Actually she was moderately amused until the power went out a couple times and she tried to reset it. Now it sits on my desk. I still think it's pretty.
Actually she was moderately amused until the power went out a couple times and she tried to reset it. Now it sits on my desk.
That’s the trouble with ironic gifts. They’re often more fun to give than receive. I’ve given some real stinkers over the years, most of which amused me no end but were met with bewilderment and politely muffled disappointment. A friend of mine, though, is quite skilled at picking ironic gifts. She has a knack for it. My bookcase now looks like an ephemera post brought to strange and horrible life.
I gave my wife a copy of Atlas Shrugged for Christmas in 2008 with the inscription "You need to read this before we start living it". She never got around to reading it so I wrapped it up and gave it to her for her birthday in 2009 and again in Christmas 2010. Each time she swore she really wanted to get to it. We spent Thankgiving 2011 at her sister's place. We usually exchange pre-Christmas gifts then. I serrupticiously shipped the book to her sister to have her sign and wrap it to be given by her.
Damn shame it's not a better read. She did read it, though.
They’re often more fun to give than receive. I’ve given some real stinkers over the years, most of which amused me no end but were met with bewilderment and politely muffled disappointment.
I'm reminded of a Christmas almost 20 years ago now, when my nephew was about four years old. My sister and her husband taught him how to be thankful for the gifts he received, and when the whole familiy got together, somebody gave him some battery-operated toy, with the batteries wrapped up in a small pacakage, and the toy they went into wrapped up in a bigger box.
So the nephew takes the smaller box and unwraps it first, revealing the batteries. At which point he holds them up, displays them proudly to everybdoy, and says, "Just what I ALWAYS WANTED!"
I don't think he understood why we all broke out in hysterical laughter.
That's the wife's Christmas present sorted.
Posted by: rjmadden | September 15, 2014 at 08:28
That’s the wife’s Christmas present sorted.
I picture her face lighting up. As she launches your belongings, now on fire, into the street.
Posted by: David | September 15, 2014 at 08:59
I like its little legs.
Posted by: Anna | September 15, 2014 at 14:43
Who knew 12 seconds could be interminable? I think it needs boobs.
Posted by: R. Sherman | September 15, 2014 at 16:46
That's the wife's Christmas present sorted
You should have seen my wife's face when I got her this last Christmas.
http://www.gadgetsandgear.com/binary-clocks.html
Actually she was moderately amused until the power went out a couple times and she tried to reset it. Now it sits on my desk. I still think it's pretty.
Posted by: wtp | September 15, 2014 at 17:13
Actually she was moderately amused until the power went out a couple times and she tried to reset it. Now it sits on my desk.
That’s the trouble with ironic gifts. They’re often more fun to give than receive. I’ve given some real stinkers over the years, most of which amused me no end but were met with bewilderment and politely muffled disappointment. A friend of mine, though, is quite skilled at picking ironic gifts. She has a knack for it. My bookcase now looks like an ephemera post brought to strange and horrible life.
Posted by: David | September 15, 2014 at 17:17
I think this is why my parents and some of their friends have a policy of regifting (or for even more "fun": surprise regifting):
Mr. X: Happy Birthday Mr. Y; here, have a garden gnome.
Mr. Y : Here keep the X's distracted while I sneak the gnome into their luggage.
Mr. Z: It was so nice to see the X's again - Why is there a garden gnome tucked into our bed?
Posted by: TimP | September 16, 2014 at 02:35
Let me try that again without greater-then and less-then signs:
Mr. X: Happy Birthday Mr. Y; here, have a garden gnome.
[a couple of days later]
Mr. Y [whispering to his wife]: Here keep the X's distracted while I sneak the gnome into their luggage.
[a few months later]
Mr. Z: It was so nice to see the X's again - Why is there a garden gnome tucked into our bed?
Posted by: TimP | September 16, 2014 at 02:36
While I'm in the confessional...
I gave my wife a copy of Atlas Shrugged for Christmas in 2008 with the inscription "You need to read this before we start living it". She never got around to reading it so I wrapped it up and gave it to her for her birthday in 2009 and again in Christmas 2010. Each time she swore she really wanted to get to it. We spent Thankgiving 2011 at her sister's place. We usually exchange pre-Christmas gifts then. I serrupticiously shipped the book to her sister to have her sign and wrap it to be given by her.
Damn shame it's not a better read. She did read it, though.
Posted by: WTP | September 16, 2014 at 03:03
The suspense was unbearable.
Posted by: sk60 | September 16, 2014 at 09:58
Just put your lips together and blow.
Posted by: Ted S., Catskill Mtns., NY, USA | September 16, 2014 at 13:56
They’re often more fun to give than receive. I’ve given some real stinkers over the years, most of which amused me no end but were met with bewilderment and politely muffled disappointment.
I'm reminded of a Christmas almost 20 years ago now, when my nephew was about four years old. My sister and her husband taught him how to be thankful for the gifts he received, and when the whole familiy got together, somebody gave him some battery-operated toy, with the batteries wrapped up in a small pacakage, and the toy they went into wrapped up in a bigger box.
So the nephew takes the smaller box and unwraps it first, revealing the batteries. At which point he holds them up, displays them proudly to everybdoy, and says, "Just what I ALWAYS WANTED!"
I don't think he understood why we all broke out in hysterical laughter.
Posted by: Ted S., Catskill Mtns., NY, USA | September 16, 2014 at 14:00