This holiday season has been particularly stressful for me, as I have been dealing with the sudden passing of my grandfather earlier this month. So between all the traveling back and forth, work schedules, and the usual holiday rush, I have not had much time to myself. So when I finally got back to my home for good after Christmas, I found that I had a delightful surprise waiting for me at my doorstep!

It was quite a sizable box, considering I had no expectations of what I could be receiving through this gift exchange. And as far as my Secret Santa profile was concerned, I didn't explicitly list anything that I wanted. Just a general list of interests and hobbies. But what I discovered in that package was probably the most considerate and well-thought gifts I had received in a long time. /u/scarlet_tee showed that she had really read my profile and looked into my posts to discover what I really enjoyed.

First was a wonderful note that she had written, detailing the meaning behind the gifts (and apologizing for some wrapping mishaps, evidently). It was very touching. The next thing I discovered in the main package, were the boxes and boxes of eye drops. Seriously. SO MANY EYEDROPS. I will have the most hydrated eyes on the East Coast. I have special eyes like that. With my dream to be a pilot, /u/scarlet_tee knew that I need to keep my eyes in tip-top condition. Second on my Secret Santa discovery was a very large mountable map of the world to track my travels on. I already know the perfect place to put it in my room!

Now, we move on to the wrapped items! I love unwrapping, and my cat loves playing with the paper. So that was a fun little perk to the whole event. The first gift was a novel from one of my favorite authors, Tom Clancy. And even though she couldn't have known, she managed to get me one of the few books of his that I don't own! Either she has the luck of the Irish, or she's stalking my library collection. In either case, a job well done! Next was a history book covering World War II (my favorite area of study) that was from /u/scarlet_tee's SO, who is also a history buff. The fact that this was a group effort from both of them made me smile. It's nice to see everyone getting in the holiday spirit. The third gift was rather large, and when I unwrapped it, I discovered a Victoria's Secret box. This confused me because, as a man, my clothing options are nonexistent from that store. But upon opening it, I discovered it was just a container for the Nike hoodie that was inside! Something light, yet warm, is perfect for me to run in during this cold winter months, and this gift fits the bill!

Finally, there was only one gift left. The note mentioned how there was a small plane included, so I assumed that this final package would be it. But after I opened it, I discovered that it was not an ordinary aircraft. No, this was a small die-cast X-Wing fighter from Star Wars! A very fitting gift, indeed!

The whole gift blew my mind, from the presentation to the actual contents, /u/scarlet_tee put a lot of thought and care into the making a very special Secret Santa. Thank you so much!