My wife is our family’s Santa Claus

It’s always been the case that my wife enjoys shopping far more than I do. In fact, she’ll take just about any opportunity to head out to the store “to pick something up” or “just look around.” The month or so leading up to Christmas is a special time for her, one in which she has a virtual mandate to go shopping.

Linda will grab ahold of whatever gift list is made available to her and turn it into a series of day trips to check items off those lists. Like most modern people, she also spends a fair amount of time on Amazon, trying to track down those consumer goods that aren’t always readily available in stores.

I, on the other hand, have a very limited role when it comes to selecting and purchasing presents. Basically, it boils down to making sure I take the delivery boxes inside whenever they arrive so they don’t get covered in snow (or rain). I don’t even need to worry about wrapping anything. Linda has all stages of the gift-giving process covered. I wonder if Santa Claus has it this easy. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve watched as a sprawling pile of presents has accumulated under the tree, and it almost seems like elves are busy at work when I’m not looking. I can take credit for one Christmas-related chore: I did haul out our tree, got all of the branches in the right places and hung the ornaments in a semi-symmetrical pattern. It was my own contribution to yuletide cheer this year at the O’Brien household.

Of course, someone besides Linda also had to buy her a gift for Christmas. I couldn’t, in good conscience, just hand her a $50 bill and tell her to go pick out something she likes. Although she does like gift cards because it means she can do more shopping after the holidays are over, it’s generally frowned upon to get such a thought-free gift for one’s wife. So, I hopped online the other day and found her something that I think she’ll like (and I know she doesn’t already have.)

Oftentimes,becauseI’mbusywithwork and other things, it seems like Christmas is just something that happens around me. It’s the ultimate spectator sport for guys like me who get to watch while their wives, mothers and mothers-in-law do all the heavy lifting. If Linda needs help with something, I’m always there to open a box or plug in a light. But, she’s the master of good tidings and joy in our abode.

So, this holiday season, remember to thank all of the friends and family members who do a disproportionate amount of the Christmas planning and prep work. I think every family has that one person who handles the lion’s share of the shopping, decorating, etc. so that everyone else can just sit back and enjoy the parties and presents. They all deserve an extra kiss under the mistletoe.

OUT FOR A WALK

KEVIN O’BRIEN

EDITOR