I thought I was smart. I really did.
I saw a great deal on a great gift for Zacharie and I bought it even though it’s August and Christmas is still 4 months away.
The problem is I’m not good at keeping secrets from the kids. Whenever we buy them something, we have to give it to them right away. We’ve managed to stash away a few LEGO sets in a “prize closet” that we pull out for birthday parties of their friends, but when it comes to cool stuff, we can’t wait.
Zacharie has absolutely LOVED riding his bike since he learned with Pedalheads a few weeks ago. He’s just about out of his old bike, and by spring he will need a new one. So .. I bought him one. I did my Christmas shopping in August and thought I was genius.
Apparently I’m not, because now the problems start.
I found a perfect 20″ bike with all the gears, brakes, shocks, and the kick stand that my son so desperately craved, on sale for 1/2 off.
It is red and blue. Just like Spider-Man and Superman.
We had talked in the past few weeks about how he needed a new bike, and I had showed him some models in the newspaper flyers to see what it was he wanted in a new bike. Red and blue and a kickstand. That was the request. And here it was, the last one on the floor for 1/2 price.
I bought it in a heartbeat. “I will save it until Christmas,” I thought. “What a great idea! I just went Christmas shopping in August! How crazy is that?”
The whole way home I was trying to come up with places to hide a new bike for 4 months. “The furnace room? A friend’s garage? Hanging behind my bike in our garage?” This was going to be so great.
I still remember the Christmas there was a bike under the tree. It was a bright orange one. I ran to it so quickly and then my smile sunk. The name tag said it was for my brother. Still, the excitement and energy of seeing something so big and bright sitting under the tree is something I can instantly remember.
I’d love to recreate that moment for Zacharie.
When I brought it home and told my wife, I was expecting congratulations. Instead, she said, “No way, we’ll give it to him now.”
My wife and I are TERRIBLE at keeping secrets. When we get something for the boys, we are so excited we just give it to them right away. I’d like to change that pattern and be smart. We give our kids little gifts of LEGO sets, Superhero costumes and masks, etc. all year long. I thought I was being smart by making a great purchase that will save us some cash and knock out one big Christmas gift 4 months early.
But can we hang on that long?
Our boys are away with their grandparents for the week, so we have time to discuss the matter and keep it stashed in our garage.
Internets, I need your help. Do we give it to him now and let him have 2 months of riding fun before the snow starts to fly, or do we save until December and let him unwrap it then with zero chance to ride it until May?
