Wrapping!

I've been wrapping, wrapping today. It is such a good feeling. I got everything wrapped that needed to be mailed, and as I finished each 'box', Duff took them to MBEtc. Over the years the owner, Barry, has treated us so kindly. Sometimes when I've been in a hurry, he just takes the address from me, waves me off, and mails it on the house! He always tries to guess where I'm sending to each time I come in. Utah or Arizona, and which city in each state! So those are DONE!

One of my very first jobs--other than cleaning houses and babysitting, which I started when I was 12--was working for Sears in their customer service department. The first holiday season I was there, I wrapped gifts. Every other day for 2 months! That is a lot of presents. On a Friday or Saturday the line would be out the door and we would be wrapping as fast as we could. Two of us would be in back wrapping, one out front taking orders, and one cashiering. Busy. Busy.

Before the season started, we were given a 'wrapping test'. They handed us a shirt and a box. We had to put tissue paper in the box, fold and place the shirt, then wrap and ribbon the box. Then we were graded! I got an A. Only because my mom had taught us girls how to wrap a present years before and we always had to help her. She was VERY particular. She'd make us take it apart and do it again if it wasn't just right. I grew up thinking everyone knew how to do this--and was surprised when some of my fellow workers didn't know where to start!

So now on to a few more wrapped each day this week, and I won't be up until 1 a.m. on Christmas Eve!

(Journal: Christine had Sarah B. and Leslie G. spend the night last night. Oh giggly girls! They finally conked out around 1:30am, and got up at 7! Christine made her light-and-fluffy pancakes from the BH&G childrens cookbook. Yummy, and the girls were impressed she could cook. We made cookies for the live nativity for Dan and Dodie's neighbors tomorrow, and I put together a Strawberry Crunch Pretzel Salad for the Stk. Presidency Christmas dinner tonight at the Beckett's. Duff took my grocery list and went to the store for me. It was a divide and conquer day. Update on the dinner later.)