A Wish for Ashley

Holiday Tradition Two: Charity Gift Wrapping

Historical Background:  Growing up I always admired people that would volunteer at soup kitchens over the holidays or make meals for their neighbors who did not have the time or capacities to do so themselves.  However, I would never dare because to me cooking means putting a bag of popcorn in the microwave and hitting ‘express 2 minutes.’  When I’m feeling really fancy, I scrape a can of tuna into a bowl and eat it. Plain.  According to Boyfriend, this meal is the closest thing to dog food I could get before popping open a can of Alpo. So instead, four years ago I jumped at the chance to volunteer over the holidays doing something I actually have skillz in: gift wrapping.  I grew up under the Gift Wrapping Reign O’ Terror.  If your corners weren’t sharp or your wrappings didn’t match the color scheme of the tree, your gift didn’t make the cut.  It went in the closet and was not permitted under the tree.  Therefore my gift wrapping is perfection.  Ok not perfection, but it is pseudo professional. 

A Normal Tradition:  Taking shifts as a charity gift wrapper at the Cambridgeside Galleria Mall.  All proceeds benefit Rosie’s Place, an amazing women’s shelter and service provider in Boston.  Rosie’s Place is also where one of Will’s best friends works!

My Whacked Out Experience with This Tradition: My blogging has fallen off because man oh man I’ve been wrapping up a storm this week.  I was disappointed to see that the Rosie’s Place wrapping station was moved this year, to an obscure location on the third level of the mall.  I know from my four years of charity wrapping experience that being down on the first floor by the food court wracks up the big bucks.  Catch the weary male shoppers at a moment of weakness, when they’ve finished their shopping and are wandering aimlessly around the Food Court for sustenance.  In their low-blood sugared haze, a booth of women with the promise of holiday gifts wrapped, bowed and carded for $5.00 is like a mirage in the desert of Christmas Shopping Hell.  However, I surveyed the new location and thought ok fine. Not prime real estate, but I like a challenge.  Bring it on. I plastered on a smile and batted my eyelashes at the war torn shoppers.  And yeah, I told Boyfriend.  Flirting is allowed when you’re flirting for a good cause.

Our shift was off to a slow start, but two ‘what are you doings?’ and a ‘where’s the restroom?’ later,  we had a taker.  He pulled a small jewelry box out of his pocket and shoved it across the counter.  “Just wrap that. Quickly,” he commanded, his eyes darting around.  My years of experience told me one thing: guy buying present for his second girlfriend, and his first is somewhere in this mall.  “Would you like a gift tag?” I asked innocently, verifying my judgment.  “No, no tag!” He barked.  Bingo.  Sleazy Customer Number One slammed down his five dollar bill and walked away.

Then there was the young man who plunked down a large box onto the counter.  “It’s for my girlfriend,” he stated, before I could ask him to pick out his wrapping paper.  Hold your horses dude.  I just asked if you wanted me to take the price tag off.  I flipped the large box over and realized this man had bought his girlfriend a set of kitchen knives.  Audra, don’t judge. My customer selected his wrapping- tasteful red paper with gold leaves- and began pacing as I started to wrap.  “Do you think that’s romantic?” he blurted out, interrupting my wrapping groove.  “I’m sorry?” I responded, confused. “My girlfriend always tells me my gifts aren’t romantic enough.  But this is a romantic gift, right?” I eyed the set of kitchen knives.  And the Rosie’s Place donation box.  Hmmm… I don’t want to alienate a customer before we’ve received payment. “Is she a chef?” I asked cheerfully, keeping my eyes on the scissors and tape.  “No.”  “Did she ask for kitchen knives?” I asked, in an equally airy manner.  “No,”  he responded.  I finished off the package with a matching bow and gift tag and put my hand out for our donation.  With the money safely in my hand I heard the words come out of mouth before I could stop them. “Well kitchen knives don’t exactly scream romance to me, but maybe your girlfriend will think differently.  Good luck!” 

Invitation: Ashley, I don’t know if you have any holiday traditions, but I’d love to learn about yours and I’ve love to involve you in mine.  You don’t even need to know how to wrap- seriously, these guys are so clueless, you could roll up the gift in paper, place duct tape all around it and they’d be i”  I was thinking about you when I was wrapping, wondering what you might receive this year.  Wishing there was something I could give you. I don’t know yet what that would be… but I can promise I’ll leave the kitchen knives on the shelf in the store. 

With love (and a few paper cuts),

Audra