I was recently sent an email by the lovely people at the dotcomgiftshop.
I am a member of their blogging network and they were interested in receiving some blogs about the worst or best Christmas presents their members can remember receiving.
To be honest I took a look at their email and thought this blog wasn’t for me. I love Christmas far too much for something like a pair of pink pansy socks from auntie Sally to upset me or stay in my memory.
Yes- I am a Christmas-style jumper-loving, gift-wrapping colour-coordinating, tree-decorating with eggnog-in-hand Christmas fan and it would take a lot to spoil Christmas for me.
But then the email got me thinking and I remembered a truly awesome present my parents gave to me and my brother when we were young.
Who loves this advert?!
Tear in eye!
Well I can tell you my parents were ahead of their time.
When I was around 13 and my brother 16 my parents got us some DVDs. Wrapped under the tree I had King Kong and my brother The Godfather. We said our thank-yous with big smiles! (However – if I’m honest – if the next bit of the story hadn’t happened, I may well have been writing about these as my worst presents).
But Mum and Dad just stood there watching us…….. It became clear we did not have a clue what they were doing so they told us to look for the clues in our gifts and as there was a second present for us both. It was joint though, so we had to work together.
Well, I was being very dim about it (if it had been a Friends DVD I may have got it sooner). I can still see my parents watching us with anticipation – they were so desperate for it to click.
Have you got it?
Yep – we were off to New York!!!!
Holy cow what a Christmas present! As soon as ‘we’ (my brother!) got it, mum and dad jumped in to a well-rehearsed scenario that they must have been over thousands of times. They got out more presents that were travel books and tourist guides and talked us though the plans, the dates and itinerary. They asked what we wanted to see and do and basically the house was full of four very, very excited children all day.
Disney is right, the magic begins the moment you tell them.
I hope I can do something as exciting for my children in the future. I may well burst with excitement though and Mark (hubby) is the world’s worst at surprises! I almost always get my birthday presents before my birthday as he just can’t stop himself!
So this has to be the best Christmas present ever and the onesie Mark got me last year as a ’funny’ gift (ahem!) will be forgotten forever.
New York was amazing by the way.