I like to make people cry. Not just any old people, but those who matter the most to me. That is to say, I like to make the people I love cry.
Now, before you decide that I’m a twisted woman, let me explain. It’s not that I like to go round dishing out the odd well-placed kick to those I love, or hitting them with a perfectly placed criticism (kicking isn’t my style and criticism would just fall on deaf ears anyway). It’s that I enjoy finding presents that cause the receiver to cry. Proper tears of unbridled joy and emotion.
In the case of my dad, this is easy. He’s a complete wimp who snivels at the sight of a puppy on TV. Before the wrapping paper is even off, he’s a blubbing mess – exactly the reaction I hope for.
But my mum’s a tougher nut to crack. She’s always very effusive and satisfyingly pleased with a thoughtful present. But she very rarely sheds a tear.
So last weekend I had to bring out the big guns.
To celebrate my mum’s retirement we had a little family party. We gave her some gifts and watched her open them while we drank champagne in the garden.
My mum wants to spend her retirement making jam and driving around in a new Camper Van. So I bought her a jam recipe book recommended to me by the lovely Beth at Jam and Clotted Cream. I also bought her The Camper Van Cookbook. Inspired, if I don’t say so myself.
But her eyes remained dry. Damn.
So, topping up her glass with yet more champagne, I made a play for the heart strings. This time, it worked…
There are tears behind those sunglasses. Honest.
Oh the satisfaction I felt at seeing that tiny tear squeeze out of my mum’s eye. It may well have been the champagne talking, but it didn’t matter. I made my mum cry with a present. Victory!
A picture of a cake-covered Frog.
The present is a 12×8” canvas from Bags of Love, made from a photograph taken at Frog’s 1st birthday party earlier this month. There’s something really special about seeing the picture on canvas – and Mum now has it hung above her bed.
Victory indeed.
Happy tears - the sign of a good present
Disclaimer: I received two 12×8” canvas pictures from Bags of Love for this post. And they were lovely. Did I mention it made my mum cry?
Cute post and what a lovely photo, no wonder grandma shed a tear!
Champagne + baby = teary grandma!
Oh, that would get my mom too! Good idea…I am a sucker for tear invoking presents! It is so bad that my family waits to open my gifts at the end because they don’t want to look like crying fools in all of the pictures.
That’s just mean – how can they deny you like that?! x
I adore my bags of love picture. Well done for setting your mum off x x x
It’s gorgeous isn’t it – bet yours looks lovely. Is it another cake-covered one? x
We have at least one hobby in common, then, although I like to bring the tears via body odor!
I kid, I kid.
Congrats on your victory! I’ve got a canvas photo of Li’l D sent to me by a friend for my birthday last year. Two years at our apartment and we still haven’t gotten our photos and paintings up, but this? This one had to go up, and it’s a delight to remember and revel in it now thanks to your prompt.
You’ve just made me spit a mouthful of tea all over my computer as I laughed reading this comment! x
If I had known these photos were going viral I might have put on my best dress. Thanks for that Mol. And by the way I was acting – 36 years of drama teaching has to have given me some skills.
Whatever Mother. You weren’t acting. I saw that big fat tear roll down your cheek. I win!