All Wrapped Up!

Baby it's cold outside here in the lovely state of Michigan! Subzero wind chills, a blanket of snow, and bright blue skies makes this lady wish she had more than a fluffy cat and a greyhound to cuddle this afternoon. As I write this I could really stand to be wrapped up in a blanket, but that does not allow for very efficient typing. Here is where a Snuggie may come in most useful. Really being wrapped in a blanket is not my focus, wrapping presents is my deal today. I love a pretty wrapped gift. Ribbons & bows, lovely paper, nice corners, just the right amount of tape on the box of wonderment. However, lovely wrapping of gifts is a generation skipping talent in my family. My mother can wrap anything, and make it look wonderful. A kitchen broom could be transformed by her advanced wrapping prowess. Large or small, that glorious woman can wrap them all. I struggle to even care if I have a box for an item. I have wrapped countless shirts by rolling them in paper and tying ribbon on each end like a tootsie roll. No shirt box, means roll it up for me. My mother would never, NEVER, roll a shirt and present it as tootsie roll, EVER.

As I mentioned this a generation skipping talent, and the next generation of super-wrapper is my very own daughter. Yesterday school was closed because of snow and I put the present wrapping prodigy to work. She wrapped gifts of all sizes and shapes with ease. Every now and then she would call for more tape, a specific type of paper or ribbon, or her "special scissors". I would oblige her wishes, as to not upset the gift artist at work. I brought her snacks and beverages, so she could keep up her strength. At one point I felt I may have been taking advantage of her when I almost made her wrap one of her own presents that was in a nondescript shirt box. Something stopped me, it may have been my conscience, but more likely my belief that she would peek in the box and spoil a perfectly good Christmas surprise.

Do I miss not having the gift wrapping gene? Not really. I am blessed to born into a time where gift bags are the norm, and can easily be purchased at the card store. However, if I could enjoy wrapping like my mother and daughter seem to, it sure would make this time of year more fun. Happy wrapping my little elves!