What's YOUR Word?

Interesting.

My husband knows what it means on my birthday, our anniversary, or Christmas morning.

Return or regift this hot mess.

You have a word, don’t you? You know, for that gift that your husband’s mom knew you’d love…because you’ve hidden your oh my gawd, get me out of here looks very well when she’s told jokes that crack up her Red Hats.

I had to be careful in choosing my word. In the beginning it was I love it in the days of Cosby Show sweaters from my family. I know my family meant well, but my reputation in high school was fragile as it was. The sweaters they gave me wanted to stay inside the boxes, able to hide their shame for being as bad as they were. This is when I widened my smile and said I love it. Unfortunately the only person who caught on to my sarcasm was my sister. I love it earned me more of the same the following year. Knowing I needed to change the message, I changed my word to interesting.

Interesting meant I was going to donate it.

When my husband came into the picture, he caught on fast, but not entirely. He noticed that as I opened gifts from our various loved ones, I tended to favor the word interesting. I think it was my sister asking how many interesting things we were going to get at a get together of our family that made my dear fiancée put two and two together.

After we were married, a gift was dumped in my lap. Dumped is exactly the right word because it weighed about 40 pounds. It was from my husband’s grandparents who have a reputation of their own- for buying presents at garage sales or giving things from their own collection. Often times the recipient is clearly not the first consumer of the item as was the case with my sister-in-law’s blue eye shadow. (I got married in 1995- you do the fashion math.)

As I began to open, Grandma spun the tale of “the” downtown store from back in her day. Once the package was opened to reveal a steel place setting set, dessert forks included, she told me it had come from that store. I imagine it was about the time of World War II because I know (now) that they began replacing traditional silver with steel and aluminum. I think I had enough silverware in my lap for the entire armed forces. Interesting! My husband looked at me and smiled.

Now interesting is an inside joke between hubby and I. It is pretty much a given that any of the Made in China crap that the kids bought at the secret Santa shop is going to be interesting, though one year I did scour the internet to find a silver bracelet to put the puffy heart charm my son had given me on. When we are with others, interesting is a question we ask as a litmus test or honey do list item. Interesting? Am I going to Goodwill at the first opportunity?

You must have a word or at least a look. Does anyone else know? Do you have a special word or gesture for loved ones who are in on the word? If you don’t have a word, you have a little bit of time left- choose wisely because if it has too much enthusiasm, it could earn you more of the same next Christmas.

Oooooooh. Aaaaaaaah.

Enjoy!

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