WiiJoicing.

Boy Child and Girl Child are getting a Nintendo Wii for Christmas. From Jason.

He works for a finance company, but they do more than make loans. They also do taxes and sell products. Some of the products they sell are things they have repossessed that have been placed as collateral on loans they've made. When people didn't pay, they go get the 35 year old van or whatever. But they also sell products that are brand new and in-demand.

Since he's the manager, he gets a certain number of "points" for each product loan he makes. He also gets points when his employees sell products. He gets bonus points when he sells a certain number or the most in the state or whatever. Which he often does because that man could sell ice in mass quantities to Santa Claus.

But anyway. He gets these points. And the points he can use to purchase high-end "stuff". Like stainless steel appliances and new golf clubs.

But what does he buy with his points? A Wii. The man who has absolutely zero interest in video games whatsoever and would absolutely love a new set of golf clubs, buys a Wii.

He called me, as he brought it home, to make sure the children were in another room when he came in, so they wouldn't dare see what he was bringing home. He was giddy when he wrapped it up and hid it in the closet and even more giddy as he told me the elaborate plan he had to let them open all their other gifts and then, ever so casually say, "I think there is one more!"

I wrote a tag out for him, since I was already making other tags for other gifts. I handed it to him and he frowned.

"You can write From: Mom and Dad," he said. "It can be from you too."

I said, no. That it was a special gift, just from him.

Later that night he said, "I feel bad, because that will be their favorite gift. I feel like it should be from you too."

I smiled.

Because he doesn't know, he just doesn't get, that seeing that little tag that says:
To: Boy Child and Girl Child
From: Daddy

is the best gift that I could have ever asked for.

I said, "For many years all the presents under the tree said, 'From Mommy'. They've never ever had one that just said, 'From Daddy'. Let's just leave it."

He smiled and said, "That was probably the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

I smiled. My heart was full.





Five minutes later, he said, "You realize I'll be the cool parent now, right?"


It's still worth it.