"I know what you're going to bring me for Christmas," stated Lilian very confidently....even somewhat arrogantly. "Cause you've already bringed it. And it's a Rapunzel doll."
I've never had this problem before. I'd always congratulated myself for having such obedient children when it came to Christmas secrets. My children didn't go hunting for an early glimpse of what they were going to find under the tree on Christmas day. Oh, they knew exactly where I had "hidden" the Christmas loot but they purposely steered clear. And if, by some chance, they did come across something...they would apologize profusely and swear to immediately "forget" what they had accidentally seen. There was no need to find more secretive and devious hiding places or wrap everything the moment I bought it to keep them from ruining Christmas surprises.
Until now.
Lilian has never been a good one for secrets. She outs me on just about everything....from giving in on something Bryan has specifically forbidden, to immediately telling a sibling what we've just bought them for their birthday. A few days ago I did a little Christmas shopping with Julianne. This Rapunzel doll was on my list and though my original plan was to order it on Amazon, when I saw it just sitting there on the shelf (for an even cheaper price, mind you) I snatched it up and bought it. As we pulled into the garage I asked Julianne for some help running interference if we bumped into Lilian on my way to the Christmas hidey spot. And she did do a marvelous job of distracting Lilian....it was MY mistake that led to my current problem. As I walked by I taunted Lilian with the news that I had a Christmas present for her in my sack...and that she shouldn't look or it would ruin the surprise. I honestly thought it would just make her excited...realizing that Christmas was close enough that I was buying gifts.
Lilian did not see that I had hidden that sack in my closet behind a bunch of clothes. But using some sort of deductive reasoning she obviously found what she was hunting for. I don't know if she went straight to it or if it took her awhile. All I know is that a few days later I found the sack half opened and leaning out of the clothing I'd so carefully hidden it behind. Then came the above pronouncement.
So a few thoughts:
1. Obviously I need to find a new, more secretive and devious hiding spot.
2. THAT doll needs to come from Mom and Dad....not Santa.
3. I'm so glad she DID NOT find the other presents for her that I'd also stashed back there....
5 comments:
Hmmm... I'd consider returning the Rapunzel doll, actually. I think there is value in learning to follow the rules about this sort of thing. After all, surprising someone else is a pleasure for the surpriser, too, and if it's ruined, then there's no going back.
But that's just me! I absolutely hate when people attempt to circumvent my fun like that, and that's how I see it.
Meantime... I'm thinking you need to find a spot that's "up". Out of reach. Or even elsewhere. ;)
I also hide presents in my closet :) We have taken to locking the door (or even the bathroom door) during this time of year. None of the kids know how to open it with those funny keys. Just a thought!
One year, Sydney walked into my closet after I had wrapped the gifts from Santa. She saw all the gifts and so I had to re-wrap everything in different paper!
Good luck!!
We lock all of our presents in a room. Mostly because of Will. When he was little he would go looking for the Christmas presents. One year he went and got his sister LeeAnn and showed her the cabbage patch doll that she had been asking for for over a year. She was so excited. But, when Will's Mom got home he ran to her and said "LeeAnn found her cabbage patch doll that you got her for Christmas" Well, come Christmas day, LeeAnn did not get that doll. She is pretty bitter about it to this day. So we hid them because Will knows what he was like as a kid (naughty!!)
We hide all ours in places our boys would never think to look and luckily for us, we have great kids that never go hunting. Of course, it always helps when you put stuff in the very top of the closet in a box labeled "maternity underwear"...
The kiddos have been finding my stuff all over the house and garage since the move.......hmmmmmm I wonder what is in THIS box? yep, Kelly came and told me that she had found the keyboard that is HER present and wants to know how long until Christmas.......
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