Childhood Memory

At Christmas The Children's Hospital used to have a fundraiser called "The Festival of Trees," and one component was a "secret shopper" section where children would go in a private area with an assigned volunteer and a budget (donation) and shop through dime-store items to give to people on their Christmas list. I would emerge from the area with my shopping list fulfilled with red and green plastic-wrapped gifts, excited fit to burst to give the items to their recipients. I could never keep the secret from my mom past the parking deck! She still teases me today when I have a gift for her, "You can't stand it. You'll end up telling me because you're so excited for me to know."