So it turns out that I actually did jinx myself in that post about white elephant gift exchanges.

The party we attended last Friday was delightful. Good food, laughter…all the essential ingredients for a happy gathering. But the white elephant exchange?

It was rough, my friends.

First of all, the pickings were slim. There were just not a lot of highly-desired items to pursue. Oh wait, there was the candy dish that came with some chocolate. In retrospect, I should have nabbed that prize instead of being “adventurous” and “daring” and choosing to open a still-wrapped gift.

But no. I decided to take a chance, live on the edge, trust my instincts, go for the gold, be a risk-taker.

And do you know what it got me?

Do you have any idea what it got me?

This is what it got me, dear readers:

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. My risk-taking was rewarded with a lovely, hand-painted, ceramic dolphin duo.

I kid you not.

It had some sentimental value for the original owners. They painted it together while lounging around in Cancun on a honeymoon trip. And if I’m honest, I’ll admit that they did a much, much better job than Chad and I would do if we ever decided to co-paint a ceramic item.

(Which I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t. Because the results would be hideous. And we’d have to give the product away at the first available white elephant exchange. Or possibly sooner.)

But despite the sweet backstory and the impressive painting skills, I’m pretty sure it’s not going to score me a fortune on eBay. So it’s sitting on our bookshelf for now. Where I allow it to inspire me to try harder at my next gift exchange.

However, all was not lost. Though I didn’t hit the jackpot in the gift department, I did hit the jackpot in another key area. Here’s the story:

L(4) will be participating in a Christmas program at preschool this Friday. On our first day back from Disney World, I found out that he’s going to be one of the three kings, and that I would need to prepare a “simple costume.”

Only I don’t do costumes. I never touched a sewing machine prior to 2010 and I am most definitely not a creative or crafty type of mom.

Still. It’s for my little boy.

So I decided that I would acquire a pattern, pick up some fabric, and try to sew an excruciatingly simple tunic-type thing, accompanied by a cape-like thing…in some kind of kingly-type colors.

If it came out poorly, Plan B was a draped and pinned sheet or throw.

But then.

Then, at our small group’s Christmas party, I happened to be complaining about discussing this upcoming sewing project, when my friend Linda told me her son had been a king in a Christmas program at the same preschool and that she still had the costume that her aunt had sewn for him and that I could use it for L!

And this is not an excruciatingly simple costume that she’s lending us. I most definitely could not have sewn something like this. It’s very fancy and kinglike and incorporates colors and textures and adornments that would not have occurred to me.

This, my friends — this generosity, this turn of events, this realization that I would not have to attempt to sew a costume this week and most likely end up in tears and consuming far too much chocolate — this is treasure.

I’ll take the gift of a borrowed costume over a white elephant victory any day.