Still Not-So-Secret Santa
On Friday, we had our annual Christmas Mass and Luncheon for our Archdiocesan headquarters. I had to miss the Mass as I was at Jake’s first-ever Christmas concert at his pre-school, but I left my almost-in-labour-wife and 2 sons and bolted downtown for the lunch. I arrived about 45 minutes late, but snuck in just in time to budge ahead of those going for seconds.
On the way back from restaurant to our building, Gerard and I had a great chat with Archbishop Miller. We spoke mostly on gift exchanges, and I was able to share with him my comical experience with last year’s work Secret Santa exchange…the one where Archbishop Roussin told me that he was my Secret Santa…well before I even received my gift!
Here’s the time where you need to read my blog from last year, called Not-So-Secret Santa. It will make the rest of this blog so much better. Go ahead…I’ll wait!
Read "Not-So-Secret Santa" here.
Okay, thanks.
Then, we headed into our famous lunchroom for the annual Secret Santa exchange. Same rules as usual: keep it as close to $15 as you can, and don't reveal yourself as the gift giver. Simple right?
So as Archbishop Roussin walked into the room, I approached him and jokingly asked, “Did you get me again this year?”
Archbishop Roussin will never be a good poker player, in my humble opinion (probably a good thing). And he certainly isn’t a good liar (yet another good thing).
His eyes darted away and I don’t remember him actually saying anything aside from laughing a gentle, yet unnatural laugh.
Sure enough, my gift was the last one handed out. It was wrapped in a big brown paper bag, with a 8 ½ by 11 picture of me (printed off from my website) taped on front. Of course, that drew the attention of almost all of the 80 or so staff members in attendance. So I opened the gift in front of 160 curious eyes (give or take a few pupils).
Similar to last year, I burst out into laughter upon opening the gift. That’s because it was similar to last year:
-a six-pack of Pepsi
-a Hockey News magazine, and a
-a book of Pope Benedict XVI’s Spiritual Thoughts in his first year of his papacy
I looked at Archbishop Roussin and exclaimed: “It was you, wasn’t it?”
His grin said it all…and his dedication on the inside cover of the book confirmed it.
“No poker magazine this year?” I asked him, mostly tongue-in-cheek.
“I thought you would benefit from something a little more serious” Bishop Ray answered.
“It’s perfect. Thank you.”
With that, we exchanged a Christmas hug and wished each other well. I later found out that the picking of my name wasn’t exactly random.
But I wouldn’t have had it any other way. For my gift will satisfy my soul…and my tastebuds!
On the way back from restaurant to our building, Gerard and I had a great chat with Archbishop Miller. We spoke mostly on gift exchanges, and I was able to share with him my comical experience with last year’s work Secret Santa exchange…the one where Archbishop Roussin told me that he was my Secret Santa…well before I even received my gift!
Here’s the time where you need to read my blog from last year, called Not-So-Secret Santa. It will make the rest of this blog so much better. Go ahead…I’ll wait!
Read "Not-So-Secret Santa" here.
Okay, thanks.
Then, we headed into our famous lunchroom for the annual Secret Santa exchange. Same rules as usual: keep it as close to $15 as you can, and don't reveal yourself as the gift giver. Simple right?
So as Archbishop Roussin walked into the room, I approached him and jokingly asked, “Did you get me again this year?”
Archbishop Roussin will never be a good poker player, in my humble opinion (probably a good thing). And he certainly isn’t a good liar (yet another good thing).
His eyes darted away and I don’t remember him actually saying anything aside from laughing a gentle, yet unnatural laugh.
Sure enough, my gift was the last one handed out. It was wrapped in a big brown paper bag, with a 8 ½ by 11 picture of me (printed off from my website) taped on front. Of course, that drew the attention of almost all of the 80 or so staff members in attendance. So I opened the gift in front of 160 curious eyes (give or take a few pupils).
Similar to last year, I burst out into laughter upon opening the gift. That’s because it was similar to last year:
-a six-pack of Pepsi
-a Hockey News magazine, and a
-a book of Pope Benedict XVI’s Spiritual Thoughts in his first year of his papacy
I looked at Archbishop Roussin and exclaimed: “It was you, wasn’t it?”
His grin said it all…and his dedication on the inside cover of the book confirmed it.
“No poker magazine this year?” I asked him, mostly tongue-in-cheek.
“I thought you would benefit from something a little more serious” Bishop Ray answered.
“It’s perfect. Thank you.”
With that, we exchanged a Christmas hug and wished each other well. I later found out that the picking of my name wasn’t exactly random.
But I wouldn’t have had it any other way. For my gift will satisfy my soul…and my tastebuds!
posted by Clay at 8:36 AM
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