THERE ARE THOSE AMONGST US WHO LOVE TO WRAP PRESENTS AND THOSE WHO DON'T.

HE WHO MUST BE OBEYED HAS ALWAYS HAD HIS DAUGHTERS TO WRAP PRESENTS FOR HIM AT CHRISTMAS TIME, BUT WHEN THE LITTLE GIRLS WENT AWAY TO UNIVERSITY, HE FOUND PRESENT WRAPPING A BIT OF A BOTHER.

ONE YEAR MY GIFT WAS NEATLY BUT LOVINGLY WRAPPED IN LOO PAPER, THE LOOSE ENDS TIED UP WITH FISHING LINE !!

NOW THIS I CAN EQUATE WITH QUITE WELL BECAUSE I AM NOT A FANATICAL PRESENT WRAPPER MYSELF.

ALL OF MY SISTERS-IN- LAW LOVE TO WRAP. THEIR GIFTS ARE BANDBOX PERFECT. THE GIFT WRAP PAPER VIRTUALLY MEASURED WITH A MICRO-TOME, THE ENDS METICULOUSLY NIPPED AND TUCKED. THEIR GIFTS ARE FESTOONED WITH ELEGANT LITTLE EXQUISITELY TIED BOWS, OR FRESH FLOWERS, GARLANDED WITH RAFFIA, CANDY CANES, OR PERFECT SILK POINSETTIAS.

MY AMERICAN SISTER IN LAW ARRIVED FOR CHRISTMAS ONE YEAR AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK TO HER BEDROOM, DOOR FIRMLY CLOSED. WE AT FIRST THOUGHT SHE WAS AILING, JETLAG PERHAPS, A REACTION TO THE MALARIA TABLETS POSSIBLY, BUT NO, SHE WAS WRAPPING GIFTS. SHE WAS THE WORLD EXPERT WRAPPER UNDOUBTEDLY. ALL OF HER GIFTS CAME IN BOXES YOU SEE, WHICH ARE EASY TO WRAP.

NOW AMERICANS PUT ALL THEIR GIFTS INTO BOXES, THEY HAVE THOSE FOLD DOWN BOXES IN EVERY CONCEIVABLE SHAPE AND SIZE. I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER MY FIRST DRESS THAT ARRIVED IN A BOX, LAYER UPON LAYER OF TISSUE PAPER, DELICATELY BE - RIBBONED, A PERFECT SILVER STICKY LABEL WITH CALLIGRAPHY WRITING, OH IT WAS THE STUFF DREAMS ARE MADE OF.

AT CHRISTMAS, WHEN YOU BUY A GIFT, YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY GIVEN THE CORRECT SIZE BOW , ALONG WITH A FEW LEAVES OF THE FINEST TISSUE PAPER, PLUS A SWEET RIBBON AND POSSIBLY SOME TASTEFUL GIFT WRAP TOO.

THE GIFT WARP DEPARTMENTS IN STORES ARE MAGICAL. THERE IS EVERY CONCEIVABLE TYPE OF PAPER, RIBBONS, TASSELS, BOWS , BUTTERFLIES, SILK FLOWERS, BEARS, BAUBLES, BANGLES AND BEADS WITH WHICH TO DECORATE ONES GIFT.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I STILL CAN NOT GET THE HANG OF IT.

MY WRAPPING IS ALWAYS DONE HASTILY, WHEN ALL THE KIDS ARE IN BED, THE CLOCK HEADS FOR MIDNIGHT. THE TURKEY (WHICH I FORGOT TO TAKE OUT OF THE FREEZER, IS DRIPPING ON THE DRAINING BOARD, THE STUFFING STILL HAS TO BE MIXED. THERE ARE NO CHARMS FOR THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING, THEY HAVE LONG SINCE VANISHED AFTER LAST YEARS FESTIVITIES, AND I AM RUMMAGING THROUGH THE "JUSTIN" DRAWER COS I FORGOT TO BUY AUNTIE CONNIE A GIFT.

SO, GONE ARE MY DETERMINED THOUGHTS TO WRAP BEAUTIFULLY THIS YEAR. THE ONLY GIFT WRAP I CAN FIND IS THAT WHICH I SAVED FROM THE RUBBISH BIN LAST YEAR, AS A LEGACY TO THE YEARS GONE BY WHEN WE HAD TO MAKE OUR GIFT WRAP PAPER OUT OF THE PAPER WHICH WAS USED TO PRINT THE FABRIC IN THE FACTORIES.

THERE IS NO TIME TO MANUFACTURE DARLING LITTLE BOWS, NO TIME TO SEAL THOSE EDGES ON THE GIFT WITH INFINITESIMAL CARE AND PRECISION. MY PRESSIES HAVE TO BE SHOVED UNDER THE TREE BEFORE SANTA GETS HERE, OR AT LEAST BEFORE THE KIDS WAKE UP, AND TIME IS TIGHT YET AGAIN, THIS CHRISTMAS !!