“I found a way to slow down the time.” That is exactly what I wrote for a blog some three years ago. Not only it is a wild and “full-of-oneself” claim, it’s also true that it was a magical claim then: “Yes, yes, yes, that same time we all lack so badly during the holiday season.” Yes, yes, yes, that was my second sentence and it truthfully represented the scarcity of time, the spirit of rushing and overstretched, frayed nerves at the Holiday time. At that time. However, reading it now, I have to master a sad smile, as time is not what most of us lack right now, and slowing it down (big time!) definitely happened all over the world due to Covid.
My claim then was that by paying attention to how we wrap the gifts we can slow down the time. (Well, for the sceptics among us: we can slow down the perception of time, that is.)
Right now, we could use the same awareness of mindful gift wrapping as a chance to be/stay in the present moment, truly honoring the time we do have (or are forced to have!).
Try touching the paper and being aware that your fingers are touching it: feeling with your fingertips the newspaper (especially the comics pages!) you are wrapping the gift in, feeling those old maps, even old book pages, old sewing patterns. Try letting your other senses have a feast, too – listen to the sounds that creasing of the paper makes; see it (as if for the first time) and invite yourself to notice how the paper’s corners and folds are different from the rest of it; smell it, too… (Well, maybe abstain from tasting it, though!) Then try touching the fabric (if that is the material that you have chosen to use for your wrapping), be it scraps from previous projects, cut up pieces from a good old (but clean, hopefully!) cotton shirt, burlap bags… you name it! See how different it feels from any paper! What are your fingertips telling you? Try cutting the ribbon, enjoying the scissor’s song! You can use scraps from fabrics you have – cut them into thin long ribbons or turn them into tags – cut out shapes and glue them to the craft paper, write on them, draw on them. Or try making the ribbon yourself – from some scraps of yarn, from pieces of materials in holiday colors, or re-using old ribbons and leftovers from crafts or previously received gifts… You can use the plastic mesh from a bag of store-bought lemons (which is usually bright yellow or green) – it provides a glorious contrast to regular craft paper! You can attach sprigs of greens from the garden or small pieces of driftwood paired with shells you picked up on the beach. You can make a collage of old postcards and already used gift wrap paper. You can use dried flowers to fill, say, an old shoe box where a box of tea and jam is going to be placed. You can use small pebbles or tiny shells to line another box – an intended home for a chocolate box that has chocolates in sea shell shapes. Just look for associations, look for things even around your house, around your walking paths and beach. And yes, we are so fortunate to live here, in coastal California! We have the chance to go on walks on the beach (because we have free public access to California beaches) even these days – with masks and socially distanced – but still! All those “raw” materials, mentioned earlier (and oodles more of unmentioned ones!) can become part of the rich tapestry of gift wrapping experience.
I have a suggestion to approach each gift wrapping project as an “official” creative art project – a recycled art project, an up-cycled art project, a re-usable art project, a project that is a feast to our senses. I also urge us all to give ourselves the permission to take our time to do that. I am not advocating for totally leaving the new wrapping materials behind (or maybe I am), but I am definitely advocating for letting your imagination spread the wings of creativity and possibilities.
Yes, it all takes time. Being “wildly” creative is also fun and just plain rewarding, and can bring some lightheartedness to the present moment. There is unexpected and unusual freedom in that! And I welcome that!
Written by Indra Strong, Certified Let It Go Yoga teacher. Photo Credit: Indra Strong.
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