Ahh. The art of birthday presents. What if the receiver of the gift already knows what they're getting? There's always a way to surprise them.

In July of this year I received an iPod mini for my birthday. I had an idea that I might have been getting one, and I was with my friend Allison who had just previously received one the month before. She says she was trying not to laugh when she saw me opening it, because she knew what it was by the shape of the wrapped present.

Of course, I know my sister wrapped my present. So she would know the shape of the box. My mom told my sister that she'd get an iPod mini for her birthday as well. She had also told me that she wanted a bear from Build a Bear workshop. So, she wasn't going to have any surprises.

I was thinking it over the day my sister was supposed to be coming over. I had an idea to put the iPod mini box into a larger box so it would confuse her. Then my plan got better and better.

Sure I could put it in a box. But then she'd open it and think that's the box it was shipped in. But a Lucky Charms box? No one ships iPods in Lucky Charms boxes. So that was the plan. But then it got better again. I decided to open the box by the bottom. I already had an open box of Lucky Charms in the cupboard, so I took the half eaten bag out and wrapped it up and sealed it with tape.

I put the half eaten bag into the empty box, then i put the iPod underneath it. I closed the box and sealed it with tape. The Perfect Present. So, when she opened it, she wouldn't know what was coming. She'd think it was a box of Lucky Charms. Why wouldn't she? It was still closed at the top!

Try this when giving your next birthday present. Or a similar idea, like filling the box with peanuts around the present (real peanuts not those packaging ones), but make sure the present is sealed so it doesn't get dirty or ruined. Try doing something so that they can't figure out what it is if they shake it. Put it in a larger box, and then put some obscure things on top, like leaves from a tree. 100% guaranteed they'll be very confused when they see it.

Yours in Whyville,
Dartanian