From one rockstar grandmother to another, I bring you an official warning, born of experience. Be careful about doing anything for or with your grands more than once, unless you care to repeat it. At least in this family, twice becomes a tradition. Discussion closed. Full stop.

My Christmas crazy began a number of years ago when I took my five grands’ Christmas presents (three boys and two girls) and morphed them into a whole Christmas scene featuring three Santa Claus’ and two representations of Mrs Claus. How, you ask? Well, Virginia, it wasn’t easy.

They had three gifts each. I took each grands’ presents, wrapped them individually, and stacked them vertically. Next, I took the appropriate colors of paper and gave my creations jolly old faces, Santa hats, boots, aprons, toy lists, etc…The fun I had with the production was only exceeded by the joy the grands had when they saw them, and of course, their glee in the deconstruction.

Job well done, I thought. Emphasis on done. How naive could one Keggie be?  (Don’t answer that.)

As the holidays approached the following year, the grands began to talk about the previous years’ Santa presents and it became obvious that I had started something. Way to go, Keggie.

Since then I’ve had years of experience transforming otherwise ordinary gifts. I’ve created reindeer, snowmen, gingerbread houses, and nutcrackers because apparently Christmas isn’t busy enough already and I like taking regular chores like gift wrapping and complicating them beyond belief. You do know presents come in all shapes and sizes, right? Right.

Every year my darling man finds me in the middle of this chaos and makes an observation along the lines of, “You do realize other people just wrap the presents, right?” I have not hurt him. Yet. But, here we are again, so the jury is still out.

Clearly, I can’t just put a bow on the gifts! Not when the littles been asking me since July what the theme would be this year?! And you know what? The truth is, it is worth it. One day they’ll outgrow this madness but the memories will be ours forever.

P.S. For those wondering what this year’s creations will be, I have no idea. Standing by for suggestions!