I love Reddit Gifts. The exchanges have been a source of joy and happiness for me since I did my first Secret Santa. I've never received a bad gift, and I hope I've been as great in return. But the best gifts have been the ones that come with something more: a theme, a story, a personality. For me, these gifts are the reason I always come back: they are genuine connections with someone else, and remind me that I'm not alone in my interests and fascinations.

This round, I received the greatest gift I could ever receive. My Secret Santa went above and beyond, getting me some amazing and cool stuff: a gorgeous print of Iceland (one of my many obcessions), a cool board game, and a fantastic book about Data Analytics, my field of work and my favorite thing to nerd out about.

But there was one more gift: a small Hello Kitty barrette. I was confused at first, but it came with letter. I won't go into the details out of respect, but the barrette belonged to a friend of my Secret Santa. Their friend, like me, didn't conform to traditional gender roles, and was unashamed to be who they are. Sadly, they passed away due to depression. My Santa felt like I should have this barrette, as a reminder to never be afraid of who I am, and as a source of inspiration during the bad days. The days when its hard to out. When its hard to be queer. This small Hello Kitty barrette is a reminder of the love of those who support me, and the love I have of myself, my true self.

I live in Chicago, a dream of mine, and I have a copy of Carl Sandburg's fantastic poem about the city at my desk. I look at it for inspiration, as a reminder that its worth it. Its a reminder of how far I've come. Now, I have another reminder, how far I can go.

I will never be able to express how much this means to me. Thank you. On behalf of all of us who are different, thank you for being an ally and a friend. Thank you.