My Own Personal Hallmark Moment

Today we finally put ornaments on our tree. I say "finally" because it seems like such a bloody long time since our little kids have been harrassing the CRAP out of us to do it. They started the barrage on November 28th.

Once we get to it though, it's always nice. All the kids have ornaments of their own, or that they made, that have some value to them.

In fact, I do too:

Years ago, back when I worked for Montreal Trust (which I sentimentally refer to as the bad old days) I had a friend named Melody who I shared a cubicle with. She was very nice and put up with me admirably. When Christmas came along, I wanted to get her a small gift of some kind. The thing that immediately came to mind was that she was a collector of Hallmark Christmas ornaments. When I went to find one to buy for her, I was a little concerned over what ones she owned already. How would I know what to buy?

Then my eyes fell on... the WONDER WOMAN ornament that came out that year. How perfect! Not only did it fit my own comic book geek sensibilities, but I was certain that there would have been hundreds of other ornaments that she would have purchased for herself before that one! I bought it for her right away.

As the last work day before Christmas arrived, I had the gift all wrapped and ready to give to Melody. In fact, she had a gift for me as well. As we exchanged gifts, I noted that her gift for me was about the same size and weight as mine for her. When I opened the gift she gave me, I couldn't help but laugh out loud:

A Wonder Woman Hallmark Christmas ornament.

So, we had each picked a gift for the other that was a mix of our own and the other's interests. The same gift.

One additional footnote to this story: There was one slight difference between the gifts. Apparently, die-hard Hallmark Ornament collectors refuse to pull the little perforated price tab off the edge of the ornament box. Of course, I pulled the tab off the one I bought for Melody; naturally, she refused to damage the collectability of the one she bought me by removing the tab. She cared and I didn't. So what else could we do? We switched boxes, but kept the actual ornaments that the other had given us.

So there's my Christmas story. Ok, well, it's not "The Gift of the Magi" I admit, but it still makes me smile every year.

And Merry Christmas, Melody.