take so long? Just the wrapping. Organizing, packaging, wrapping and stowing have dominated my holiday prep recently. I used to LOVE wrapping. When I was a teen, I'd save up all my wrapping to do in one shot. There might have been 6 gifts to wrap but I loved wrapping one present after another. Gifts from the kids went under the tree when they were wrapped. It added to the decorations...having a few presents under the tree.
Not seeing the presents before Christmas morning was part of the fun when I was growing up. I still remember the year my mother started getting gifts out BEFORE we'd gone to bed. We'd just gotten home from the Christmas Eve service at church. I was in college, mind you, but tradition is tradition, right? I was like....what? What's happening? Why are people going into the attic? I have a much younger sister. Probably she was in bed but I don't remember that detail. I can just remember those few minutes while it dawned on me that presents were being placed under the tree while I was awake. I suppose my mother was thinking about us older kids staying up half the night and that she was going to bed.
In my house, we keep the gifts tucked away until Santa visits. I enjoy the fun of the reveal. That first look at the tree on Christmas morning. Since the kids are older Santa doesn't visit until Christmas morning. That way the kids can stay up as long as they want and the parents, being the old tired people that we are, can go to bed. We can get up and organize the presents and start breakfast before anyone else wakes up.
I have wrapped almost everything. There are always a few loose ends but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm not sure when wrapping stopped being so much fun...but it has. Maybe the joy will cycle around again. This is the last year I need to keep everything tucked away. I can just pile up the bags in the dining room and wrap as the feeling hits. Or, wait until the last minute and wonder what the heck I was thinking. We'll see.
11 days.
Pam
I have begun wrapping. I am getting there!
ReplyDeleteSo far behind here!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I have taken the easy way out for years--I just bought lots of reusable gift bags and boxes about 10 years ago and we re-use them every year. I feel good about recycling and it sure saves time :)
ReplyDeleteI quite like seeing the presents under the tree before the big day itself. I think it adds to the excitement :) I'm terrible at wrapping gifts, but it's the thought that counts!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes.