Our office Christmas party has three major components:  themed potluck (this year’s theme is “Christmas in July”), ugly sweater contest, and a white elephant gift exchange.

After a quick search on the internet, I thought I had found a real score.  An ugly sweater that also fit the summer theme.  “Santa Jaws” the sweater.  Perfect!  A bit over my $20 impulse purchase threshold, but so worth it.  Enter credit card.  Click.  Order.

I sat by the mailbox and waited.

Then the magical day arrived, the package sat waiting for me in the mailbox!  I ran inside, fumbled to open the packet, took out the contents, and… sadness.  Great sadness.  My wonderful sweater, the one that would check all of the boxes, the one that would make Christmas great was actually… a sweatshirt.  Yep, not a sweater, but rather a sweatshirt.  Big difference.  Actually, the kind of difference that makes me want to walk around totally in sweats, unshaven, and lacking any will to carry on.  It was indeed ugly, but a sweater it was not.

Sadness filled my Christmas heart.  I was broken inside.  No Holiday spirit left.  Might as well bring on December 26, because all that glittered was not gold.

Then a wonderful suggestion was offered up.  A thought so pure and sincere.  Fear not “Santa Jaws,” you can still come to town.  You will be my White Elephant gift this year.