I do my best not to wrap a present. If I must, I try to wrap it in something useful: Tea towel, bandana (when I wrapped Christmas gifts in those in 2019, everyone appreciated them the following March), t-shirt (gift within a gift), a reusable bag/tote or kraft paper, which is recyclable. Then, a wonderfully reusable ribbon. Yes, I keep the ones I receive and use them again when possible, and choose lovely ribbon that can be reused as well. Sometimes, all that's needed is the ribbon (especially if it's wrapped around a bottle of wine). Otherwise, wrapping paper is just awful waste, no matter how pretty. While we don't have Boxing Day in the US (we might, if anyone could clearly explain its proper origin), I stand with my Irish/English ancestors and take the day...and the week that follows. And I pissed off my Canadian host by repeatedly refusing to eat fruit cake or mincemeat pies one Christmas; thankfully, no figgy pudding was on offer. Hope you're having a lovely holiday season, Mark. Despite the Boney M (great band, IMO). xo
How about this: why not go back to the lunar calendar and have a 5 day (or 6 day every 4th year) holiday wherein time 'stops'. That would relax people more than either Boxing Day or Boney M. All hail the return of Saturnalia, the true meaning of Christmas.
Great questions. The Lords were leaping in a dance. In Elizabethan times a lot of dances included leaping. Apparently Queen Elizabeth I was very good at it. Queen Elizabeth II was also a good dancer, especially Scottish country dancing. Perhaps being a good dancer is a pre-requisite to being a queen.
Happy and joyous holiday season to you and all your readers.
Gift Wrapping: I think it has dual appeal, because of its inherent dark side. I enjoy a well-wrapped present and appreciate the effort that goes into doing this. But I also know that most of it is an illusion as the gift-wrapper is usually in a rush, can't find the good scissors, the paper, the tape - and it's all done last-second because while they'd thought the staff room Secret Santa was tomorrow, it's actually today and they're already late leaving ....
Boney M is a timeless seasonal jam. I will fight to the death on this one. Seeing them in Moncton tonight!
I do my best not to wrap a present. If I must, I try to wrap it in something useful: Tea towel, bandana (when I wrapped Christmas gifts in those in 2019, everyone appreciated them the following March), t-shirt (gift within a gift), a reusable bag/tote or kraft paper, which is recyclable. Then, a wonderfully reusable ribbon. Yes, I keep the ones I receive and use them again when possible, and choose lovely ribbon that can be reused as well. Sometimes, all that's needed is the ribbon (especially if it's wrapped around a bottle of wine). Otherwise, wrapping paper is just awful waste, no matter how pretty. While we don't have Boxing Day in the US (we might, if anyone could clearly explain its proper origin), I stand with my Irish/English ancestors and take the day...and the week that follows. And I pissed off my Canadian host by repeatedly refusing to eat fruit cake or mincemeat pies one Christmas; thankfully, no figgy pudding was on offer. Hope you're having a lovely holiday season, Mark. Despite the Boney M (great band, IMO). xo
How about this: why not go back to the lunar calendar and have a 5 day (or 6 day every 4th year) holiday wherein time 'stops'. That would relax people more than either Boxing Day or Boney M. All hail the return of Saturnalia, the true meaning of Christmas.
Gift wrapping? Both. I love wrapping 😅
Boxing Day is the best holiday of the year, Mark.
Boxing Day is just another Black Friday for those of us who don’t “do” Christmas.
But my biggest question is what happens when the battery dies in Rudolph’s nose in mid-Atlantic-flight?
Such a great post, Mark!
And no, turtle doves - Streptopelia turtur - are not a myth. What's more, they're absolutely gorgeous!
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/pigeons-and-doves/turtle-dove
Great questions. The Lords were leaping in a dance. In Elizabethan times a lot of dances included leaping. Apparently Queen Elizabeth I was very good at it. Queen Elizabeth II was also a good dancer, especially Scottish country dancing. Perhaps being a good dancer is a pre-requisite to being a queen.
Happy and joyous holiday season to you and all your readers.
Oh, and Boney M should just fade away. Put that puppy down.
Gift Wrapping: I think it has dual appeal, because of its inherent dark side. I enjoy a well-wrapped present and appreciate the effort that goes into doing this. But I also know that most of it is an illusion as the gift-wrapper is usually in a rush, can't find the good scissors, the paper, the tape - and it's all done last-second because while they'd thought the staff room Secret Santa was tomorrow, it's actually today and they're already late leaving ....