It’s Christmas time again, trying to finish shopping, writing the Christmas letter and mailing out the cards, concerts, wrapping gifts, planning and shopping for Christmas dinner and getting as much prep work as possible done,….it’s exhausting just thinking about it all much less doing it.
Gift wrapping was always one of my most hated projects. I’d set aside one afternoon on the living room floor with all my wrapping paper, ribbons and bows, gift tags, tape, scissors and fancy marking pens. Armed and ready to go I would put each persons gifts in an area and work my way around making sure that there were not too many wrapped in the same design of paper and the ribbons were curled perfectly and looked full and lush.
Wait, need some eggnog to get in the real spirit. Nice steamy mug of liquid gold with just a smidge of some good whisky and topped with whipped cream and fresh ground nutmeg.
The first couple of hours the gifts were beautiful with tight straight corners and tags and bows placed perfectly . By this time I’m getting a bit overwhelmed with a mountain of work still ahead me so, I’d start to cut corners a bit, Not quite as tightly and precisely wrapped, a bit less decoration, no lengthy personal note written on the gift tags.
Another hour passes and I swear the damn pile of gifts hasn’t gotten any smaller, and now they aren’t getting the pretty curled ribbons and special notes on the tags, too bad if there is more than one gift with the same wrapping paper. Getting frustrated now and my mug of eggnog is empty and I think I need a cookie.
Re-energized with a fresh beverage and a plate of cookies….I know I said one but why get up for another one when I can just bring a whole plate. I search for a movie on TV to get me back in the spirit and find White Christmas…perfect. Take a deep breath and dive back in.
I’m starting to run behind on time so I speed up the process by wrapping a couple smaller things together, peel off the sticky paper on the bow, slap it on and stick on a tag. Not too bad looking, besides nobody really looks at the wrapping anyway, right?
This mountain doesn’t seem to be getting any smaller, time to organize, clean up the scraps and bits and pieces of ribbons, refill the tape dispenser, the cookies and the eggnog, might just as well get a bigger mug of the stuff, going to be on the floor for a while with the project.
Could really use a nap, but I must persevere! 4 piles now wrapped and stacked to the side, only 5 no, 6 more to go. Wait….maybe there’s another pile behind the box of wrapping paper, oh bother. I should have started yesterday. Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney are singing and dancing like they don’t have a care in the world. Why don’t they come wrap these damn presents?!
Another pile done, not even bothering with the ribbons and bows anymore, just the tag with the name scribbled on. They should be happy they are getting it wrapped at all at this point in the game. Damn, the cookies are gone. Dog must be eating them. Time for a refill of the plate and the eggnog…hiccup
Turn on the oven to preheat so I can put the casserole in, thank goodness I made it before I started this stoopid project of wrapping presents.
Two piles left, Scrooge is coming on, my favorite Christmas show, doesn’t matter which one, I love all the versions. This one happens to be Muppet’s version. Let’s get buzy and gets this rapping project done.
Score! I found some Christmas gift bags in the bottom of the rapping paper box. Stuff tissue paper on top and done. These Muppets are really irritating for some reason. One pile left… almost there. Better check the casserole in da oven. HaHa still some eggnog in the jug, let’s ” filler up “. It would be a sin to let it go to waste, have a few cookies left as well. I really want a nap now, hiccup, hiccup.
Damnit! ran out of those Christmas gift bags. Oh Hell, I’ve got grocery bags, stuff the junk in, use the the big sharpie to scrawl their name on it and call it a day.
Got all the rolls of wrapping paper, boxes of bows and tags and pretty decorations at the top of the steps, kick them down to the basement……Christmas wrapping is done for this year.
I lay on the couch, watching the lights on the Christmas Tree twinkle and sparkle, the mountain of presents all perfectly placed around it, a Lawrence Welk Christmas rerun is going on the TV . The carols are sweetly being sung and I’m thinking how wonderful this season really is; I slowly drift off to sleep for that much needed nap. As I dream of a quiet, peaceful snowfall gently falling outside I hear a beeping noise……
Oh hell…..I burnt the casserole!
HAMBURGER POTATO CASSEROLE
