Wrapping Presents, Putting plans into operation

Mama has always liked the fact that I like to wrap presents. Every Christmas she and I get together to wrap what always turns out to be a small mountain of gifts. Last year was an exception since we had no money to get presents for the kids other than the most simple of gifts, but that is not what Christmas is about anyway.


This year the Lord had blessed us with enough money to get some nice gifts for the kids and extended family. We might even have some money left over after Christmas to cash in on the reduced price items that flood the store shelves when December 25th has come and gone. One year all we gave our kids was an envelope with money and some stocking-stuffers so we could get things at 75 -85% off the day after Christmas. That was not much fun to wrap.

I hurt my back pretty badly while I was hanging lights so I am still very stiff and sore. In order for me to wrap presents I had to send the two that are home with us over to Grandma and Grandpa’s so I could use the dining table we have – it is counter height - for wrapping rather than our bed, which always gives me and Mama a sore back. I guess that wrapping presents is what it has taken to make it seem like Christmas to me; that and Mama baking our traditional cookies and cakes. (The house smells fantastic.)

Tomorrow, Christmas Day, we will open presents and throw away carefully chosen, cut, folded and taped paper. But it is a small care for the representation of our joy in the giving and presentation of gifts for those we love. Later that afternoon we will eat - a lot.

My second favorite thing about Christmas is preparing the feast and we have great plans made up for this weekend, where we will eat each meal, what the menu will be and how we are going to accommodate everyone for the dinners. It is the first time in more than fifteen years that we have lived within visiting distance of both sets of our parents. That’s the real treat of being here.

Victoria found a wall plaque that says, “My husband and I are doing a workshop. He works and I shop.” Is that great or what?