Day 17: In search of the perfect gift

Buying presents for Mike is both challenging and fun. He’s a good gift giver, so I always want to match his ability when I give him gifts. The problem is, there isn’t a lot that he wants and there isn’t much he needs. When he wants something, he usually just goes and buys it -- case in point, we both wanted iPads about 8 weeks ago ... and we got them around the same time. For Christmas 2008 I bought Mike tickets to see a taping of the radio show “A Prairie Home Companion” in New York City. I booked us plane tickets (thank you frequent flier miles), got us a hotel in Times Square and made a reservation at a fancy steakhouse Mike had been dreaming of visiting. In the middle of the trip Mike told me that the trip/tickets were the best present he’s ever been given. Talk about feeling great about my gift giving abilities. But … it’s a tough act to follow. This year, I combed the internet to find the perfect present for Mike. I had no idea what I was looking for, but I just knew when I saw it I’d know it was the “perfect” present. It took me weeks to find, but when I saw it, I was certain it was going to be one of those presents that Mike remembers for a very long time! I can’t wait to see his face when he opens it.