Rubber Boots and Wrapping Paper

The holidays are always such a fun time with my family. All the yummy food and the yummy drinks and laughs together. I think one of my fondest memories was when we were back home and we still lived in the big 2 story house right behind my Nan (on my dad’s side). Ah my Nan… I guess to get the full effect of this story you need to understand the absolutely wonderful person

that my Nan was. She was a tough lady who took no crap. She was a commanding woman with an amazing presence…. Who would do anything for those she loved because she was fiercely loyal. My best memories of my childhood consisted of walking home from the bus only to see her in the big kitchen window with her apron on and baking… usually bread. And in the morning while waiting for the school bus I would go to visit her and she would give me ice cream and she would give my older sister gum. Now if that doesn’t tell you what kind of person she was… she would do anything to make us happy; hop the youngest up on sugar and send her to school and send the young teen with gum who could possibly get detention for it, just to make us happy.

Anyway back to the holidays. Every year, everyone came to our house. So we would all be jammed into the living room with our big piles of presents but we weren’t allowed to start anything until Nan came across the yard. So, first thing we would do was call her and tell her we were up. And no matter what time it was, she would walk through that door with a big smile on her face. And with all the frenzy and excitement of opening presents we would all forget that there was always so much wrapping paper. This is when my Nan would go to work. She would go around with a garbage bag and she would pick up all the wrapping paper. And when she was done, she would put on her grey rubber boots and throw the HUGE garbage bag over her shoulder and walk out the door. I swear every year she reminded me of Santa.

Over the years, things have changed… A LOT… people have left our family and others have been added in. But no matter what, at the end of it all we ALWAYS mention Nan and her rubber boots and wrapping paper.