Quote:
You've signed up for a Secret Santa this year, be it in a hobby group, school, work, or just in your circle of friends. You've received a name and a small index card's worth of information about their likes and dislikes, so it's time to go shopping for them! Or, maybe you're receiving your own present? Was this a good idea or just extra holiday stress?
It wasn't that she was a scrooge, or even disliked the season or anything like that, but there were many little traditions and events that made Sinead hate this time of year. One of the main ones being the reason she chose to go home and to her room, her den of safety and sanctuary, so she could shut out the world for even a short period of time.
Secret Santas, a childish and more than pointless exercise. The gifts received were often any combination of tacky, useless or trash. The rare few that were none of the above were better fodder for re-gifting. The lazy man's method of getting gifts. It wasn't anything that interested her in the slightest, but in school it was still mandatory. So like everyone else in her class she filled out the stupid little index card and hoped beyond hope that either there was an odd number of people so she could volunteer to abstain from the event or that they would say it was just some kind of joke or the whole thing was simply cancelled. But no such luck.
Today they drew names, and the whole exchange thing was to happen in three days time. Christmas Eve.
Sinead sighed as she flopped down on her bed startling the cream colored cat that had been resting peacefully in a sunny spot... his sunny spot thank very much, which he made abundantly clear as he got up with a much put-upon glare at the teen.
'Ooops. Sorry Ora, I didn't see you there.'
She sat up quickly and scooped the cat up into her arms for cuddles and pets, knowing this was probably the quickest and easiest way to make amends for startling him. It was so easy to know what to do for Oracle, but with others – with people, especially ones that one might not know very well – it was much more difficult... And that was the problem.
'Oh Ora, why must things be so complicated.' She buried her face against the soft fur of the cat's back. 'Secret Santa's suck.'
It wasn't the holidays, or even the fact that she had to get a gift for someone she didn't know, even with the index card the thought of trying to find a gift was daunting... It was the lack of choice to begin with, and the fact that secret santa's were perhaps fun as a little kid, but come on, she was thirteen and this was no fun. 'But I guess, if I'm going to be a part of this ridiculousness, I may as well try to do this right. What do you think Ora?'
'Mrrow.'
'Yeah, you're probably right. So I'll just take another look at my card and go from there...'
Name: Millora Nadine Sebastienne
Likes: ((left blank))
Dislikes: cold weather, spicy foods, excessively sweet candies,
anything related to school or working, handmade anything
Please note I am allergic to chemicals of all kinds, most perfumes, peanuts
chocolate, soy, milk, gluten and latex
'Well, that is just really unhelpful. I mean I get the what not to get, and since one of the rules stated that gift cards are out, that also really limits things... I just don't even really know who this Millora is either. Maybe Aunty Klara will have some ideas to help me...' Then she shuddered. 'But if I ask for her help, she'll probably insist I join her and the group of ladies she hangs with to go carolling... maybe that is best used as a last resort.'
