Thursday, December 07, 2006

Santa's Little Helper


For a long time I resisted.


But at last I gave in.

Fed-up with looking like the poor relation when it came to wrapping presents, I started using tasteful paper, matching labels and bows - instead of fat Santa paper, cut-up old card labels and no bows. But somehow, no matter what I do, my sister-in-laws's gifts always look nicer than mine!

It's the added ribbon I suspect. But I am not going to start faffing about with ribbon. Didn't Shirley Conran (Superwoman of my generation) say, 'Life's too short to stuff a mushroom'?

And that reminds me: I watched the Domestic Goddess, Nigella Lawson, last night. Daughter, having the sort of enthusiasm for cooking that I had BeforeChildren, was very excited about it; I was less so having sat through all of Delia's Christmas cooking programmes not that many years ago.

Neither of us had seen Nigella in action before although Daughter uses her recipe book. Haven't found out Daughter's opinion yet but I'm not watching again.

It's not hard to guess what the marketing ploy is. The seductive look up from under the eyelashes, the girlish giggle, the dark tresses falling around her face.

Bring back Delia.

11 comments:

Elsie said...

Just beautiful, Liz. Now I'm motivated! Who is getting The Simpson packages?

Liz Hinds said...

The children!

Anonymous said...

Your parcels look great. Lucky Derby.

I've gone for nice quality paper and matching tags, no ribbons, no bows and am very happy with results this year. It's my Green Thing - we throw it all away on Boxing Day so let's have less to throw.

*****

I do like Nigella though. I watch her Nigella Bites on UK TV Food and have bought a recipe book. I used to find Delia really patronising whereas Nigella has a healthy, let's go for it, attitude to food, I think.

Anonymous said...

The presents look excellent, Liz. The recipients will be delighted, I'm sure.

+++++

'Fraid I go for Nigella in the presentation stakes. There is just something about Delia that makes me think I know nothing, whereas Nigella has a more natural, girl-next-door approach. Not that she looks anything like the girl next door.

Anonymous said...

The packages look beautiful -- very elegant. I haven't wrapped a thing yet. I suppose I should get busy. I did buy spools of ribbon today, as I like making my own bows.

Domestic Goddesses tend to run screaming in horror when they see me coming, but I do like Nigella.

Anna said...

I LOVED Nigella's Christmas! Specially the last bit where she snuck down to cut herself a giant slice of cake with Tia Maria. I identify with her entirely, with the compulsive cookery-book-collecting, drooling over mince pies, and buying mulled wine just for the Christmassiness of it. Steve says the dress I've bought is 'very Nigella' which I take as a big compliment. :-)

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, Liz. Here presents are gift-wrapped for you, at no charge, wherever you buy them - and prettily, too. Even the supermarkets will do it. So people
miss out on some stress here but maybe also on some pleasure?
I love Nigella's way of writing and find that her recipes do work. Saint Delia's condescending tone does annoy me but her recipes work also! [Probably going to post on the gift-wrapping thing so you'll be bored when you read that one!] buon weekend.

Joy Des Jardins said...

Well Liz...you've inspired me to get going and wrap my presents. That's always the part of Xmas I just can't seem to be very organized about. It seems like such a big chore for some reason. I think I may actually start tonight; and I really do love seeing them all under the tree. Your gifts look just great. Thanks for the inspiration.

DellaB said...

Hi Liz, I totally agree your sentiments about Nigella - I watch the cooking shows, some of them are rubbish, just personalities prancing about cooking the same things I cook for dinner. Some are good though and I learn things, which still surprises me, at my age!

I had a husband once who could REALLY wrap presents; left my poor efforts for dead. These days I don't need the skills, we don't swap presents between the extended family adults, and the only child in my family is one grandaughter who lives in another city. So I only have to wrap Noel's present - easy!

Liz Hinds said...

Sicily sounds like the place to be at Christmas then if it comes gift-wrapped!

I'd just like to say that I'm sure Nigella's recipes are lovely; it was simply her manner that irritated me!

Della, it sounds very civilised to simplify the present giving like that. I have thought of suggesting it but Husband stops me.

Joy, I think the reason wrapping is a chore mainly boils down to sellotape! In fact I feel inspired now to write a post simply about the delights and frustrations of sellotape.

but it will have to wait until we're back from our weekend away. I'm supposed to be showering now and getting ready!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

You probably know about this, but I subscribe to "Private Eye" and there's a nice little spoof of Nigella in the latest issue. I can't really judge, as her Xmas series has not been shown here, but anyway, PE made me laugh.