Wrapping paper and safety pins

For the last decade of his life my brother and I had ongoing fun conversations about things we could invent that would make us rich. Our goal was to create something simple and so obvious that people thought they needed it (wrapping paper) or really did need (safety pins). I don’t remember many ideas that we humorously tossed around, but we would call one another and say things like, “Ear warmers for pet bunnies!”

This came to mind as I was wrapping presents to send to my grand-nieces, granddaughters Ron never knew. In order to begin that project I had to find the plastic bin that houses all the wrapping paper and ribbons. You’ve got a similar something yourself. Well, from my recent move I knew that it was on the top shelf in the closet in the den. I’d forgotten that there were lots of other things piled on top of it, so there was some maneuvering required to get to the 2 different rolls of paper leftover from last year. If Ron was around I would call and say, “A garment bag for wrapping paper.” I’ll bet if I checked out the Container Store’s website they already have that.

Once wrapped, the presents needed to go in a box to send. If Ron was around I would call and say, “Precut packing tape of different sizes.” Someone probably has those in production somewhere.

In the 20 years he has been gone we have not reduced our usage of wrapping paper. One source says that we use two million tons during the holiday season. That’s 30 million trees for a product that is difficult to recycle and that many don’t even try to. If Ron was around I would call and say, “Easily recyclable wrapping paper!”

Ron and I didn’t spend that many Christmases together because of the age difference and locations so it was not holiday memories that made me nostalgic while wrapping the presents but the memory of our game of inventions. Remembering that made me smile. If Ron was around I would call and ask him what he liked on the most recent Shark Tank. He would have loved that show. Whatever makes you nostalgic this season, may it also end up making you smile.

Marilyn