Wednesday, December 21, 2011

My 12 days of Christmas...Day 9

I was once told that my Grandmother Caroline could take a peice of ribbon, carefully fold it over back and forth and convert a simple ribbon into a beautiful bow. To listen to my dad tell that story it was like he watched her do it yesterday, even though she has been gone a long time. I am guessing she had a few creative genes up her sleeve. In college I started working at a flower shop and I loved it. One of  the first things they teach you is how to convert a simple ribbon into a fantastic presentation of a bow.

I never knew what a difference it made until I saw the reactions of the people I made it for.

For most people, wrapping presents is a chore and too time consuming, it is my favorite part. Picking just the right paper to match the bow is the present that everyone wants to know what is in it because it catches their eye. I always buy paper and ribbon after Christmas for the next year. I never match the paper and ribbon up in the store. I find cool paper and the sparkly ribbon toss it away till next year and always find just the right combinations when I am wrapping.

I have a friend who LOVES Christmas. She loves every aspect of it. I joke about how when you walk in her house it looks like Christmas threw up in it. She loves to give gifts and buys something for everyone and then some (literally). She likes me to come over once or twice during the Christmas Season just to help wrap. Really what I am there for is to BOW her presents.

The other night when I went over she had another friend wrapping. When I walked in she said there you go. Sitting before me was a pile of presents waiting to be "bowed". So I scooped up all the ribbon found myself a comfy place to sit and away I went. I could almost make bows in my sleep. When I finished the first bow and attached it the lady wrapping looked at me and said, "I have never seen anyone freehand a bow like that before, Wow!"

That's exactly what I'm looking for. Something to dress up the package so you know it was wrapped with love. My dad always saves my presents for last not because of what is in them but because he never wants to undo the "beautiful" wrapping job.

I am trying to keep my focus this season and what we are truly celebrating. We aren't just celebrating the birth of Christ but all the details of why and how he came that makes Christmas so special. It is remembering the details. I consider wrapping a Christmas present a detail. Taking the time to make that present look beautiful is just as important as the present you chose for them.

So whether your talent is baking, decorating or making bows don't forget the details. God didn't forget the details when he brought Jesus to earth for us. Why would you forget the details this holiday season.
Happy Wrapping....wish I could be there to help bow all of your presents.

TTFN~

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