When my brother and I heard our father calling our mother “lazy” and making fun of her cuisine, we recognized that we could not get away with doing either of those things. What started out as a list of Christmas presents eventually turned into a crafty plan to teach him a lesson that he would never forget.
This year’s Christmas with my family felt like something out of a sitcom, but the kind that makes you clench your teeth in anticipation. I never expected that I would say that about my family’s Christmas celebration.
My name is Stella, and I am fourteen years old. I have to deal with schoolwork related to biology, constant arguments with my brother Seth, who is sixteen years old, and the unachievable task of keeping my sneakers clean in a house that my mother maintains in pristine condition.
To put it simply, Mom is the glue that keeps everything together. In spite of the fact that she is employed full-time and is responsible for all of the cooking, cleaning, and laundry, she still manages to find time to assist Seth with his physics projects, which typically take the form of glitter-covered black holes.
Dad, on the other hand, takes great pride in the fact that he is the “man of the house,” which primarily entails his lying around with his feet up, browsing through channels, and offering uninvited opinion on everything. Do not misunderstand me; I adore him; yet, let’s just say that his contributions are… unlike anything else.
Having said that, Seth and I are unable to forget what we heard after the holiday season has passed.
Two weeks before to the holiday season, Seth and I were sneaking around the hallway in an attempt to locate Mom’s cache of wrapped presents.
The chat that Dad was having with his brother, Uncle Nick, was something that we happened to overhear instead. Even though the door was closed, his remarks could be heard clearly since he spoke at such a high volume.
“What should I grab, Lily?” As if he were telling a joke, Dad let out a playful giggle. “What’s up, bro? It’s cooking stuff. Mixers, blenders, and cutlery are examples of the kinds of kitchen gadgets that will be of great use to women in the kitchen. In that location, she is incredibly sluggish.
My gut was in a knot. Indefeasible? Did he make a joke? Not very often does Mom take a seat. Seth’s jaw tensed up as he cast a peek in my direction. It was in a low voice that he whispered, “Dad can’t be serious.”
On the other hand, Dad was not finished. It is merely that I am expressing that it is possible that she would not be such a terrible cook if she had more expensive appliances. Regardless, she is not very good at it at all.
The universe seems to have taken a turn for the worst. Although Seth and I weren’t typically in accord, we didn’t require words at that specific moment. Although we had not yet left the corridor, we already had a plan in place.
The fragrance of freshly made cookies and pine needles permeated the room on Christmas morning. Mom had been baking since the wee hours of the morning, with her hair pulled back into that casual bun that she insisted was “practical” but always looked effortlessly immaculate while she worked.
Dad, on the other hand, appeared to be unfazed by the fact that he had just humiliated her two weeks ago as he settled down by the fireplace and sipped his hot chocolate. Mom continued to refill the coffee pot and pass around mugs, moving with calm precision, despite the fact that she was faced with adversity.
As soon as the tree was brought into the living room, the entire family, including grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles, gathered around it in a circle. Although we were attempting to contain our laughter, Seth and I sat on the couch. One by one, the presents were removed from their wrappings. These included socks, gift cards, and those unflattering sweaters that nobody really wanted but everyone pretended to enjoy wearing.
After that, it was Dad’s turn.
Aunt Patricia was the one who presented him with the very first box. Her grin was absolutely stunning. She continued by saying, “Tanner, this one is from me.”
After a moment of contemplation, Dad tore the paper away. “Oh, yes. Some kind of fishing rod. Very nice.
Aunt Patricia proclaimed with a broad smile, “It’s not just nice—it’s top of the line,” regarding the item in question. “I thought you’d really enjoy it.”
The father let out an awkward laugh. “Yes… I am, indeed. I am grateful to you.
Without missing a beat, Seth handed Dad another box. “Here it is, Dad. Come on. From my end.”
Another fishing pole. A smile was swiftly forced upon Dad despite his discomfort. Thanks a lot, son. It is quite considerate.”
It was then my turn to speak. “Have a wonderful Christmas, Dad!” I uttered those words while presenting him with my present, making an effort to appear as kind and innocent as possible.
He slowly opened it, possibly anticipating the presence of a wallet or some other useful item.
It was a dip in his expression. “Who else is there?” His chuckle was quite uneasy. “Whoa. “Isn’t it true that three is the charm?
The following people to arrive were Grandpa, Aunt Claire, and Uncle Nick. A fishing pole was the same thing for each and every present. At the time that the fifth one was opened, Dad’s smile had been replaced by a scowl that was twitching.
With his voice becoming more louder, he continued, “Hold on a second.” This is what it is? Rods for fishing? How many are there? Who even needs all of these?
While this was going on, Mom was unwrapping a high-end purse that was exquisitely presented, and her laughing could be heard throughout the room. Her grin gleamed as brightly as the Christmas lights that were scattered all about us, and Seth and I couldn’t help but stare, enthralled by the happiness that she was experiencing.
I must say that this purse is very gorgeous! All of you, how did you come to know that I desire it? She inquired while her fingertips were firmly grasping the smooth leather leather.
Although he was standing next to the fireplace, Uncle Nick smiled to himself. “We were supplied with aid. This is a wishlist that the youngsters have provided to us.
The pupils in Mom’s eyes widened, and for a moment, she gave the impression that she may cry. “You two did this?” she mumbled as she stared from Seth to me across the room.
Although we were all struggling to maintain our composure, we all nodded in unison. Even though he shrugged his shoulders, Seth’s smile made it clear who he was. “Mom, you did not deserve it.”
Her voice had a faint crackling sound. Thank you very much. Two of you. It’s been a while since I’ve had a Christmas that was as enjoyable as this one.
To tell you the truth, it was well worth going to the trouble of getting ready to hear her say that.
