Subtle-fuge

Shhh... Don't tell dad...

While DH and I were trying to figure out [what to get each other for Christmas / what to do for Christmas] this year, we tossed around a number of ideas like maybe a short 'Mexican Riviera' cruise, or a few days in Palm Springs or Scottsdale. We were leaning towards the cruise, but when I looked up the prices on holiday cruises - even short ones like those we were looking at - we thought that perhaps we would stay home this year.

So, we decided we would start a new tradition and have his world-famous tacos for Christmas dinner (oooh, they are so good, and the only thing that he does special is fry the tacos his very own self). That and a few gifts would do it. Well, that, a few gifts, and maybe....

Turns out my dad and his girlfriend (the new girlfriend, the one who hadn't been on a cruise before, the one who took a short cruise with dad at the end of September and LOVED it, the one who now likes cruising so much she's been collecting cruise brochures and flagging pages of cruises she'd like to take) had booked a cruise for October (yes, next year) and jokingly asked if we wanted to join them, and maybe even see if my brother and sister-in-law would like to come along, and if we were all there, then maybe we could scatter my aunt's ashes in the ocean during the trip. Joking... right... He had this all planned out, I think.

Well, traveling with my dad and his buds is a hoot, so DH and I talked about it for a bit and decided to take him up on his 'joke' and Just Do It.

In the meantime, while we were debating over the October cruise, dad and GF went ahead and booked another cruise, this one a little shortie at the end of January. "After all," he said, "you can't possibly go a full year between cruises." Who can argue with that?

So there we were, DH and I, thinking about Christmas, and had the great idea to give each other a cruise for Christmas, but not take it at Christmas, take it ... at the end of January ... on the same ship as dad ... at the same time as dad ... as a surprise to them.

Yeah, that's what we said! So, excuse me now while I go book our two cruises for next year. Anybody else want to come along? Plenty of open cabins available!

- January 23, 2010. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines' Grandeur of the Seas. Leaving Tampa for Key West and Cozumel (Mexico) and back, five nights. (Prices start at $389 for an inside cabin!)

- October 23, 2010. Carnival Cruise Lines' Dream. Leaving Port Canaveral for Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Maarten and back, seven nights. (How does $549 sound?)