It’s one of those jobs. Some love it, others hate it, and some will volunteer in shopping centres to help others with it.
Some people have to wait till their other half is out of the house to get underway. Others get underway with paper and tape when the kids are in bed.
Wrapping presents is somewhat affected by your present buying policy, for starters. I think it’s the unspoken reason why vouchers are useful. No prizes for realising you can lick an envelope quicker than you can get the scissors out.
If you want an eco steer on present wrapping (and gift tags), it’s all here, back in the series I did earlier in the year.
(And as I discovered yesterday’s music post covered quite a lot of the same ground as one I’d written further back, I’ll spare you the same again.)
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Christmas Past
When I was keener on buying presents, still with some inspiration, the wrapping of presents was also good. I would enjoy the whole process – the wrapping bringing you an extra step towards the anticipation of handing over the present.
I don’t so much remember wrapping family presents, but probably more the ones for school friends.
But present wrapping is a tradition in its own right – getting the bag, the tag, the scissors, the tape. I’m sure what I remember more is helping my mum with wrapping other people’s presents.
There is something about ‘helping’ as a child. You feel the whole process. You are convinced that you are an integral part of what’s happening – putting your finger on the string as the parent ties a knot.
The parent is perfectly able to do the whole thing, of course, or you wouldn’t get your own presents so easily. But that part doesn’t seem to come to mind.
But in sharing the activity, you share some anticipation. Truth be told, children have all the anticipation with more to spare – so maybe it’s for the adult’s benefit.) And to let off some steam from kids’ Christmas boilers, so that the pressure isn’t running quite so high.)
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Christmas Present
Nowadays, the main present wrapping is kids’ ones: and somehow, I can retain some anticipation there. There is more prospect of excited faces, squeals and all the other deeply satisfying indicators that the present Done Good.
But sometimes you need a little extra nudge. I would tend to put The Music on (if Dan would let me), particularly if I was wrapping presents earlier in December.
This year, I had a different take on it all – I got to help put together Christmas hampers for the school’s Christmas fundraiser.
I also discovered that wrapping things in clear cellophane does make things look great (even if the eco worrier in me is less sure on whether it can be reused or not).
I don’t as yet know who has won the hampers. But even so, putting things together was fun – partly because I’d only had to donate one item, and so had everyone else. I didn’t have to relive a lengthy shopping expedition when the wrapping began.
I quickly discovered that Jenners, Lakeland and the like will not be employing me to pack their official hampers. I don’t have enough of the visual knack – but that’s OK.
Large hamper, fewer items = pretty look. Smaller hamper, lots of items = less fancy, but hopefully more satisfying for the winners.
I’m glad we were packing more of the latter type. Whatever your present is (even, however much it’s ‘yours’ or not), you want it to be a satisfying one. (Fingers crossed.)
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Christmas Future
Who know what future presents will be like? Will we just activate them online? Will there be anything physical, any items to put under a tree?
There’s no need to wrap an activation code. But then, if the best things in life are free (so we’re told), do we need to wrap those either?
I realise that writing a blog is a bit of a present wrapping service. I use words to package the items of my life, the thoughts, the moments.
I smooth out the paper of unruly remembrance, and do my best to get the punctuation to line up in the right place. (A bit like trying to match the pattern on wrapping paper.)
Not every blog post is fancy. They certainly don’t all come with bows and ribbon. But I take time in going back and looking. Arranging the folds of the paper, as it were.
When I write, I like to package the free things – the moments that I seem to write a lot about. I unpackage them for myself as I write, and put them together again by the end.
Sometimes, they’re as much for me as they are for anyone else. But they are meant for others too.
Whether it’s sharing the same sentiment, laughing at similar things – these can be presents too.