It's the thought that counts????

The elementary school my boys go to just had their Holiday Fair this past weekend, which means that this week, the kids get to go buy Christmas gifts from the leftover stuff that didn't sell.

This is one of my favorite things they do each year. I send the boys in with a list of who to buy for and how much to spend on each person. Usually I just name off everyone in our immediate family, so they buy presents for their parents and siblings, and I only allow up to $3 each.

Some nice volunteers help them shop, and then wrap their gifts up for them right there. The boys come home with a big bag full of presents that we have to WAIT to open until Christmas. You would think that would be the hardest part; waiting to open their gifts. But nope, the hardest part for them is keeping what they bought a secret.

Andrew will say things like "Mom, I bought you something that you're gonna really love, but you can't eat it, and you can't wear it, but you CAN use it to make yourself smell pretty, but I'm NOT gonna tell you what it is."

John-Paul is a little more clever and ends up telling me what he bought for everybody except me, and then tells Phil what he bought for everybody except Phil so that way he has spilled all the secrets but not ruined anyone's suprise.

Hmmmmm, they have a hard-time keeping secrets?? And they get super excited about giving gifts to people?? I wonder where they get that from ;-)

Anyway, here's my gift from John-Paul last Christmas (earrings). He was THRILLED to give me jewelry, and so I wore these all Christmas day that year. And yeah, they sorta made me look like a lady-of-the-night, but it made him happy, so that was worth it.