It's The Thought That Counts

So far, I have given wine to a couple that has stopped drinking.  I gave books for five year old kids to a kid who's eight.

I presented a gift certificate that included an expensive pedicure to someone who doesn't like her feet touched.  

I bought candy for someone who announced right before opening her gift that she has decided not to eat candy ever again.

I received some gorgeous gloves that are just a bit too tight for the blood to continue flowing to my fingers.  I also got a lovely flowering plant that I accidentally left in the car to freeze last night.

On the other end of the spectrum, I sent some holiday flowers to a favorite aunt who called to say she not only got a poinsettia, but a huge centerpiece and a windowbox with three plants also arrived. That may explain why the bill seemed high.

Blockbuster had some sales on DVD's, so after getting gift cards for family, I got myself Capote, A History of Violence, Munich, and Syriana for a total of $19.00.  And I got to watch them all warm and fuzzy wrapped in a comforter.

I stopped by a friend's house to give them a bottle of Starbuck's coffee liqueur I promised to buy them.  As I was leaving, they unexpectedly gave me a present too. It was a box wrapped in lovely silver paper. I decided not to open it up until Christmas. Inside was a bottle of Starbuck's coffee liqueur.

My neighbor from across the street left me a delicious Christmas coffee cake -- a pecan kringle from Wisconsin. On Christmas Eve, I gave the leftover bag of cat food to my next door neighbor -- the one whose cat took refuge in my garage when they left him outside in a snowstorm. Whaddya gonna do? Their airport cab arrived to take them on an eight day trip to DisneyWorld and the cat didn't know.

I don't usually tip hair and mani people anything extra during the holidays because I tip very well throughout the year, but I gave my postman a huge tip because he organizes all my mail for me, separating the junk from the magazines, from the personal, from the bills.

I even tipped a gas station guy who came out of his warm sanctuary and started the pump for me when I was all dressed up, without being asked. Even better, he was completely surprised and couldn't have been more gracious when I gave it to him.

All this talk about the holidays makes me realize I haven't had any egg nog yet.  Just the thought is enough to line my arteries with a year's worth of cholesterol. Even so, the thought isn't enough. I gotta have one glass.