The
Garden Club christmas party was last Friday night and they do a gift
exchange. If you want to participate you bring a wrapped gift, value
not to exceed $10 and put it under the tree. I'm really terrible
about going out and shopping so a few days before the party I made a
little mobile out of colored glass strips, beads and fishing tackle,
found a little box and wrapped it up. I didn't have any wrapping
paper on hand but I do have a large roll of white bond paper for the
full size drawings I do for the etched glass so I used that and then
drew holly leaves and berries on it with the markers I keep on hand
for the grandkids.
Everyone
brings some sort of food item as well and after everyone had eaten we
all drew numbers and one by one we selected an anonymous gift from
under the tree. In past years they have played the game where you
can select a new unopened gift or take one from someone else who then
gets to pick a new unopened gift. The club has grown quite a bit in
the last year or two so this year we didn't do that, just selecting a
gift and getting to keep it.
We
oohed and awwed over things like pruning shears, a watering can, a
couple of birdhouses, garden plaques, note cards and journal, an
amaryllis, and other garden and not garden related things as they
were opened.
There
had been only three actual wrapped packages, mine being one of them,
everyone else opting for gift bags (that's a rant for another day).
I had drawn a very high number,
there were about 30 of us participating, so when my turn came, I
chose one of the wrapped packages. Under the paper was a box of
Celestial Seasonings herbal tea which I was very pleased to have
picked as I was just about out of the ones I had at home and
showed it around to all the ladies sitting near me.
After
all the gifts had been opened and we were tidying up, one of the
members sidled up next to me and said very quietly, “It's not
really a box of tea.”
It
had never occurred to me to open the box to see what was in it even
though the lack of cellophane should have tipped me off.
So
I opened the box and inside was a sweet little ceramic bird.
I
can be such a dolt sometimes.
oh, i LOVE that little bird!!! perfect!!! (so funny you thought it was actually tea!)
ReplyDeleteI think I like that bird better than the tea. What a nice surprise.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny. I would have probably done the same thing and simply thought ah, tea, tea is good. But then how nice to find such a cute pretty little bird inside, all tucked away.
ReplyDeleteSomeone was very very lucky to receive your mobile!
Heh-heh. I would have done the same.
ReplyDeleteWe have a Secret Santa at work. You get someones name and have to buy them a present (value £15) - all to be drawn at the office Christmas Party on Wednesday. Since the company is 80% male, computer geeks (sorry) I am sort of dreading what I will get ... on the other hand I'm sure the person receiving my gift will be astonished by my tasteful insight
ReplyDeleteThat's funny Ellen. I love the gift that you hand made too! I bet the recipient was tickled. And handmade gift wrap is so much fun. I like to use the brown craft paper, twine and something from the outside [holly, a sprig of greenery] as the "bow". My drawing skills are definitely not yours. heehee
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your birdy and I hope you replenish your tea soon. I love tea. Especially the peppermint kind this time of year.
If she hadn't told me I probably would have just stuck it in the pantry and never looked in it til I was wanting some tea.
ReplyDeleteWell it's like you got two surprises with one gift :)
ReplyDeleteThe mobile you made sounds like pretty, I'll bet it'll look nice hanging in a sun-room, or porch, catching the light.
I agree the bird is sweeter than some teabags. Just popped over from Friko's world......
ReplyDeleteA lovely surprise, wasn't it? At such parties, the fun is the moving around and exchanging one thing for another and until the whole thing is settled you don't know what you'll take home. I just adore all that!
ReplyDeleteI would have done the exact same thing.
ReplyDeleteCool bird. Good thing she told you. I wouldn't feel too bad. I'm kind of space cadet like that, too.
ReplyDeleteOh dear! How were you to know. I was assumed tea as well! Ha!
ReplyDeleteOh well...cute bird!
Hugs
SueAnn
PS I use gift bags...sorry!! But I get creative with the stuffing and I make the gift tags. Does that help?
Ha!
Oh what a sweet little bird! I would probably have done the same thing - AND been happy to get the tea too.
ReplyDelete