Gift Bags - my aversion explained

I was wrapping a couple of birthday gifts this past weekend and it dawned on me why I have such an aversion to giving a gift in a bag. It's not the gifts in the bag - it's just the bag itself. You may know this or have noticed this, I don't or I rarely use them.

Christmas was always just plain ugly when I was a kid. Edna always threw some type of snit. As her children, we all struggle with gifts for her. We could walk into a store and buy her everything she pointed to, wrap and give it to her and she'd still have a fit that it wasn't enough, was too much, or wasn't what she wanted. She's the only person I know who b!tches about gift cards!

Because of my mother, I always told myself that I would do anything and everything I could to make Christmas better/happier for my kids, for my family. I would always wrap gifts, and have good food and enjoy the day. No fights. No police. (I'll explain another time.)

Every Christmas, birthday, gift giving occasion, Edna never wrapped gifts. My sisters or my brother wrapped all the gifts Edna gave to me until I was old enough to do it myself. Yes, I wrapped my own gifts. Edna would put them in a box and I'd wrap the box. Oh, she'd even come up with creative ways to use the little scraps of paper too. Like wrap one little strip around the middle of the white shirt box. Or my favorite - wrap the little strip around just the corners. That caused a GIANT fight one year as I refused to do it.

Edna hoarded wrapping paper. I inherited her stash almost 4 years ago as well as a box of all the little scraps and strips, including a box of bows with no sticky. Aside from purchasing a couple of rolls of thicker, a roll of longer, and the 4 rolls that were free at a yard sale, I haven't HAD to buy paper in 4 years! Yet, she fought with me over using strips of wrapping paper!

Edna was in her glory when they came out with the pre-printed shirt boxes. You know, the ones with the little designs on the lids that you simply tape shut. Oooh! She loved those. I HATE 'em! She then gave me the store bag with my gift inside and it was up to me to stuff that store bag into that box and then tape the box shut. Merry Christmas!

Even now, with all the cute little bags available, Ole Edna, she prefers the store's plastic bag. But more often the case, now Edna chooses to write a check...sometimes. If she feels like it that year. I guess, I can only say she's fair. She slights us all the same. The kids included.

I, myself, enjoy watching a child (even old Jeremy) RIP into the paper and tear it all up to reveal what is hidden underneath. I love that look when they roll the item over and see what it is! Somehow the gift bag doesn't give off that same feeling. I mean really - you pull out three pieces of crumpled tissue paper and whoa - there's your gift. You can't shake it like a wrapped box. You can't turn it all around or upside down. And quite honestly - I'm a terrible peeker and if left alone with a gift bag with my name on it - I'll have that gift outta there, all scoped out and back in the sack so you can't even tell I looked - quicker than you can say "Christmas!" I am however, deterred by wrapping paper!

I'm going against my beliefs this Christmas and I'm giving my gifts, to the adults in gift bags - it is the easiest way to package what I have in store. But it's okay, I have plenty of paper for the little kiddies on my list. Don't you worry kids, Auntie Gail has plenty of paper for you little shredders!

**Disclaimer - I do not think less of you for using gift bags, and I do recycle the ones that I receive.