Let’s consider the past two weeks. The fact that Seth and I overheard our father calling our mother a “lazy” and a “horrible cook” made us really angry. It was as if a switch had been flipped away from us within ourselves. “Operation Outplay” was the name we gave to the sketches that we made that night while we were staying up late in Seth’s room.
“Okay,” I answered as I walked around his cluttered room for a while. At the outset, it is imperative that we put an end to this absurdity of kitchen appliances. Mom does not enjoy cooking; rather, she does it because she is required to do so.
Seth was seated in his chair and he leaned back with his arms folded. “After that, we compel Dad to withdraw his remarks to us. figuratively, if at all feasible.
I wore a grin. It would be best to begin with an email.
Together, we composed a letter that was addressed to all of the family who were going to be joining us for the Christmas celebration. It was a brief email, but it got right to the point:
We are Seth and Stella, and we salute you. We are in need of your aid in order to make this Christmas a truly memorable one for Mom. Despite the fact that we think she is deserving of better, Dad has directed you to bring her cooking materials together. It is a list of presents that she will really enjoy and cherish, and it is presented here.
The cozy reading chair that Mom had been eyeing for her tiny library, a spa day gift card, her favorite skincare products, a personalized necklace with our names engraved, and the designer bag that she had been wanting for as long as we could remember were some of the items that we listed as things that Mom had secretly coveted but never purchased for herself.
One more thing was added to the list. “Instead of what he requested, I would appreciate it if you could buy fishing rods for Dad. whenever it is possible to do so. You can rest assured that it is a part of the strategy.
The responses arrived in a very short amount of time. Count me in! “, Aunt Patricia wrote in answer to the question. “I am delighted to be of assistance to Lily, who exerts a great deal of effort.Additionally, Grandpa continued, “It is a fishing rod.” It will be a pleasure to do this. By the end of the week, each and every member of the family had come around to the idea.
Let’s skip ahead to the present day, Christmas morning. Despite the fact that Dad had misplaced it due to the quantity of fishing rods, Mom continued to present gifts. When she saw the personalized jewelry, she fell to her knees and began crying. She made the remark while hugging it close to her chest and remarked, “It’s beautiful.” I would like to thank everyone.
Seth presented her with the second bundle, which consisted of a gift card for a day away at a spa. “Do you need to take a vacation, Mom? Enjoy some pampering for a change.
Her laughter could be heard through her tears. “You two are truly remarkable.”
During this time, Dad was sitting in his armchair, surrounded by his growing collection of fishing poles, and he was fuming with anger. His expression was a combination of confusion and annoyance at the same time. I would appreciate it if someone could explain this insanity to me. What about fishing rods? You mean, really? Neither am I a fisherman in any way.
With a grin on his face, Uncle Nick leaned forward. We presumed that you would be interested in getting started, my brother. Since Lily puts in a lot of effort to prepare meals for you, you are aware of this.
It was that spark that actually began the fire.
“What a ridiculous situation!” The volume of his father’s voice increased, and he became irritable. I have directed you to buy a number of stuff for Lily; where are all of those items? The appliances that are located in the kitchen? “She requires those.”
As she became ice cold, Mom’s smile began to disappear. The tone of her voice was authoritative as she posed the inquiry, “You told everyone to get me kitchen stuff?”
The arms of Seth were folded. As your father put it, you were “lazy in the kitchen,” so he advised that you get some cooking gadgets to help you prepare more quickly. We thought that you were deserving of something better.
Father’s cheeks suddenly became red and flushed. The two of you—! “I didn’t mean to say that.”
“Are you serious, Dad?” A retort came at Seth. The reason for this is that it certainly sounded like that when you were complaining to Uncle Nick about how your mother is “too tired to cook for you.”
The room was complete and utterly silent. The entire family was observing Dad.
There was a wavering in Mom’s voice, but it was not out of sadness but rather out of anger. “So you’ve been speaking negatively about me behind my back for the entirety of this time? And because you were unable to show appreciation for me, the children had to take over? Tanner, you are not even remotely possible!
“I—I was joking!” Dad exclaimed in a hesitant manner.
Mama remarked, “That’s funny,” while crossed her arms over her chest. That’s because I’m not laughing at all.
Seth whispered under his breath, “Mom is about to go nuclear,” as he leaned in my way.
Through a hushed voice, I responded, “Good.”
Right after she stood up, Mom grabbed one of the fishing poles and placed it in Dad’s lap in a safe and secure position. “This is the end. You will have lots of opportunities to “joke” while you are becoming familiar with your new fishing gear and learning how to fish with it.
At that moment, Dad was going to argue, but he changed his mind. He fell back in his chair, in a state of deflation.
After that, the rest of the day went off without a hitch. While Mom took pleasure in the love and attention of everyone, Dad became resentful and retreated to the corner. After the excitement had faded that evening, Mom grabbed Seth and I together and pulled us into a tight embrace.
“You two have no idea how much this means to me,” she responded with a low voice. “I am thankful beyond words.” It is not necessary for me to have fancy stuff, but the fact that you are aware of how hard I work is everything.
What I said in response was, “Of course we see it, Mom.” It is our sincere desire to convey our appreciation to you. for the assistance that you have provided to us.”
Following that, Seth continued, “And we wanted Dad to understand it as well.” He is going to rethink his accusation that you are a couch potato.
The mother wiped her eyes and laughed as she did so. “Holy cow! Both of you have my deepest love and admiration! Simply put, you are the best. So, what are your plans? Amazingly brilliant. I have the utmost respect and regard for you, Seth and Stella.
As for the fishing poles, what were they? Or, to put it another way, they were more of a teaching tool than a present. Daddy would not forget it in a hurry. To begin with, he never again dared to refer to Mom as “lazy” I think it’s safe to say that our plan was more successful than we could have imagined.