I saw 40 happy faces got together waiting to be surprised. It was morning tea time, we’ve got quite lot of sweets and a big box holding all the presents from each secret Santas. Nobody knows what they would get and where the present comes from. The distributing work began. The names were called in to collect their wrapped gifts, and then you can hear people tearing the wrapping paper open and then….you can see the faces getting surprised, disappointed or just a slight smile. I saw Pauline’s face. She undid the wrapping ribbon and hang it on her neck, then she got the red wallet I prepared for her. I tried to believe she did put on a smily face.

I got a present probably suit to a 10 year-old tourist girl. A red Koala backpack. I could not get it on my both shoulders. I am a giant for this kind of little thing. If I consider to by a gift back to China, I would think about this one, but it doesn’t fit me seriously. Who is my Secret Santa?

Tania got a tin of biscuits, and we ate them up before she’s finished for the day. Sinh got a steel-made decoration. It looks like a crown but big smaller and she held it in the hands with a big question mark on her face….what’s the hell this crap? I guess she wants to ask this question. Derrick got a candle set that was the most decent gift I’d love to have, and I guess it’s from a lady and apparentaly she reflects her interests on the gift she is going to give a family man. Simon got a plastic drinking bottle. when he was coughing this afternoon, we all said to him “get some water from your new bottle”. Amanda got a dozen of beers. She said to me “look how people look at me!” Dabbie finally made the sense. Her Secret Santa could be Sasha. She got a toy helicopter with a button that can be pressed to make the noise like the ambulance. She kept pressing it and the noise finally made everyone crazy. Someone says “just stop doing that, will you?”

Poor Andrew, our big boss, got his present at the last. It was a huge white box. The size just keeps people guessing what’s inside. He opened that and got a very small plate with a dry muffin out. All people laughed. Trust me! that muffin must have been dead for at least 2 days and it’s just a joke to make fun of him. He is the boss anyway and he is supposed to have a stronger soul and sacrifice his self-esteem and happiness. Andrew did have a frustrating day and he was really hurt He came to our unit in the afternoon tea time and started to ask everyone of us what we’ve got from the Secret Santa. He tried to put my present bag on both of his shoulders but failed like me.

People have gone away to go back to work anyway, but the smile and the discussion still was going. There is only 3 days left for the Christmas Day, but the fun is supposed to last the whole year in 2006. Let’s just say it “may everything begin at peace”, that’s the words engraved on the memorial stone in the Glebe Park nearby our office.