JEREMY CORBETT

JEREMY’S GIRLS ARE MASTERING THE ART OF GIFT GIVING

Ihad a birthday recently. Thanks. For successfully managing to keep my blood pumping for one more year,

I was presented with some magnificent bounty by my family. This consisted mainly of Lego and model aeroplanes.

I was ecstatic because, while my outer shell is decaying rather dramatically, I am essentially a 14-year-old boy.

As I received my gifts I saw, in my children’s eyes, recognition of the joy of giving. My girls had seen me enjoy both Lego and model aeroplanes and they couldn’t wait to see how excited I was to receive their tokens of love; objects they had carefully chosen for me and had Mum pay for, knowing they would make me happy.

This, of course, just made me happier, which made them happier, which made me happier.

I think it’s the first time my kids have given me a gift without hoping I would immediately share it with them. It warmed the blood vessels of my heart.

Not that they’ve given away the give-to-get-back idea altogether. I think I managed to enjoy seven of the chocolates from the large box I had also been gifted. The others had disappeared within seconds of it being unwrapped.

I should emphasise my girls know a birthday is not merely about the materialism of gift giving and that there are equally important facets to celebrating someone’s life. Those facets are birthday cake and lollies.

Our eldest has remembered the power of making her dad

happy this way, and has been rather obviously observing my behaviour. Two months ago, our family was sent a small wallet as a gift with purchase.

Well, I hope it was a gift with purchase and not accidentally included. If you’ve ordered a small wallet online and not received it, lemme know.

As it turns out, the wallet

I had needed replacing. It was merely a frayed hair tie holding my credit cards together. I’m a minimalist when it comes to card and cash carrying devices.

And hair ties are plentiful in our neck of the woods.

The new wallet was perfect for me − basically a sliver of leather for containing a few cards. After a quick vote, based around possession being nine tenths of the law, the new wallet became mine.

My daughter took note. Apparently, a few weeks after, she excitedly pulled Mum to one side and said, “I know what we should get Dad for Father’s Day! A wallet!”

Unfortunately, she had yet to learn that well known truism − give a man a wallet and he will be happy, give him a second and he will question your sanity.

Megan had to let her down slowly. “That’s a great idea! But he’s already got a wallet; maybe we can think of something else.”

My daughter responded thoughtfully, “It has to be something he uses ALL the time.”

And this, dear reader, is why Dads receive socks and underwear for Father’s Day.

And we couldn’t be happier.