While I loathe wrapping presents,
theres little I love more than giving
them. Wrapping the perfect gift is
as personal as selecting it. The art
of hiding something special under
something extra special only builds
anticipation. And is there anything
as fun than ripping into something
fabulous is knowing that something
even more amazing awaits within?
Delight is why we bestow gifts on
those we love. And their smiles is
what gift giving is ALL about!
Between the two of us, Frank and I
have built up a stock pile of ribbons,
boxes, and wrap. Out here in central
Montana it's tough to get all of the
accoutrements necessary to wrap it
up. Sans a simple Hallmark shop
our grocer carries wrapping basics
that barely meet our needs. Hence
whenever we happen upon appealing
paper goods we grab and hoard them
like doomsday preppers stock pile
canned goods in preparation for an
impending nuclear holocaust!
A child of the depression, my
Mother recycled all gift wrap
and ribbon. Thus little gave me
greater pleasure than watching
her cringe as I tore into a lovely
wrapped present. "What a waste"
oozing from every pore! Frank's
uncle "B" took the art of frugality
a step further by placing gifts in
empty cereal boxes. Either way,
it was disconcerting when one's
gift seemed oddly familiar. Was
it a re-gift or simply recycled?!
On the opposite end of the spectrum,
who doesn't love others doing your
dirty work? Working over the store
at Marshall Field's, nothing was as
easy as dropping off a pile of stuff
at the basement level gift wrap desk.
There a bevy of patient ladies made
my gifts extra special. Professionally
tied bows, folded/sealed tissue, and
double sticked edges insured each
box was over the top. Sadly few if
any stores offer this service today.
And trust me I'm ready to pay big!
Nowadays, an elegant box plus
satin ribbon are more than enough.
What's as special as receiving a
blue box with a white ribbon from
Tiffany's? A silver box tied up in
pale lavender from Bergdorf's!
Every posh shop has it's signature
combination but Hermes' orange
and brown trump the rest. Why is
it that along the way we decided
that advertising a retailer is better
than taking the time to make our
gifts more personal with wrapping?
With all of the space in our house, I've
yet to crave out a dedicated space for
gift wrapping. In part because the very
idea of doing so terrifies me. In fact I
hate the idea of becoming some crafty
suburban matron with a gift wrap room
in her Palladian windowed McMansion.
Or worse, channel Candy Spelling? For
now I'll continue to happily dig through
an attic filled with plastic tubs stuffed
with gift wrap rolls and ribbon spools.
Remember gift giving should be all
about the recipient and not the giver!
