12.20.2009

The Suprise(less) gift

Try as I may, I can't surprise Jess with a gift. Don't believe me? Well, you should, because I've tried. And it's been, well, rough. Every attempt is futile.
  1. If I buy something using the credit card, he knows, because he checks our finances, and the store is right there, next to how much the darn thing cost. But, then again, Jess doesn't check it line by line, day by day, so in theory, I could get something past him. But no. It doesn't work.
  2. This time my secret is out because the computer signs into amazon.com (or any other site) using his info. After the purchase, amazon kindly sends him an email telling him what's on his way. Thanks guys. But I'm one step ahead, I open Jess' email account and forward the message to me. Then I delete the message from his account. Voila! Right? no. A day later amazon foils my plans and sends Jess another message, this time to let him know his special gift has been shipped. How can I compete? I can't stay on top of messages like that. Amazon's got me beat. But there are others ways, you say. And I agree.
  3. One time, I tried to buy Jess a gift, but I left it in the car because there were too many things to carry into the house. Later that night, I asked Jess if he could get the non-perishable groceries out of the car. Just as he makes his way up to the apartment, I remember the gift. Maybe he won't see it amongst all of the bags. Nope, he does.
  4. And finally, forget the use of the credit card, no use of the internet, I don't even buy it at the store. One year, I created a homemade gift, a pastel of him and I. Then I hid it in a place I swore he never looked. Days before the gift was to be given, he comes up to me and asks, holding the picture in one hand, "Who drew this for us? Did we get this for our wedding?"
What's the trick to being sneaky? As I have yet to succeed.

5 comments:

Da said...

Ashley!! I have plenty of ideas!! You can use your CC to buy many items from Walmart, Target, Kohls, Macys, and any place with a local physical store which include the one you want to get for him. That way, he will see the CC charge but can't figure all the charges. Then return the rest of the items to the local store (save return shipping charges) Idea #2, ask a friend like us to help you buy something from online and give it to you in a brown box or have it shipped to your house on the day prior:D Idea#3-have the youth/Home/visitor teacher/mom's group friend bring it over on the day prior Idea#4-Have a friend buy the gift and bring Jess over to the friend's place a couple days prior for the surprise. Idea#5-...I won't put too much here, he might read this too...but there's many other ways too. Good luck and call us if you want to help out.

ash said...

Da, these are great ideas. Doesn't sound too hard when you explain it. I'll have to try some of these plans for next time:)

Natalie said...

Wow. That is impossible. We always put a ban on checking the credit card statement in January. But as I think about it that's probably not the best strategy either...

Stephen, Nadia, Mia y Ella said...

I totally agree with you, now we just go shopping together..

Holley @ Lunges and Lashes said...

Haha, that is why as soon as Christmas shopping starts we have a rule that no one is allowed to look at the bank or cc statements till after christmas. plus its nice to live in ignorance for a couple weeks. :)