santa had a trick or two up his sleeve, and despite their best efforts as we walked through the mall, the girls were unable to find the receipt in my pocket. They were actually trying to pick my pockets to find the receipt, but they found every receipt except the one they were looking for. The surprise, you see, is how much money is on their gift cards. They have no idea, and the suspense is killing them.
We will find the receipt tonight while you are sleeping, Ping told me. Maybe, but I doubt it. I hid it in a place that is so illogical that I don't Ping or Cici would ever look there. It isn't quite the same as leaving the girls guessing about what is in a gift-wrapped box under a tree, but it seems to be the next best thing.
But last night after Ping wrapped the presents, she and Cici asked me to help them take the tree down from its high storage place in the garage. They worked into the wee hours of this morning putting up the tree and decorating it. All I had to do to enjoy it was turn it on when I got up this morning.
So we have a Christmas tree after all, and maybe the beginning of a new tradition for the girls as well. I think all the Christmas lights and decorations in the neighborhoods we drove through on the way home flipped the switch for the girls. It was time to put up their own Christmas tree.
As we drove home from shopping last evening, the girls had me taking side streets so they could enjoy the winter wonderland in the neighborhoods near our home. Drive slowly, they kept telling me; this is so beautiful. When we got home, Ping surprised me by getting out the Christmas wrapping paper and wrapping the gifts for my son and his cousin. I wonder where she plans to put the gifts was going through my head as I watched.
The Marshall's gift cards that I bought went into the girls stockings. What is the fun of that? You might be thinking. There is no element of surprise. But old Santa had a trick or two up his sleeve, and despite their best efforts as we walked through the mall, the girls were unable to find the receipt in my pocket. They were actually trying to pick my pockets to find the receipt, but they found every receipt except the one they were looking for. The surprise, you see, is how much money is on their gift cards. They have no idea, and the suspense is killing them.
We will find the receipt tonight while you are sleeping, Ping told me. Maybe, but I doubt it. I hid it in a place that is so illogical that I don't Ping or Cici would ever look there. It isn't quite the same as leaving the girls guessing about what is in a gift-wrapped box under a tree, but it seems to be the next best thing.
But last night after Ping wrapped the presents, she and Cici asked me to help them take the tree down from its high storage place in the garage. They worked into the wee hours of this morning putting up the tree and decorating it. All I had to do to enjoy it was turn it on when I got up this morning.
So we have a Christmas tree after all, and maybe the beginning of a new tradition for the girls as well. I think all the Christmas lights and decorations in the neighborhoods we drove through on the way home flipped the switch for the girls. It was time to put up their own Christmas tree.
I'm sure the beautiful streets worked their way in to the ladies spirits!
Glad to hear that there is a surprise waiting for them!
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Smitty, the other thing I will do again this year to create little surprises for the girls is to buy a bunch of scratch off lottery tickets and put them in their stockings. They take great delight in scratching them off to see if they won anything. Last year we learned that Cici is the lucky one. I don't think Ping and I won anything, but Cici had a handful of winners.
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