Maybe I was bad last year

On the subject of the office Secret Santa exchange, some coworkers told me they opted out because they’d been burned in the past. I threw my card in the mix because 1) I have a lot of business cards to use up before Dec. 30 and 2) I still had a little Christmas faith.

Last year, I got a stapler shaped like a cat. It wasn’t even a nice-looking stapler shaped like a cat. Plus, I’m not a cat person. I thought I’d regive it this year, but I tell you, it’s so not cute that I can’t even think of anyone to regive it to.

I gave my person a DVD of an HBO movie that I got for free at a journalism conference — maybe she didn’t think that was such a hot gift either. And I was so jealous and disappointed because all the other recipients were shooting the whole newsroom a note saying “Thanks, Secret Santa! I love my [insert totally festive, cute or tasty gift here].” My person didn’t post a thank you, and neither did I.

Still, I kept the faith, because odds were the cat stapler person wasn’t going to pick my name again. I thought about regiving the cat stapler to my person, but I couldn’t be sure she wasn’t the one who gave it to me last year. So I picked out a nice desk calendar, appropriate for an editor type, and gave it to her. She sent an office wide thank you, so I feel good.

I was further rewarded with four blue and white tea cups and a gajillion chocolate coins. I tell you, I have been mechanically peeling and eating those chocolate coins for the past hour.