Beneath the Wraps

          Last week I had taken Jenna to the church with me in order to wrap gifts for some members in the ward.  Another sister had dropped by the church to donate some games – which Jenna volunteered to take home.  I ’ m not really certain how that came about but we did end up with them.         Thursday night Jenna ’ s Sunday School teacher dropped off a candy filled sock.   Jenna added the small sock to our fireplace ; she said it would be for Bonnie.           It turned out to be a really nice Christmas.   Each of us had three gifts beneath the tree plus the two games we dubbed from Santa Clause. Traditionally we will first open our socks.   Jenna passed them out one at a time.   I noticed my sock was bulkier than it had been before I had gone to bed.   Gloves, toffee, a chocolate orange and a notebook had been added to what I had already put...

Each year that we’ve been here we have mailed four packages to Salt Lake -   one for each of my boys and one for my sister and her family.   This year we mailed only one package.   We sent out gift cards to each of my sons and presents to the children of my middle son – not to play favorites among grandchildren, but I knew we’d be receiving a package from them and so wanted to make a gift exchange to the only son that it seems to matter.   The first gift under our tree was one from some ward members we had had over for Thanksgiving  a couple of years ago.   The gift was moved when the carpet was cleaned and we forgot to return it.   We had three small gifts under our tree, presents from my sister and her family.   Jenna guessed what they were – but did not know all of the details that awaited on the inside.   Randy’s gift to Jenna arrived unwrapped, but I took it out of the box and put it in a decorative Christmas tin and put a tag to J...