A soldier surprised his son by wrapping himself up as an early Christmas present this year.

Staff Sgt. Anthony Pee had not seen his 3-year-old, Gabriel, for 18 months while he served in Iraq and Kuwait.

He showed up at the boy’s Wee Care child care center in Byram, Miss., with a large box and wrapping paper ready to go.

“Once the boy opened it, it took him a minute,” Jessie Ginn, the center’s director, told Yahoo News. “But when he realized it was Daddy there, he was really excited.”

Pee’s wife and mother were also there to help fit Pee into the box and watch the little boy’s eyes light up.

Ginn felt honored to help coordinate a touching reunion for this military family.

“It was a proud moment, and we were very blessed to be a part of it,” she said.

Local ABC affiliate WAPT was there to shoot video of the heartwarming reunion.

“It was a great experience,” Pee told the station. “It’s been a long time coming. Eighteen-plus months without seeing this little guy had been a little rough.”