Santa's Workshop

 This year the girls and I got to help wrap gifts for "Operation: Toy Box", gifts that were donated by people in the community to be given out to needy children at a Christmas breakfast we were planning on volunteering for Christmas morning.  It was even better than being in the real Santa's workshop, perhaps because of the warm weather, or because no one had pointy ears and red and green striped socks, or maybe it was just the fact that all these toys were given in love to kids who may otherwise get nothing for Christmas.  

Joyful Christmas music hummed in the background.  Toys in plastic packaging were stacked against the walls, in piles according to age group.  Rolls of wrapping paper stood slanted in gift bags, and an army of scotch tape dispensers stood ready to seal the packages.  Seated were 3 youth, 3 adults, and us, unrolling, cutting, taping, and labeling.  The girls enjoyed picking which toy to wrap next, passing the tape, and passing the beautifully wrapped gift down the table.  

At one point, Elysse was hungry, so we slipped into the back room where I could nurse her.  This room was even more magical than the first.  On the floor were signs that read "Girls 0-12 month"; "Boys 12mo-3yr" "Girls 4-6" and so on, up to teenagers.  Behind each sign were piles higher than Kezia with gleaming, crisp packages awaiting the hands of a boy or girl on Christmas morning.  And there was no list of who was naughty or nice.

The girls couldn't wait to go to the breakfast and see who would receive the gifts they had so joyfully wrapped.