The time has come. The time of Burl Ives and the smell of cinnamon – of glitter and sparkle and pretty packages donning curled ribbon and festive paper. Whether it be a Charlie Brown tree or a 10-footer, trees are dressed up to celebrate the Savior’s birth. It is the time of hiding unwrapped gifts from your nosy husband and taking your little ones to see Santa Claus. I love Christmastime. This is my favorite time of year.

I already have a lot of my Christmas shopping done and can’t wait to pick out wrapping paper. You may think I’m strange, but I love to wrap presents. Most people find it a burden, but it is one of my favorite things about this season!

Making wrapped gifts look just perfect with tons of ribbon and ornaments brings me joy. Mama used to get me to wrap Christmas presents when I was a teenager and Daddy still gets me to wrap the ones he buys.

Men and wrapping paper just don’t mix – at least not the ones I know. It comes out looking like a bandaged creature – like Hermey the Dentist Elf from “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” wrapped it instead of Santa. Jacob wrapped a Valentine’s present for me once. It took a knife to get through all the paper and tape. That thing was on lockdown.

Speaking of lockdown, I’m going to have to find a new hiding place for Jacob’s presents, because it has been compromised. I think I’m going to have to dig a hole in the backyard and bury them, because he’s a lot like my sister – she usually knows what she’s getting for Christmas beforehand. Last year, I discovered he’d been snooping in his stocking. He accidentally blurted out what he thought was in there; I then knew what I was dealing with. This year, the stocking will be stuffed on Christmas Eve … after he’s asleep.

Paisley has not located her hidden gifts yet as far as I know. When asked what she wants from Santa Claus, she’s been consistently saying “a baby doll.” Easy enough. So, Santa will be bringing her a baby doll; let’s just hope she doesn’t start saying a “four-wheeler” or something like that before December 25th. Santa can’t fit a four-wheeler in his bag this year.

Jacob and I recently had a little girl ask us if we were coming to her birthday party. She then proceeded to tell us what she wanted: a four-wheeler. She will have to be content with a baby doll, as well. Kids these days. Five-year-olds are wanting iPads and iPhones for Christmas. When I was five, I wanted a baby doll stroller.

I’m glad Paisley has not asked for an iPad. Santa would have to write her a letter explaining that he ran out of the stuff to make iPads this year. We recently took the four-year-old to see Santa Claus at Bass Pro Shops in Pearl.

She was so excited that Santa was going to be at Daddy’s favorite place. She had a twinkle in her eye, but on the drive up there, she started getting nervous. “Are you going to sit on Santa’s lap?” I asked her. No answer. “Uh oh,” I thought. I was preparing myself for a fall-out crying in the floor or me having to sit on Santa’s lap with her.

However, Santa was so friendly and so sweet that she marched right on up there and got in his red lap. She giggled at the things he told her about Mrs. Claus and his love for cookies. However, in all her amazement, she forgot to tell him she wanted a doll for Christmas. I had to sing to her her favorite Christmas song, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” to remind her that Santa Claus knows.

I pray you’ll have fun with this wonderful season of Jesus’ birth. Christmas can be stressful, but it should be a happy, joyous time. Now, excuse me while I get my cinnamon candles and Burl Ives going and try to find a top-secret military base to put Jacob’s presents in.

You may write to Jessica Boyd-Smith by emailing jessimarie2010@yahoo.com.