I was so excited to start your Holiday Season with a bang, and tell you we beat our best Gifts War ribbon cutting record by 1 minute. We had an engineering glitch at the outset, and with tornadoes rolling through our area, we stopped more than once to check the weather (Indiana-style: look out the window and listen for anything sounding like a train). At 22 minutes, I was sure we were in the clear for a new record. (You can’t look away from my brand-spanking newly painted walls, trim work, and doors, can you? I know. It’s blinding. Prettiest thing EVER.)
Spirits were high this year. It’s Kelly’s year to add this volunteer effort to her Community Service Log. 1st Grade is INTENSE. 4 hours of Community Service in the holiday season, or you’re OUT. Just kidding. If you do less than 4 hours, the punishment is light. You have to make up that time on trash can duty in the nurse’s station during flu season. SO JOKING.
Sara had a big year too. She got to use a real exacto knife, after officially graduating from scissors. We cut 4000 strands in 20-esque minutes! No one has time for handle-based cutting tools in the Gifts War. Scissors are for suckers.
But our misconfiguration on ribbon length, along with the fear the house would be blown over during the process, means we actually fell behind last year’s time by a full 2 minutes. UGH! 22 minutes to cut the 4000 strands and stuff them into 4 buckets, in preparation for the school’s annual Santa Shop. I thought last year was a 23 minute cut, and I wrote the Chair, all thrilled…mostly about being in a house still standing. Upon review of last year’s post, I realized we fell 2 minutes short.
Can’t win ’em all. And here’s the thing: this year was our “best time”. In our 5th year of cutting the ribbon, it’s our tradition for starting the holiday season. It’s always a quick job on a Sunday (as you can see, “getting dressed” is not on our priority list on Sundays), and every year the girls are a bigger and bigger help. The cats stay on a tight patrol, in case any ribbon tries to get away (or runs away?). We’ll be decorating by Friday because Hanukkah has an early start this year. Hope you checked your calendars, because it begins Thanksgiving night! I wonder who elected a PTA President who remembered to check all the holiday start dates before scheduling the annual holiday shopping event, thereby making sure all the kids had gifts in time for their celebrations? Hmmm….WHO could be this hyper-organized? OK fine, you guessed it. It was me. And Kelly, who still thinks she’s Jewish. I’m done fighting with a 6 year old about this topic. Mazel tov Kelly.
So let’s just forget the time we made, and remember instead the time we had. Godspeed my friends! Don’t forget to enter the drawing for a holiday-themed gift bag, handmade by me! Entries are due tonight.
A review of our history with the Gifts Galore event, which we have always called “The Gifts War”, as it was mispronounced by the girls when they were toddlers:
One response to ““Best Time” Is A Relative Statement”
Amazing!
Great Work!
~Have a lovely day!