Secret Santa?

     Nothing too secret about this Santa. We had a great plan, but one thing after another went wrong. We had the wrong key to the house we broke into, and by the time we got in, a handful of minutes were all we had for setting up our surprise.

     We bagged the donated gifts, which to our delight, dwarfed the little Christmas tree. It was fun to set the tree on top of the pile of gifts when it was finished. In our haste, we nearly forgot to grab the trash and leftover decor on our way out.

     The tripod was also left in the house when we fled, and had to be retrieved. Trying to unlock a door in a hurry while doubled over in laughter is harder than it looks.

No time for a photo? Nonsense! There's always time for a photo.

     Just barely out of the house before the home's occupant returned from a Christmas party, we anxiously waited to discover the reaction.

     Meanwhile, there was an inability to find a desperately needed restroom to change out of the costume and preserve our cover. Seriously, who keeps Santa out of a restroom on Christmas? People who like coal.

     (Rather than hinder the plans, our troubles that day kept us laughing hysterically and made the experience that much more memorable)

     A phone call to Mr. Recipient with an offer to stop by with Christmas goodies and hot chocolate got us back into the home. What a thrill and a blessing to be invited to stay and watch as the gifts were opened.

     The perfectly tailored gifts caused Mr. Recipient to suspect the many generous donors who contributed, and before very long, the cover was blown. However, the joy experienced by the donors and recipient tightened a loving bond amongst us all.

   
   

     Do you have a favorite Secret Santa story?