memory lane

I know I've said it before, but I love to give gifts.
It's my love language. My way of saying how I feel when I can't find the words.
I love when I see the perfect gift for the perfect person.
I love that feeling I get in my heart when I give it too.
It's so heart-warming.
I love it even more when I have the money to buy that perfect gift.

That so seldom happens.

The only drawback to buying someone a present, is that you have to go shopping first.
Ugh.
I hate shopping.
And shopping hates me.
We hate each other.

Anyhoo.
Year before last, I bought Jason's Christmas present at T.J. Maxx.

This is Jason.....and his pocket knife. He really wanted a picture of he and his pocket knife together.

And I really love that fact.

I was pretty happy about what I had picked out.
It was this nice green plaid shirt. Good brand. I could afford it.
So I bought it.
Took it home, and wrapped it up all pretty.
Jason and Jenny came into town a few days later.
At some point we all ended up at T.J. Maxx together.
I pulled out the nice green plaid shirt. (Because they had more than one.)
I showed it to Jason, "Hey, isn't this shirt so nice? Don't you love it?"
He took a gander,"That's the ugliest shirt I've ever seen. It's uglier than dirt."
(Notice he put a special emphasis on the word dirt.)
So, since I can take a hint, I returned the shirt.
But, it was okay.
Starbucks came to my rescue....I bought Jay a gift card with little snowmen on it.

Then, the day before Christmas, we were sitting around the kitchen table, talking about Christmas presents when Jason said,"I hate when people buy gift cards. It's like, hey I don't know what to get this person...oh, I know. I'll but them a gift card."
I choked on my milk and cookies.
It was the day before Christmas. I was fresh out of time and money.

Christmas morning rolled around......and Jay got a Starbucks gift card.
Like it or not.
Of course, when I told him the whole story about the shirt return and me choking on my milk and cookies, he felt really bad.
"Man. You should've just given me the shirt. It wasn't that bad. I was exaggerating a little. You even had it wrapped? I feel really bad."
And later on, we all went to Starbucks where he got to use his gift card while I watched.

I laugh every time I remember this.
It's one of my favorite Christmas memories.
And I get to remember it every time I go Christmas shopping.

Here's Jason again, with Dad.

Notice he isn't wearing a nice green plaid shirt.