Failed Christmas Presents

It’s no secret that one of my favorite things is gem mining. 

I love the process of sorting through dirt and discovering small treasures. 

Over the years, I’ve collected and given a lot of unpolished gems

And a few years ago, I gave away gems that I had polished in my rock tumbler. 

But it wasn’t until this year that I actually paid to have gems cut, professionally polished, and turned into jewelry. 

 

At the time of this year’s mining, 

Having the stones set for the three people I was with seemed like a great idea! 

“These will make great birthday and Christmas presents,” I thought. 

“And they will be something they can keep forever.”

I was super excited! 

I even came home and ordered silver chains to go with the pendants. 

 

But then reality set in a couple of weeks ago: 

Nice jewelry isn’t at the top of a 3rd and a 7th graders’ gift lists .  

Their mama’s? Yes! 

Theirs? No. 

 

Nevertheless, I persisted 

And presented the girls with sapphire and aquamarine necklaces, 

Cut and polished from stones that we had found together on our spontaneous summer getaway away. 

 

Ideally, the girls would have loved their necklaces. 

In reality, they were disappointed in this year’s Christmas gifts.

Last year, I scored big with a Stanley cup and a life-sized teddy bear. 

This year, I got demerits for fancy jewelry . 

 

Don’t get me wrong. 

The girls are not ungrateful brats. 

They will come to appreciate the value of their gifts in due time. 

But for now,

They are just kids. 

And I temporarily forgot that kids like trends and toys more than sentimental necklaces . 

 

So, if you’re like me, 

Then this holiday season will be filled with both joys and disappointments. 

You will both fail and succeed in your gift giving 

And you will be both genuinely happy and pretendedly happy in your gift receiving. 

 

Through it all, though,

Just remember this:

If your heart is in the right place, 

Then that is what matters. 

It’s not about money. 

It’s not about scoring big. 

It’s about giving and receiving love, 

Even when the tangible gift is not fully appreciated in return. 

 

I drove home from my failed gift giving smiling. 

I gave the girls a gift they get to grow into. 

It’s not trendy. 

It’s not a toy. 

It’s a little piece of my heart, 

Of something that I hold dear, 

And I have no regrets…

Except maybe I should have thrown in some baseball cards and Jellycats .