Note to Self... Never Again!!!!

    I gave in reluctantly... I knew I shouldn’t have...but I did. Admittedly, it is my awesome co-workers fault. Her class was going to exchange gifts and eventually my class found out (most likely within 2 seconds after they found their friends at recess). There was so much excitement in the air when they told me that we were also going to exchange gifts (imagine my surprise). When I told them we were going to do something different, there was some major sulking going on. That’s when I folded... after all I didn’t want to take their JOY away from them. Besides, I was all wrapped up in their excitement and it wasn’t until later (5 seconds or so)... that I started getting this sick feeling in my tummy.


Parents were told (3 times) to PLEASE let me know if they were unable to provide a gift and I would take care of it. I was pretty confident (since I checked them off as they brought them) that everyone but one little girl had brought a gift. The morning of the party I find a note in my mailbox notifying me that the little girl would indeed not be bringing a gift! Are you kidding me!!!! Irritation set in because I realized I had forgotten to buy an extra gift... Grrrr!!!!!! After scurrying around a bit, yeah the gift is take care of!

     And then the much anticipated party begins. The kiddos loved our reindeer race! The treats are quickly devoured. Now they are ready for the greatly anticipated gift exchange. I’m rather curious what kind of gifts the kids brought to exchange. It didn’t take long, and things started happening. One girl loudly said she didn’t like her gift and began to pout (not that it matters, but this was the same little girl who didn’t bring a gift). I quickly make a scan of all the faces trying to locate the little girl who brought the present to see how she was handling the fact that her gift was hated. It didn’t take long and I saw her. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes and by the time I reached her she was sobbing! By this time all the other children were looking at her and asking her what was wrong. She was not hesitant at all about telling them. “Everyone else got a toy and I got a blanket!” Yep! I was 100% wrong on that one! I wanted to scream “ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!” Another parent immediately turned to her daughter and said something. The next thing I know the daughter is bringing her gift and offering it to the crying child. Unbelievable!

     Wow! I’m glad that is off of my chest. And with that being said I’m once again back to my original plan. I will not do gift exchanges ever again. I’m going to keep this post and as a reminder to myself read it every year around December 1st as a reminder!