It Is The Thought That Counts

When it comes to presents, it is the thought that counts.

My five year old daughter loves her dollies. So my mother, ever so thoughtful, gave her a beautiful Christmas present, a stroller.

This is no ordinary stroller. This is a beautiful almost full size old school (1940’s style) pram. The thing is really quite beautiful and she even had her name put on it. So my wife and I fully expected my daughter to be overcome with excitement.

But when my Mom gave it to her, she did that expressionless straight ahead stare thing. Ya know the stare, kinda like John Rambo as he is headed down river into the badlands kinda stare.

My wife and I looked at each other in puzzlement at her reaction and I could see my mother deflate a little as she expected it to be a big hit. Instead, my daughter politely said thank you and left the room to play with something else.

You never really know what kids are thinking.

At the end of the evening, we packed up, kids and presents, gave our hugs and kisses to all and headed home.

The next day my wife unpacked the car and brought the presents in. Still puzzled over the poor reaction to the stroller, my wife brought it up with my daughter again.

“Don’t you like it?”

Again, the thousand yard stare.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

No eye contact whatsoever.

“I think your dollies will love it in there!”

All of a sudden, my daughter looked straight at my wife, then at the pram, and then her face lit up like Christmas itself.

She said, “It is for my dolls? I thought it was for me! I love it!!!!”

Well, it just goes to show. It really is the thought that counts, no matter if you are the giver or the receiver.

She has been playing with it nonstop for a week.