Some people turn gift wrapping into an art form. Each gift is carefully boxed and wrapped with crisply folded paper. The package is then embellished with ribbons, bows, tags, or other forms of decoration. These packages then are stacked around the tree in picturesque piles. I admire people who put so much care and thought into the presentation of presents, but I am not one of them. I do try to wrap the paper around nicely, but I can’t be bothered to find boxes for everything. As a result the packages are often oddly shaped. I don’t use tags either. I write directly on the paper with a sharpie marker. My children accept this as normal present wrapping protocol. In fact, they take it one step further and use the sharpie to draw all over the wrapping paper. This year Gleek spent a long time carefully outlining christmas trees in black. Patches drew maps on the presents he wrapped. One year Link carefully drew a picture on the outside of the package of the gift that was inside the package. These scrawled-upon, lumpy packages are not beautiful, but they make me smile.
Most of our gifts are wrapped at this point. The tree is surrounded. I frequently look at the and engage in my regular December occupation of reviewing in my mind who is giving what to whom. It is my job to make sure that all of these little people have plans for what to give each other. It is my job to accumulate those things and then help them wrap. It is also my job to balance the distribution of presents so that there are no cries of “Not Fair!” on Christmas morning. Because of this, I know what is in each package under the tree. I even know what is in most of the packages to me. On Christmas morning comes I’ll be delighted by the gifts. Surprises for the grown-ups have to be rare on a tight budget, because Howard and I discuss what would be the best use of Christmas funds.
Last year we traveled to my parent’s house for Christmas. That was really fun and we all enjoyed it. This year we are staying home and I am glad for the less frantic pace. I’m also glad not to have to haul piles of presents 800 miles in the car only to haul them all back again a week later. This will be a smaller and more peaceful Christmas than last year. But we’re not to the holiday yet. We have one more week before the holidays can begin in earnest. Four more days of school. I’m not sure who is counting them more avidly, me or the kids.
Lumpy presents are among the best gifts. A shirt box usually has a shirt or pants or a coat, but a large lumpy gift could be anything and if it a shirt or a coat it’s still wonderful. It’s the anticipation of what it could be is what makes for some of the best Christmas memories.
I got my present to myself today, copy of Tub of Happiness!
This is what I discovered while wrapping presents this year: there is no way to disguise a box of minis. No matter what you do to them, they will still rattle like a box full of pewter when shaken.
Oh well.
Pop the box open and stuff foam among the blisters so they don’t rattle. Then steal the card, and don’t let him have it until he Performs a Heroic Labor.
This year while wrapping presents for Ross’ family, Ross finished wrapping one for his dad and wrote on the back in sharpie marker, “I wrapped this present. – Ross” lol
I wasn’t sure if it was because it wasn’t a professional job, or if he knows the perfectionist side of me wouldn’t have wanted to be pegged for his wrapping job… at the same time I thought I was doing a pretty sloppy job myself and I was wrapping his mother’s gifts! (that’s pressure and I wasn’t caring.)
I like being creative with the ribbons and tags and paper… one year we used the Sunday Comics to wrap our presents… : ) so, what I’m trying to say is our presents are half lumpy and half trying to be beautiful and creative. lol
Today was our kid’s last day of school for the year. I will have One whole week before Christmas to sleep in, make kids do homework that was sent home with them for the holidays, TRY to read to kids, CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN the house, listen to squabbles and begging to play at someone’s house (even though they haven’t brushed teeth or cleaned their room….)
One Week for the week of Christmas, and back to school by Jan.2nd.
I’m also looking forward to a small stay at home by ourselves Christmas. Even though it seems like I’m the only one counting gifts, coming up with gift ideas for family members, worrying about shipping, wrapping, etc. I am really determined to sit back and relax and enjoy the warmth of Christmas! (and rewatch Lord of the Rings and all the Harry Potters! 🙂
I wish you a relaxing and warm Merry Christmas Sandra!
My dad loves to shake presents, so one year I taped his gift into a larger box and then filled the rest of the box full of pennies and marbles and anything else I could find that would make a good noise when he shook it. I wonder how many marbles and coins it would take to disguise the sound of a box of minis?
}: )