Wrapping Is The Right Thing To Do

My holiday decorations!

Whew! I finally finished putting up the Christmas decorations. It took about three minutes, or maybe two, but it felt like five. I opened a drawer, removed two holiday pot holders and placed them on the counter next to the stove. I stood there admiring the festive touch, turned around and nearly tripped over the open drawer. I always forget to close them.

I know what you’re thinking, “What took so long?” You’re right. The decorating should have only taken one minute, but I had to dig through the Halloween pot holders to get to the Christmas pot holders, so that slowed me down.

I’m about two-thirds done with addressing the Christmas cards which is about five-eighths farther along than I was yesterday. The math may not be correct, and I wouldn’t have mentioned math at all except I know a few of my readers live for fractions.

I won’t be addressing any more Christmas cards this week as I have better things to do. Namely, I’m going camping tomorrow and won’t be back until Sunday or Monday. I won’t know until then. So if you don’t get a Christmas card this week, it’s because you are at the bottom of my list alphabetically speaking or numerically speaking. There is no method to the madness that is my Christmas card list.

I’m also quite pleased to proclaim that I completed all of my holiday baking today. I know, I know – decorating and baking all in one morning, and yet I’m hardly ever mistaken for Martha Stewart. My holiday baking consisted of one pan of brownies. The brownies are for the camping trip, but since there is some talk of a holiday in the coming days, I’m also counting this morning’s kitchen adventure as holiday baking.

My Christmas shopping is also done, or it would be done if I did any, shopping that is, but I don’t. Shocking, I know. Several years ago, I stepped away from the commercialized consumer driven frenzy that is December. I advised family and friends that I had enough stuff, didn’t need more stuff, and would prefer spending time with them, sharing a meal or drinks or camping, to finding room for more stuff.

It’s great! Okay, it was a little weird that first year. No, it was very weird not opening anything on Christmas Day. So now I wrap empty boxes so I can rip them open on Christmas Day. It’s my new holiday tradition.

So to wrap this up, but not in an empty box, because those boxes are already wrapped, I’m going to need one of those holiday gift bags. I loathe those holiday gift bags. That’s not wrapping, that’s placing objects in a bag. There’s no ripping involved when you’re handed one of those gift bags. The joy of gift opening lies in the ripping of the wrapping paper. So use paper, people, and spread the wrapping ripping joy!