As is the tradition in my family, Christmas presents are unwrapped after the Christmas dinner and not first thing in the morning. Kathy and I were both a bit tipsy, even as we prepared the traditional meal. We laughed and giggled and joked whilst Timothy sat watching TV, seemingly oblivious to what was awaiting him. “So he’s no idea?” she asked as I carved the turkey.
“None what-so-ever.” I replied. “Although he’s no doubt expecting plenty of train related stuff.” I grinned.
“Poor thing.” Kathy said, “Are you going to make him wear it?” she asked. Her tone suggested that she felt he had brought it all on himself. I explained that I’m going to ‘encourage’ him to wear it. “You mean blackmail.” she said.
“Not really… it’s more of an exchange. He does something for me. I do something for him.”
We were both a bit more than tipsy when the time came for Timothy to open his presents… we were very giddy and couldn’t help but giggle as I passed him his first gift. “Sorry about the wrapping paper Timmy… I’d left it ’til the last minute to buy some and that’s all they had.” I claimed as he growled at the pink shiny paper. When he unwrapped it find a soft cuddly doll wearing a frilly pink dress, he initially thought he’d been given the wrong gift. When I reminded him that he’s been a very naughty boy this year, and told him that naughty boys only get dolls and dresses for Christmas, he burst into tears… and Kathy and I burst out laughing. “Oh never mind, maybe you’ll prefer your next gift…” I said.
Timothy didn’t see the funny side of it, but we certainly did. After unwrapping his dolly, his baby-doll nightie and knicker set, a vintage girl’s sailor dress that I’d bought from a stall in the Corn Exchange, plus numerous pairs of knickers, girlie knee socks and some warm woolly tights, Timothy said it was the ‘worst Christmas ever’.
“I’m glad you think that Timmy.” I dryly replied. “Did you seriously expect ‘the best Christmas ever’ after your antics at school this last twelve months?” I asked. Glumly, he shook his head. “Good.” I said. “Now there is one present which I think you might like…” I said, pulling the big green box from under the tree. Like his other gifts, it’s wrapped in a big pink ribbon. “Do you want to unwrap it?”
He was hesitant. Who could blame him? He gulped and nodded. I prompted him to say ‘please’. “Yes please.” he mumbled.
“Well before you do… let’s see how your new dress looks first shall we?”
“You don’t think I’m actually going to wear that do you?” he barked.
“Well I’m hoping you will. It’d be a shame if everyone knew you’d got a dress for Christmas… but you haven’t even worn it.” I said. “Wouldn’t you rather just wear it?”
Timothy gulped and in his tiny mind, he tried and failed to unravel her point. “What do you mean?” he whined.
“I think she’s saying…” Kathy intervened, “…that if you do wear your dress, then no one else need know about it.”
“You can tell people that you just got ‘clothes and stuff’ for Christmas, which is perfectly normal for a boy of your age.” I explained. “I don’t mind if you tell a little white lie and say ‘jeans, socks and a jumper’ if anyone asks… but that depends on you being a good boy and doing as you’re told.”
“And if I don’t you’ll tell everyone that all I got was a doll and a dress?” he meekly asked.
I nodded, as did Kathy. “Plus a nice pink nightie, lots of lovely pairs of knickers…” she added.
Timothy grumbled to himself. We could tell that he knew which was the preferable option, but admitting that meant wearing his new dress. “And just to make it clear Timothy, you’ve got to do more than ‘just try it on’.” I said. “You’ve got to wear it all day… until bedtime.”