Perfectly not so presentable presents

The cold weather snap has finally eased back from its furious roar!!!!!!, To a somewhat dull mew!, …those icy blasts that stole away your very breath, freezing everything with even a degree of moisture in its path, has at least for now returned to the North pole, .it was wonderful today to see the sun bright in its orbit, making my living room, not only cheerful but a degree or so warmer in its wake, I also felt instantly better.

The tiny Gem Christmas tree decorations I had painstakingly made during long wakeful nights Gleemed, sparkled and shimmered delightfully in the Sun’s rays… people outside were once again smiling, as I found myself doing too….So while in a somewhat good mood, I had decided to tackle the present wrapping….must have been a moment’s madness!

I love everything about Christmas, it fills me with a childlike wonder, excitement,. I can barely contain myself until the first of December rolls around, then I can at last decorate the tree, switch on colourful lights that chase away the gloom of long winter nights, Candles flicker in their glass holders sending a warm scent and Amber glow…..I fill my ears with carols, my cupboard with delicious food, I’ve sent out the cards…it’s all a glorious rush of crazed activity and I start weeks before, but there is just one thing that drives me crazy…..it’s wrapping presents!!!!!!!!.

I love buying for people don’t get me wrong, I get the biggest kick from it, even more so than actually getting a present….But You know how some really annoying people can exquisitely gift wrap……not just wrap it up hurridly any old how…..but make it a shining ribbon bedecked work of art…perfect corners, lovely hand written tags, and beautiful big silky colourful bows…..well I’m not one of those…

I start off with such good intentions, buying cheerful wrapping paper, tags, tape…oh yes I can see those perfect presents sat under my tree, waiting proudly to give to them on the big day…I watch you tube videos, read articles in glossy magazine,s…and these grinning little Santa’s helpers make it all look so simple,(bah humbug!)….they chat away so overly cheerful about colourful tapes, adding tissue paper, baubles, bangles and sodding bows, it’s all a ploy I tell yah, they grin with deceit and deception…..it’s there to make us mere mortals feel inadequate, unimaginative, yes I’ve figured them all out, and I’m not fooling for it this year ohhhhh no🤔…..

I manage somewhat stiffly to sit myself on the livingroom floor, there’s a patch of warm sun with my name on it….I had previously placed, two large rolls of wrapping paper there already, three rolls of tape, string, gold tie, gift tags, even the pen….. My coffee is on the table beside me and I’m ready to get all creative and stuff….I unwrap the shrink wrap film of plastic off the first roll of wrapping(ewww it’s going well)….the paper is covered in jolly santas, red nosed reindeer,striped signs showing the way to the north pole…it’s cheerful, colourful but I swear that blooming Santa is already laughing at me..😁,

Guesstimating wildly about the length needed, I unfurl it, it’s right about now as I feel about me for my orange handled scissors, I look up and see them where I had left them just minutes before, on the sofa, the sunlight plays upon their sharp metal blades, I feel mocked, and now I know i have two choices, either get back up off the floor and go and retrieve the little shhhhh dears!😁, or crawl on all fours over there…really theres no choice, I ungainly begin crawling…..

Scissors found, I cut a long length off the first roll, then place the gift in the centre of the paper, now gently pulling over side A to tuck it under side B, I try to cover the article…it starts out ok, I manage these first steps, wisely deciding against doing the complicated fan pattern or the pleated edges, opting instead for just covering the box as best as possible, as I get one side taped up, the other side unfurls, then the tape decides not to co operate, I can no longer find the end,. I try with the other tape, it lets me pull a tiny stamp sized piece before frustratingly ripping…….I then try the third, this begins well enough but decided it too didn’t want to play, twisting and sticking to everything but the paper …..I curse loudly….this issss I realise not the Christmas spirit…

Eventually after several more failed attempts, I have somewhat successfully or is that unsuccessfully wrapped most of the gifts, I’m panting, eyes wide and starring at the pile of ruined failed attempt paper strewn across my carpet, tape balls blew like Tumble weeds, and I’m leaning my aching back against the sofa, looking about me fearfully in case more presents appear from somewhere under the wreckage, I’ve paper cuts across my fingers, bits of left over string everywhere, and not one present wrapped as beautifully as I had imagined just hours previous…..

But they are at least covered, I sigh deeply, somewhat satisfied, it’s over for yet another year…I can rest easy, they may not look like on youtube, the tv or those magazines, but I did upmost best, all wrapped with someone I love kept in mind, and I love seeing them there, reminders of when my children were just that….the days their over excited mother would wake them at 4 am to unwrap the presents, or play out in the first falling of winters snow….as I began this, so shall I end ….I love Christmas, but gift wrapping not so much 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁, Merry Christmas to you and yours, may your days all be merry and bright and your present wrapping go unlike mine go right!!!!!!!!!!!!!😁🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