I was wrong...the wrapping does matter.

Christmas time....oh the joys.  Shopping, cooking and of course wrapping the presents. 

It's not that I dislike wrapping presents... I just think it is a waste of time.  You spend precious time carefully wrapping a gift only to have the recipient RIP IT APART in  0.2 seconds!

So every year I buy the cheapest paper and slap it on the gift without regard to neatness.  The wrapping doesn't matter after all it is the gift inside ....right?

I was hurriedly wrapping a present for Brooke before work this morning. I needed to get it finished before she woke up and caught me.  I was thinking about Brooke as I wrapped the present and how excited I was to see her open it Christmas morning.  As I was applying the tape to the package a feeling of loss overcame me.  I slowed down and started taking care with the tape instead of just haphazardly slapping it on the box.

I think I get it now...and I know who gave me the insight.  A wonderful woman named Jo Williams - my step mother-in-law.  She could wrap a present.  Her presents were works of art.  She carefully selected the wrapping paper to accent something in your life...then she added cool ribbon and a colorful big bow to match. 

Sometimes she would buy a small ornament to attach to the gift - something that represented you to her- a penguin for Dalton, a wolf or Scooby Doo for Brooke, tiny handcuffs or a police statue for Freddy and some form of tooth ornament for me.  

I don't think I appreciated these beautifully wrapped presents before now - now this second Christmas without her around.  She passed away last year.  That first Christmas without her was hard - we were still grieving for her bitterly.   This Christmas I still miss her and I miss her beautifully wrapped presents.  I just now realize how much I looked forward to those wonderfully decorated creations. It was a treat to open something beautiful when you knew someone who loved you took time and attention to make it special.
It didn't matter what the present was inside the box because you knew she loved you by the care she took in wrapping her present. 

This year the people who receive my gifts will know how much I love them.  I was wrong - the wrapping does matter.