It’s following me. The tree. It’s haunting me.

Upon studying it, Kevin realized that it was quite different from the tree he’d spotted at the mall. It wasn’t as large and didn’t have as many paper angels decorating it. But it was still the same kind of tree—one of those Angel Trees that he’d managed to escape.

He almost managed to do the same thing this time. But instead, he felt the tug of Jenny’s hand at his coat.

“Look, Kev.”

“Yeah, I see,” he said.

What he meant was Yeah, I’ve seen it before, now can we just move on?

“We should pick two ornaments off the tree.”

He stopped in front of the tree, wondering if he’d heard his wife correctly.

“Don’t give me that look,” she said.

“What look?”

“That look. It’s a good idea. We each pick one.”

Of course it’s a good idea. And a lot of people pick ornaments because it’s a good thing to do. But people like me don’t because you know—

Jenny didn’t wait for him but instead moved and picked an ornament from the bottom of the tree. “Steph.”

Kevin was still frozen. He hated being forced to do something, and he didn’t want to have to buy things for someone he didn’t know and would never know and wanted God knew what—

“Kev,” Jenny said in a get-on-with-it tone.

“Okay, fine.”

“Nice holiday spirit,” she teased.

He did the opposite of what she did, picking a paper ornament from the top.

See, already I’m doing this kid a huge favor. Aren’t I a saint?

“See how difficult that was?” Jenny asked. “So much hard work.”

“If this kid wants a flat screen TV, he isn’t getting it.”

“I’m going to call you Scrooge.”

“Hey,” Kevin said as they walked past the tree toward the men’s clothing section. “Scrooge was single. Remember that.”

“So?”

“So what?” He didn’t want to get into it, not here in the store.

She’s wanting to do something nice even though I’m worried how we’re going to pay any of our bills next month.

“Who’d you get?” Jenny asked. “Are you even going to look at the ornament?”

“I was hoping you’d look away and I could slide it back onto the tree. Being Scrooge and all.”

Jenny swiped the ornament from his hand.

“Thomas.”

“That’s his name?” Kevin asked.

“Yes. Fifteen years old. Clothing is size large. Shoes size eleven. Wants Nike basketball shoes. An iPod. A digital camera. And a Michael Jordan Bulls jersey.”

“Shut up.”

“Serious.”

Kevin couldn’t tell if Jenny was kidding. “Let me see that.”

Sure enough, a Michael Jordan jersey was on the list.

“Oh man,” he said in a bit of disbelief. “Is this all? I don’t even want to see your list.”

“Bah humbug,” Jenny said as she puckered up her lips in a mock grouchy look.

“Even when you try you can’t look mean.”

“Don’t test me.”

Kevin folded the paper ornament and slipped it into his coat pocket. He quickly forgot about it as he shopped for his wife. It was only later after he got home that he found the name and the list and realized that he had already failed miserably. He could have easily gotten the basketball shoes at the sporting-goods store, yet he hadn’t.