Two years ago all my daughter Whitney wanted for Christmas was a cell phone. She begged and pleaded for a phone. She was younger than the other girls when they got a cell phone so it was a dangerous precedent to be setting.

Whitney has always been mature for her age so I wasn’t worried about getting her a phone. Still I wasn’t about to let on to her that she was going to get a phone. Instead I told her that she had to get an “A” on a particular test in order to be considered for a phone.

Whitney worked extremely hard that semester to get an “A” in that class. In the end though she received a “B” missing an “A” by just a couple of points. Given her hard work I knew I would still get her the phone but she didn’t know that.

Leading up to Christmas I kept telling her that she shouldn’t expect the phone given that she got a “B”. On Christmas morning Whitney eagerly ran downstairs hoping to find a cell phone. It was not among her presents and she was trying really hard to maintain a positive attitude despite her disappointment.

Finally there was one present left. She opened the gift and inside was a plastic phone filled with candy along with a note that stated, “Sorry this is the best you get for getting a ‘B’.” It was a mean trick and she broke down.

Before she could be too upset there was another note suggesting she look on one of the branches of the Christmas tree. There was her shiny new cell phone with a waiting text message from dad saying “You will always be an ‘A’ in my life.”

It has now been a couple of years since that time and Whitney’s contract is up on her cell phone. The rest of the family has moved from Sprint to AT&T and phones have been replaced with the iPhone.

Once again Whitney is clamoring for a new phone. This time though she too wants an iPhone. Given the events from two years ago she is refusing to have it tied to her grades this time.

I’m not sure I would be able to get away with another prank again this year. I have a sneaking suspicion I am going to be shopping for an iPhone this week and Whitney will be getting an early Christmas present.