By: Marlene Oxender
Montpelier, Ohio
It happened on Christmas Eve a few years ago when my friend Tina was told that the large box under the tree was for her – from her husband.
Her family had gathered to open gifts, and they watched as she unwrapped the box to find a set of holiday dinner plates that’d been on her wish list. She planned to use them the next day for their holiday meal.
Tina wanted to show the dishes to her children, so her husband used his pocketknife to cut through the tape that sealed the box.
As she lifted a plate, she noticed a dried crumb on the rim. Then another. There was a moment of confusion as she took a closer look at whatever was stuck to the dishes.
It became apparent that someone had used the plates, placed them back in the box, secured it with tape, and returned it to the store. It gave new meaning to the term “regifting.”
Tina and her family were left with a story to tell – the one about the husband who had unwittingly bought dirty dishes for his wife, wrapped the box in holiday paper, and placed it under the tree.
Maybe that’s why Santa checks things twice. Life is made up of one story after another. Funny moments and not-so-funny moments. Moments that weave their way into a good story.
I wonder what Tina’s husband thought after he discovered he’d given his wife a set of dirty dishes. Not too many people have such a story to tell about themselves.
Years ago, when our daughters were in college, my husband and I decided they’d appreciate the gift of cash more than anything else.
Since I wanted them to have something to unwrap, I tucked the bills into individual boxes along with an ordinary item they may or may not use.
And so began the tradition: cash, wrapped fashionably with something ordinary – or something that would make them laugh.
Now my holiday shopping takes place year-round in secondhand stores or library book sales. Even little items given away at the county fair may be something that’s just right for them.
It was over twenty years ago when this tradition began, and some of the gifts they received over the years have naturally made their way into good stories.
Tina’s encounter with a new set of dirty dishes is a reminder that every day brings with it a scene in which we’re the main character. And it’s such an odd thing – we’re surrounded by others who know their role in our story.
But then we remember we live in a world where the characters on our stage are doing things like returning used dishes to the store. And the husband doesn’t know he’s living in the middle of a plot twist that’ll make him forget his next line. He was simply trying to play his part.
Sometimes the best gifts are not the newest things or the ones we expect. Sometimes it’s the story that follows us to the next Christmas when we’ll open a gift just once, but the memories will stay with us forever.
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Marlene Oxender is a writer, speaker, and author. She writes about growing up in the small town of Edgerton, her ten siblings, the memorabilia in her parents’ estate, and her late younger brother, Stevie Kimpel, who was born with Down syndrome. Her three published books, Picket Fences, Stevie, and “Grandma, You Already Am Old!” are available on Amazon. Marlene can be reached at mpoxender@gmail.com