A Note From Elizabeth
I'm going to let you in on a secret today. I've only ever shared it with one person, who happens to be a famous person—Amy Krouse Rosenthal—because she invited people to email her partway through her book Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, so of course I did, because this particular thing I do just needed to be shared with someone like her, who does something similar independently. I will deny any knowledge of the following Christmas activity should you decide to bring it up later. This is a one-time admission. Ready? : )
For the last ten years I've played a game in December called Anonymous Christmas Elf. Today I will show you how, too! Before we get started, you'll need to do the following:
1. Make a mix CD of your favorite Christmas songs.
2. Buy a $5 gift card from Target, or the grocery store, or wherever.
3. Skim a handful of seasonal products from the top of the mess that is your scrapbook area in December. (Maybe that's just me?)
That's all you need to inject a much-needed dose of old-fashioned, giddy Christmas spirit back into the soul that might feel threatened by the 27 people standing in line at the post office this weekend.
A little sparkly Imaginisce paper, a tag, an old Daisy D's sticker... look how cute that is.
A song list on the backside... also cute. This shouldn't take long at all, unless you accidentally break your printer running the tag through. Then it might take 15 times longer than you had planned.
By force of will and a Christmas miracle (plus A LOT of toner on my hands) I fixed the problem. Back in business.
Now it's time to gussy up that gift card. And by "gussy up," I mean find a cute sticker.
That's pretty realistic looking Target ribbon, isn't it? 100% illusion. I only added the Karen Foster sticker and the tiny tag that nearly cost me my sanity (and my sliding glass door, from where the printer almost got heaved through).
Before you head out with your anonymous surprises, you'll need a cookie.
If you've broken your printer in the process, you'll need two.
Now? Pick your gas station : )
I am partial to Stag Convenience Corner, because this is where I first played this game in December 2000. I literally have no idea what possessed me to do this in the first place, but it was really fun and I've been doing it ever since. I got gas so as to buy myself a little more time to take a couple pictures. Please excuse the picture quality; I didn't really want the man in front of me to know I was taking pictures of a gas pump, because, you know, CRAZY.
The things I do for Write. Click. Scrapbook. : )
Next stop, Target!
I recommend you park next to the shopping cart return for optimal sneakiness.
No waiting around to see who finds this stuff, by the way. Use your imagination. Gracie and I had a fun conversation about how someone might feel when they find it : )
This works anywhere, really... the post office, the grocery store, a doctor's office, etc. I promise you'll feel a little more relaxed about that to-do list when you're out running last-minute errands and dropping off a few Anonymous Christmas Elf surprises!
