Hidden in plain sight using gift codes

[ejagno]

All gifts are kept under the tree from Thanksgiving Day until Christmas Eve. In the past prying eyes and itchy fingers revealed the contents of the wrapped packages more than once so I decided I had to find a way to confuse them. I'd already hidden them everywhere, including Grandma's and inevitably at least one would get discovered.

As our gift inventory grows and presents turn into beautiful packages for those special people in our lives, the task of remembering what it is, who it's for and keeping it under wraps until Christmas becomes a challenge. Let's face it, we can't all stand guard over our notebooks, computers, cell phones or gift closets 24/7/365.

I developed a code for labeling the gifts until Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve morning I erase the pencil marking and fill in the proper name.

First I use the person's birth date
first initial of their name
I then use their birth month two digits
Last 2 digits of Birth year


For example:
John was born April 17, 1984
His temporary gift tag in pencil would read
17J0484
(no one in my family btw)

So far, no one has been able to decipher the code. Now in my notebook this code is in reverse 4840J71 and it lists what the gift is.

I hope this helps some of you with prying eyes also.

 

[luludou]

Great idea Ellen
Kids checked out their gifts one year and dd found it so sad that at Christmas he had guessed all her gifts that now they refrain to have the surprise!

 

[FrostyShimmer]

Great system ejagno!
My gifts for this year overflowed my hiding places. I took all that brown paper that they pack parcels in and used it as temporary covering. I was writing the names and holidays on the packaging, but DD1 can read her name, so now I'm thinking I should code it like you.

 

[snowlvr]

Great idea! Reminds me of when my son-who is now 34-was about 7..I was on the phone and he came out of my room over the moon about all the "new" toys he had found...now he has taken to calling his little sister and asking "what did Mom get me?" Some things never change..