The Mug

Every year we give John money to buy Christmas gifts at the holiday shop at school. This year we did the same thing for Gillian. The gifts are normally nothing special, but it teaches them responsibility and they love picking out gifts. Gillian brought her gifts home and wanted to wrap them up immediately. We had John help her. Later that day, we all went shopping in Target. While we were there Daddy saw a display of mugs and said "You know the one thing I really want for Christmas is a new mug. But I don't think anyone will get me one." And he walked away. The kids stopped me. Gillian was grinning from ear to ear. She said "I got Daddy a mug! It's the one thing he wanted. And I got it for him!" She was so excited! John grinned too. Daddy later confided in me and said "I saw the kids wrapping my present." I said "You shouldn't tease her." He said "I'm not. Did you see her face? She was so excited!"

Daddy's birthday is a few days before Christmas and it presented another opportunity to talk about Daddy wanting a mug. At dinner one night, he said "I guess I'll have to use my birthday money to get a new mug for Christmas. I really want a new mug, but no one got me one for my birthday." Gillian smiled and said "Wait until after Christmas." Then she leaned over to me and whispered "I got him a mug! He only wanted a mug and I got him one!"

On Christmas Eve as I was tucking the kids in to bed, Gillian asked "Do we eat breakfast before we open presents?" I laughed "Is that because you want Daddy to have his mug right away?" She said "Yes!" I told her "Don't worry, we will make sure that Daddy gets his mug right away."

The next morning, the kids woke up and we headed right downstairs. The kids looked at all the presents and Daddy said "I would really like some coffee before we open gifts." Gillian ran to the tree, found her present and gave it to Daddy. He opened it up and he got his wish! A new mug! And Gillian made Daddy's wish come true!