Here we go a-carolling

It's that time of year. We are down to the last few gifts and purchases. We have to scramble for cards if we are going to send them, finalize menus for feasts with friends and family, and the worst chore of all; wrapping. Ugh! This is the ONE thing I despise doing. At last I got the nerve up. I pulled out the boxes of paper rolls and the tub of scraps not to mention the bags of goodies I use for my bows, tape, scissors, tags and then yesterday, I locked myself away.  Like the wolf man who chained himself in a cell... I wasn't comin out until it was over. I set up shop every year and torture myself with those instruments for hours while blaring holiday music as if it would calm me or help me through. It doesn't "We Wish you a Merry Christmas". I can try though.

 Winston and Birdie sat patiently outside the door, every once in a while stuffing a paw under there and sighing heavily to subtly hint that they wanted in. "Santa Baby"...  What could they do? Lay on the pillows? I opened  the door and cautiously, they stepped in. "soooo THIS is the GUEST ROOM" they seemed to sniff in amazement.  Realizing they weren't going to get yelled at for being in the one room of the house they are normally forbidden entry, they were ecstatic; quickly parking their  furry behinds on the pillows and extra blankets laid out for them. They smiled their panty, puppy smiles.  It was too dom cute. This would be good after all. "Fa-la-la-la-lahhhh" ...

I set out the loot and took inventory. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" was playing. I love that one. I grinned and felt the warmth of the Yule.  Yep. It looked pretty even.  I could begin. I pulled price stickers off, sticking them to a little scrap.  I unrolled the brightly colored paper. "This won't be so bad." I thought again to myself while humming "White Christmas". The toddlers agreed with many chuffs and much wagging. Gift number one was for my daughter. I laid it out and smiled, knowing how excited she'd be to unwrap it. I gladly began to fold... BUT... "O Holy Night"...
 Winston needed to smell it, both gift and paper. He sauntered in to the middle of the bed.  Birdie decided she wanted to eat the stickers from the scrap.  So she sat down on top of the scissors and pen with said scrap between her paws and began nibblin. Winston decided that would be cool to try but Birdie informed him with a snipe and a growl that "No. I'm afraid only ONE of us can do that job" so he had to go back to sniffing and standing on the paper, punching little holes in it. Only where the gift showed of course. Mariah Carey was screeching about "All I want for Christmas..." My ears were bleeding and the toddlers were whimpering. "All I wanted..." was for her to stop.

But I was not to be robbed of a tender Christmas moment. Oh no. I gently put Winston back on his blanket and took the stickers from Birdie, sending her to her blanket.  "Everyone...stay put." I shook my finger. They lowered their heads and slowly wagged "I'm sorry Mommy." Good enough. Back to it. "Silent Night"

I had success in wrapping three gifts. Winston got down and began rummaging through the bags, pulling everything out to smell and unfold it.  Birdie wanted to help eat the price tags so she laid on the rumpled gifts and gnawed those off for me; including the plastic thing OR the corner of the box. Then Wee man got tangled up in the bags and began to attack them. Unbeknownst to me, the room was filled with these evil bags, Hell bent on keeping MY dedicated Winston from his inspection job, not to MENTION the spool of tape his sister had discovered  was jsut SOOO delicious and much easier to come by than having to wait for the sticker thingies her stinky brother would point out on the gifts he was undoing and pulling from the afore mentioned evil bags. "WHAT child is this?" oh no wait... that didn't come out right...

"You're a ROTTER... Mr. Grinch...." Yeah.. That was what I was feelin when they decided to tear up the scrap paper and jump around flipping half the gifts off the bed and sending the scissors and other needed tools to the floor and under the bed JUST out of reach.  I quickly graduated to "I'm gettin NUTTIN for Chriiiiistmaaaaas... Mommy and Daddy are MAAAAAAD"... and was thinking to myself how much I'd like to put my two precious toddlers "Away in a Manger." Yep. Outside. Away. WAAAAY far away.

And as fast as a sleigh whip crack, I ushered the two playmates "dashing" in to the hall and slammed the door. Then "Hark! The Harold Angels Sing" as they cried to come back in and be good. I continued to wrap solo through the "Twelve Days of Christmas"

At last I was finished. What should have taken two hours took four. But as I opened the door and the toddlers raced in, they were overtaken by the "Winter Wonderland" of boxes and ribbons. They hopped up on the bed and I sat with them glad to be "Home for the Holidays." Cheech came in and "I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"  he thanked me for all the hard work

Maybe there is something to that music after all.

Feliz Navidad


Silliness I know. But I hope you smiled and enjoyed yourself. This is a crazy time for us all. We could use a little giggling and pointing. I will be leaving soon for the holidays. I hope we can catch up before then. Enjoy this time with those you love and who love you. It's the greatest gift we can give or receive: time.