Unexpected gifts

I have found, over the years, that I always seem to get some unexpected gifts at this time of year.

Being a good Guider, I try very hard to have a "reciprocal" unexpected gift available at all times. Thus I stock up on chocolates and trinkets and little things that can always be thrown into a gift bag, should the need arise.

As my kids have grown, I have also added "birthday party type" gifts to my stash. I always shop at Boxing Day sales (online, of course) and stock up on the $10-$15 gifts that I like to have around just in case the birthday party invitation comes home on Friday afternoon for the Saturday party. It's happened. This year, though, we haven't gone through the gift stash as much as I thought we might.

But then, I also have the fortunate position of being a leader/teacher/coach - whatever you want to call me. So that brings "teacher" gifts. And, most of the people who give "teacher" gifts know about my restricted diet. The girl who always gives me chocolates (homemade, truly yummy, but verboten this year) shocked me with a gift card to Coles. Now, when I get gift cards for teachers, I do little ones. This wasn't a little one. I now have to figure out what to do with that - I know a thank you note is in order, but it is difficult to know what to do when you give shortbreads and dollar bubble bath and get a cash valuable gift in return.

And, from another unexpected corner, the girls' soccer coach has gone out and bought the whole team pj pants with soccer balls on them. Soccer is in the spring/fall. I had completely forgotten about the generous man. So now Charlotte is writing up a Christmas card and we're dropping off some cookies that the girls made.

Perhaps we can make up for our unexpected gifts. I'm dropping off baking (including fruit cake) to a friend who hasn't had time to make hers. I can't eat it anyway, so it only seems fair.

And last night we realized that one of our little girls at the meeting was looking pretty sad. Upon discussion, we discovered that her mom (single, working) is owed a pile of cash that was going to help pay for Christmas for the kids. So I came home and called up a nice lady from church who works with the Christmas Cheer board and told her that we could donate something to that hamper.

So now, my unexpected gift cupboard is bare. That, too, is an unexpected gift.