Secret Santa
Author’s Note: For The Ancient Obsessions Advent Challenge – December 15 (Office Christmas Party)
Daniel Jackson hated the mall at Christmas time.
He hated it even more than he hated the annual ‘Secret Santa’ gift exchange at the SGC Christmas party, and that was saying something.
But, as fate would have it, here he was; in the mall, looking for his gift for the exchange.
And, as luck would have it, he’d drawn none other than Jack O’Neill for his gift recipient.
Now, some might think that it would be easier for Daniel to buy for someone he knew well, like Jack, than a total stranger, but Daniel thought differently.
A total stranger can be given any old throw away present, but Daniel wanted to put a little thought into Jack’s gift. He didn’t want to give Jack something that would be tossed in the trash or re-gifted the following week. But he could only spend ten dollars for the present. That made things much more difficult.
So Daniel wandered aimlessly up and down the mall, growing more and more irritated at the crowds and the endless fake holiday cheer as he failed to find something suitable.
He’d been through almost the entire mall, scowling all the while, when suddenly his mood lifted. As he passed the “Everything’s a Dollar” store, a smile finally spread over his face.
It was right there in the window.
The answer to his dilemma.
Staring him in the face.
Daniel hurried into the store to purchase the answer to his prayers.
He was pleasantly surprised to find that the item that had drawn him into the store really was only one dollar, and as he looked around, he found several more suitable gifts in the immediate vicinity.
Daniel left the store fifteen minutes later with nine small packages and enough wrapping paper to prepare all the gifts for the exchange.
He was grinning from ear to ear.
When Jack O’Neill opened his ‘Secret Santa’ gift exchange present at the SGC Christmas party that weekend, he looked into the box with questions in his eyes for a moment. His confusion quickly passed, however, and an ecstatic smile spread across his face.
Unnoticed by anyone, a matching grin was plastered over Daniel’s face.
His gift was a hit.
Jack slowly lifted several small packages out of the larger box he’d opened.
The first was a three pack of yo-yos.
The next was a can of pick-up sticks.
Then came a game of marbles.
Then jacks.
Then another pack of yo-yos, of different colors.
After that, there was a pack of cards.
Then a simple dice game and a package of little green army men.
Finally, there was a three pack of vehicles for the army men-a plane, a tank, and a helicopter.
Jack looked about six years old as he inventoried his goods.
He seemed to be genuinely pleased with his loot.
Daniel was glad he’d made a good choice for his friend, but the fun was only beginning.
When the last few party guests made their way home for the evening, the only Jaffa present would still be searching for opponents to play his new favorite game of pick-up sticks.
Jack O’Neill would be trying to convince anyone who’d listen that he really would give them a fighting chance at marbles if only they’d play with him.
Sergeants Siler and Harriman would be engaged in a full-fledged battle with little green men that were obviously in the employ of the United States Air Force, not the Army.
Daniel would join in for a while, then leave the boys to their fun.
The smile on his face wouldn’t fade for a week.
The End
