19th of December, 2019.

It started as a typical December Thursday in southern Finland. Dark, overcast, bit of drizzle here and no snow either. Festive mood nowhere to be seen, not at least in terms of any postcard landscapes or jolly bearded folk roaming about.

Today, though, was a special day for me. It's my first year participating in Secret Santa, and I had just shipped my gift yesterday, hoping that it will make the recipient happy. I do enjoy that, bringing smiles to people's faces. We all should aim for that, really, but too often we just... forget. Anyway, not the point, nor the platform.

It was my second time visiting the same market today, actually. Earlier, I dropped by to get some porridge and other things. I had already gotten a notification about there being mail from me, but alas the physical letter had not yet appeared in my mailbox, so a second visit was required. Still, it made my day all the more exciting, and as soon as that arrived, I put my project on a pause, replacing the hoodie with a jacket and braved the brisk air once more. Okay, I say brisk, but it was pretty much 0C outside. Not cold, not warm.

First thing I noticed when walking up the small hill to the store where the post office resides was the sun. Yes, the sun was out for first time in what has felt like a fortnight. Granted, it was a brief glimpse in one of the shortest days of the year, but there it was, shining bright amidst the clouded sky. Cheered up by that sight, I shuffled through the traffic lights and took a number. My turn didn't take long.

What I received was, perhaps unsurprisingly, a package. Its size and shape surprised me a little, and it was very light, too. I was anything but disappointed by that - made carrying all the much easier and raised my hopes about there being something interesting inside. Idly I wondered what could it be, and what my Secret Santa made of me.

I went through what I remember from my posting history, my likes and dislikes, and other guesses on my way back. And I realized - I haven't felt this way about Christmas in AGES! What this did was bring back that joy from the days of youth, when there was an actual spruce in the corner of our modest living room and underneath it laid gifts, wrapped and waiting for someone to open them. I was the only child living at home at the time, so they were all addressed to either me or my mother. Again, perhaps irrelevant, but brings some context to my feelings - especially as I never really was a Christmas person growing up, not since those innocent days.

I brought the package home and went to another store to pick up something to eat and some milk, which I forgot this morning. Actually, I forgot something else on my second visit, too, but felt a bit too curious about the gift to go back and fetch that. It wasn't anything essential anyway. Putting the food into the freezer and switching from jeans to something more homely, I then placed the package on a carpet - or a rug, rather, for those in the Anglosphere - and started curiously unwrapping its contents.

Now, there I was. A grown man, at least physically, nearing his 30s, kneeling on the floor and opening a package with a giddy smile on my face.

No wonder.

On top of the box, on the inside, was something quite heartfelt and unique. My Secret Santa had taken the time to decorate the box with a drawn silhouette of what was a Formula car and alongside it a large seasonal greeting. This already stirred a gasp and a disbelieving chuckle from me. Not only was it a lovely little touch, but gave me a clue that my Secret Santa had indeed taken a peek to my likes and acted accordingly. It felt amazing to think that someone had taken time and effort to do that, and solely to make someone they don't even know a little bit happier!

As for the contents? Well, there wasn't just one item, but rather multiple smaller packages - three in total plus a card - placed in the larger shipping box. That made sense, really. They all felt light, but I could already tell that one of them contained a book. Idly I wondered which one, having a hunch but not being quite sure due to its size. That wasn't opened first, though, in favour of the most curiously-shaped package. Something I could not tell what it was, actually. Lightweight and soft-feeling, I for some reason expected candy.

And I was correct - partially!

What opened from wrap #1 was a cone-shaped bag of blueberry sweets, something I am not only unfamiliar with but also very much delighted to receive! I am a fan of berries in general and blueberries especially, putting them in my porridge quite often and enjoying dried berries in general. Helps lift the spirits in the darkest time of the year! What it also contained was a bag of, get this, festive coffee! A special edition of some sort, it said "Let's celebrate together - Enjoyable coffee moments from the Engineer association." Smiling, I decided I do have to test that out first thing in the morning. Fully ecological, too, which is always appreciated.

I placed the items back in the box for some photos and then, opened Wrap #2. This was the book-shaped one. I felt it around a bit before opening it, having a few hunches of what it might be... and it turned out to be a good call. Indeed, inside was Kari Hotakainen's brilliant biography on the one and only Kimi Räikkönen! Bwoah. Now, I must confess that I have read it earlier, but I feel I rushed through it too quickly in my eagerness, and wasn't able to properly enjoy it. I later gave my copy to a friend, who hadn't read it yet, and told him to give it forward afterwards. Now I do have one for my own in paperback form that I can bring along wherever I go and enjoy at my pleasure. It was a good call, and something I truly appreciate.

Already, then, my Secret Santa had managed to both surprise and please me, and this was before opening the final wrap.

Wrap #3.

It felt harder than first two, and was larger as well. Its rectangular shape made me think twice, but I had no real guesses. This one came with a cute little card and clearly, some effort had been put into finding it. What could it be...?

I will give this: I would've never guessed. Not in a million years.

What I received was a model of a motorbike. Wooden, cool, and unbeknownst to my anonymous Santa, something I found quite unique. Why?

Well, I've... never completed a scale model. Never. I had a Lego Tecnic kit as a kid that me and my friend put together, and I had a few toy cars, but never something I would need to assemble. I am absolutely useless with my hands beyond very few and select traits - I do work as a freelancer in media, so not exactly a handyman - so this should prove to be a challenge. A challenge I gladly accept, and a challenge I shall cherish. A new one, too, and those we have far too few of in this modern world where things do often end up quite monotonous.

To sum it up... No words do justice. No amount of purple prose or spontaneous musings could bring forth the emotion and happiness I received from my Secret Santa. A person, I imagine, who looked through my likes, perhaps went through my comments, and carefully assembled not only one but three unique wrappings and shipped them in a box they chose to customize as well. As I write this... Well, I started writing right after taking photos, just to keep the memory and sensations fresh. Not that I need to, really. This is something I will remember for a long, long time. But as I write this, I am still a little overwhelmed, to tell you the truth. If the aim was to make me smile, congratulations - you have succeeded. What a brilliant gesture, truly above and beyond expectations.

Thank you. And - kiitos. Oikeasti. Tää merkitsee enemmän kuin uskotkaan.