The best anniversary gift for a Hamilton fan.

My husband and I have been married for 15 years, we dated for about a year before that. I feel it is important to let everyone know before we begin that our first holiday together I was gifted socks.  We had been dating for nearly six months and he gave me socks…. “Because you like cute socks.” Fail.  I share this just in celebration of how far he has come.

So I have been beating the “Hamilton is the most amazing musical of all time” drum for a while now.  I discovered it last summer and things got way out of hand when I met Lin-Manuel Miranda as part of the Moana blogger press junket. After that, I have bordered on crazy with my platonic obsession with all the things Miranda, but specifically Hamilton.

I cry during “The World was Wide Enough” because it totally was. My slightly speech delayed 5 year old sings “Dear Theodosia” with nearly perfect pitch gives me life. My kids play “Revolutionary War” with their Tsum Tsums. Hamilton is always played by the Captain America Tsum Tsum; because of course he is. Don’t even get me started on listening to my literal orphan immigrant rap in his room with the door closed because he loves to rap, but he is a little shy. Car singing, my tween’s sudden interest in American history, and lessons that apply all too well today are just some of the reasons it’s extra special to me.

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My husband isn’t a huge fan of musicals. He endures them for my sake. He is an artist and a musician, but musicals just aren’t his thing. He will see them with me and enjoy them, but he will never add one to his play list. He has other good qualities, so I forgive him of this character flaw.

Unbeknownst to me Harry had been squirreling away money in the hopes of gifting me with a getaway to a city where Hamilton was playing. The guy who got me socks a mere 16 years ago has evolved into someone who was researching Anniversary gifts before Christmas. Swoon. He learned very quickly that tickets were hundreds of dollars more than he thought and travel was perhaps out of our price range this year. In that secret planning stage I found out Hamilton would be coming to the San Diego Civic Theater and started dropping hints that I *knew* would fall on deaf ears because I know who I married.

He researched well enough to know that tickets sell out in a heart beat whenever Hamilton comes to town. Because he had already wrapped his head around $600 tickets, airfare, babysitting, etc for a Hamilton getaway he was prepped for high prices for Hamilton in San Diego. While wandering the website trying to make sure he was available to purchase tickets the second they became available he talked himself into season tickets. SEASON TICKETS YOU GUYS! Season ticket holders were guaranteed a ticket to Hamilton. Broadway shows all year long! He researched it enough to know that Season tickets would support our local theater directly, I’d get my theater fix all year round, and it was less expensive than two Hamilton tickets are going for in other cities once a 3rd party gets a hold of them. A year of theater with Hamilton sandwiched right in the middle, it is already on our calendar.  I am dying.

He did that all on his own friends. Sock guy did that. It gets better.

He had also been taking note of my incessant shares of adorable wedding proposals, first dances, baby announcements, and more.  I never in my life expect something like this from him, but he knows I secretly wish for some dramatic over the top silliness.

While my husband is introverted to his core he has no social anxiety. None.  He gives 0 craps about what anyone other than me thinks of him. So he wrote me a rap. He practiced it going to and from work for a couple days. Then he used a GoPro to record himself rapping and he made a music video. Is it amazing? As far as rapping skill level, no.  It did work on all the “I totally listened to your wishes and I just wanted to make you laugh” levels.

Immigrants, they get the job done.

And what did he get from me? A cute card and a gift certificate for a couple’s massage.  OK, not bad, but super standard. That wasn’t it though, I also bought him something months in advance.  This gets better in the most awful of ways……

I got him this ironic mug.  It’s hilarious, stupid, and not sentimental except that I know he liked the animated short it references. I know, best of wives and best of women.

So there you have it friends.  That is the best gift you can give to a Hamilton fan. Buy her season tickets to ensure that she gets a seat at Hamilton. Then write a rap about it and shoot a music video. Easy right? You’re welcome.

To my love, I’d use Hamilton lyrics to cleverly thank you for this, but I’m guessing you have missed every one that is here already so I will quit while I am ahead. You did good. I was 100% surprised and I can’t believe you did this. You got an amazing gift and you delivered it well. You made me laugh hard. Here’s to a bunch more decades.  You can get me socks forever now, I’m good.