Pretty Paper

(This was supposed to post before the New Year but didn't.                                                       So apologies for the out-of-sync posts that you probably didn't notice but I did)

Two unrelated wrapping stories:

I made the mistake of asking where the Christmas wrapping was at my mother's house. First, she looked at me slightly aghast that I didn't know, which really is a shock taken that I haven't lived there for thirty years. For all of my childhood, it was stored in a Montgomery Ward wardrobe box under their bed.  I also assumed that she would have some out because it was Christmas.

She said in the laundry room, next to the freezer.  Then proceeded to show me because she's my mother. To be more specific, it was in the closet portion of the built-in wardrobe, that was once my brothers room, and now converted into the aforementioned laundry room. Simple.

And the door only opens about five inches because: literally next to the freezer.

I reached in and grabbed the first roll my fingers landed on.  It was brittle but still new Christmas paper that I suspect was as old as I was.  It was taped down instead of cellaphane. It was not glossy like paper is now.  There was a little time whiplash upon seeing it.

Now I'm obsessed with what else is in that closet.  It will be one of those archaeological digs that will occur when it's time to close that house so it will be a while before I find out.

Then, there's Kevin's parents.  Every year for ten years I say "Do NOT buy Christmas wrapping. I have plenty of YOURS here at the house."  Every.Year.

Every.Year. they buy paper and I store it.  I even band it together to keep it separate even though it's obvious which is there's because she buys odd wrapping  that I would never buy.

This year I said "The wrapping paper is behind the door of Lucy's room"  Take what you need because there's plenty.  That sounds simple, yes?

Oh, it wasn't.

About halfway through opening presents I noticed that some of my really nice birthday wrapping paper was on the presents.  I was a little confused but let it go.  Then one of the boy littles said to his brother "Bro, that looks like girl paper."

It was metallic purple and pink paper.  Couldn't be less Christmas-y paper if it tried.

SOMEHOW, my father-in-law came into the office, ignored the rolls of paper behind the door, and got into Monica's closet, which requires moving a rocking chair.  He then unearthed, on the top shelf, our box of regular wrapping paper.

AND THEN DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING WAS STRANGE about baby shower, wedding shower, children's birthdays wrapping paper.

OR, did they think to themselves "Gosh, Surely is stingy with wrapping paper."

OR  "This seems odd, maybe we have the wrong paper"

OR "Let's call Surely, who lives twenty-five feet away, and double-check.

So, now everyone's presents are going to be wrapped in Christmas paper. I don't care if your birthday is in August, you're getting freaking SNOWMAN paper because it's all I have now.

TEAL Santa paper, who buys that?  NOT ME