Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Yes, you can call me old-fashioned; I still like to wrap presents.  I love the beautiful paper and find the mindless chore of cutting, folding and taping quite calming.  I can swish all my problems and worries under the bed while I wrap gifts.  My creative juices flow as I decorate the presents with curled ribbon and fancy bows.  Christmas, birthday, anniversary, or whatever the occasion, you will probably get a wrapped gift from moi.  Of course, I always throw in a few gift bags to spice things up; but for the most part, I rap, er, wrap.

Sometimes when the kids attend a party, our present stands alone as the only one not bagged, kind of like the unique individuals we want them to become.  In ten years, kids will probably look at wrapping paper and say, "What's that?"  You know, like records and cassette tapes; things of the past. 

Yesterday Pete and the boys ventured out to Hobby Lobby (they were working on their Pinewood Derby cars).  Of course, the lines were very long as last-minute shoppers rushed around in a needless frenzy.  While they waited, the boys noticed a lady in front of them with dozens of gift bags in varying sizes.  A conversation began and the lady confessed that because she had left all her wrapping to the last minute, she was going to use gift bags instead of paper.

"I hate doing that," she said, "but sometimes life is just too busy."

So my question to YOU is: Do you prefer wrapping presents or gift bagging them?

My wish for YOU is to find the power to S-L-O-W down and enjoy the moment, the beauty of the season.  Gift bag or paper, it is what's on the inside that counts anyway.  Merry Christmas!