I had the nicest surprise this morning on my desk:
Yesterday, after one of our meetings, the guys were all going around and saying what they'd received for Christmas. When it came to be my turn, I was sort of like "Well...I didn't really get much for presents this year". They were all like "What?? How is that possible?". Well, my mother was so caught up with the move and everything else going on that she just didn't buy us anything. She says she meant too....but she just didn't. So she stopped by Walmart on Christmas eve and bought me a set of headphones (the same gift she'd just watched me open the previous weekend at our family small gift exchange) and a Twilight book. Um yeah - so not a Twilight fan. The thing is, Christmas is not about the presents for me, it's about the thought you put into it. And I spent a lot of time deciding what to buy for my mom & my brother, so it was kind of sad to get nothing in return.
So my co-workers secretly banded together last night and bought me a surprising amount of beauty products - I don't even know how I'm going to get it all back to France. I got three separate baskets - one for hands, one for feet and one with make-up. There are lotions, gels and polish galore. There was even a really cute little note saying "To:Samantha, From: Santa. I am so sorry I missd you. I flew to Paris, but you weren't home! Enjoy the treats. Merry belated Christmas!!''
I was so touched by their thoughtfulness - I never would've expected it from the manly men I work with (though I'm assuming at least one of their wives had a hand in this, LOL). And then they took me out for Happy Hour tonight. I also forgot to mention that the secretary is on vacation this week and she left me the keys to her house! So I am staying in their lovely home, right on the edge of a lake. She even stocked the fridge with food she knows I like. I really do have the best co-workers ever, and if I have to be in the US for the rest of this week, I'm happy to be spending it at work.
Labels: Christmas, Working girl
posted by Ksam @ 4:04 AM
22 Comments:
This is just the sweetest thing ever. You have the most thoughtful co-workers!
That's so nice and I don't think the gifts could have found a nicer person to go to :)
that is really sweet!! Now, do you think French co-workers would have done the same? Hmmmm...methinks perhaps not.
Glad you got some holiday cheer despite a rocky start to your trip back. Now get your ass back to Paris so we can celebrate the New Year with a kir ;)
Ksam, that is incredibly nice and thoughtful of them! Gets me choked up a little just thinking about it ... I wish I had colleagues like that! Merry Christmas! :-)
Now, that is a place every worker on the earth can envy. Lucky you.
Thoughtful and your co-workers were happy to do for others which always feels right. You do deserve all nice things, and also a Happy New Year!
Linda (formerly your anon)
Wow - that is so thoughtful of them! People can really surprise you sometimes (in a good way)! One mention - if you are not a Twilight fan due to the movies/hype, give the books a shot - they are a fun and fast read, especially the first three (not a fan of the first movie btw)...
What lovely people. I think I might have cried.
Hahah, I love the excuse they found for Santa: you just weren't home! And as for getting it back to France, is there a colleague who's coming in a month or so? Maybe he could bring what you can't fit in your suitcase.
Sweet! Lucky KSam!
What lovely colleagues you have - lucky you :-)
thank GOD this is your second week, so you can end things on a high note! i can't even imagine how it would've felt to go from being with your coworkers to moving your mom and then straight back to france.
It's my THIRD week, my dear. Even though it feels like the third month instead!
I can't get over how sweet this is, and the note from Santa is beyond adorable. Glad you get to end your trip to the US on a high note.
christ on a birthday cake that's a long time.
can you tell it's my favorite new epithet?
Ditto what Aura said (I was going to write the same thing, word for word!) And I know what you mean about it being about the THOUGHT put into the gifts. Even if a gift is expensive, but it's clear the giver just bought it "off the rack" with no thought to my tastes or interests, I'm disappointed. But when someone makes a real effort -- even if they don't get it "quite right" -- I'm always delighted. Example: my 21-yr-old step-son gave me two identical necklaces of colorful little circular beads on colored string (one in shades of cranberry red, the other in shades of teal) that I would probablyt never have chosen for myself, and as he's a student I know he didn't have a lot of cash to spend. But they're actually quite beautiful and unique, and I could tell he really THOUGHT about what he was buying. I really love them and will wear them with pleasure, in part because I am so touched by his effort.
My worst gifts ever used to come from my clueless aunt Helen, who just never seemed to know who we (my sister and I) were and who has ZERO taste; we got ugly copper bracelets that turned our wrists green; "wrist purses" that were never, ever in style; and the worst of all one year -- red and green plaid frilly APRONS. Yes! Aprons! Like a college girl wants to dress up like freaking Martha Stewart on acid?
PS, and yes, try the Twilight book anyway. I was surprised at how well-written and enjoyable they were, though I'm not caught up in the whole vampire craze. Might be a good read for the flight home!
That note is so super cute. You do have amazing co-workers!
Stocking the fridge with food you like too! What champions!
oh, that is so sweet! What lovely co-workers.
I just hate the whole thoughtless gift-giving thing. It's not just the lack of thought, it's the wasteful accumulation of unwanted stuff. If someone doesn't know/can't be bothered to think of what I'd like, I would *much* rather they gave a gift to a charity such as Heifer International instead. Lots of charities have gift schemes now, and I have actually told people to "give" me these (and given them myself).
You know, I'm sure you will keep a precious memory of that Christmas.
Love and kindness when you don't even expect it is just the best.
You are surrounded by great people.
merry christmas, baby grrrl.
That was so thoughtful of them! They obviously think highly of you and care about you, which is cool. Happy New Year!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home