Chandler went to a Sweet Sixteen birthday party at a swanky hotel in the city on Saturday night. We decided to give a gift card to a trendy local shop that all the teenage girls seem to love because I believe it’s important to shop local. Also, because Chandler has no idea what to buy a girl. And I don’t know the girl so I have no idea what to buy her either.
I asked Chandler if he needed help wrapping it. I have little boxes and adorable girl wrapping paper. Nope. He had it covered. He had a tin from a gift card he received at Christmastime. Of course it was green and red and not what I would choose, but I’m walking that fine line between having my kids do things independently and teaching them the proper way to do them.
“What about a card?” Dave asked as Chandler was heading out the door to buy the gift card. (Yes, Chandler has his driver’s license now. But that is a blog for another time. I’m going to have to take a few swigs of freezer vodka before I can work up the courage to write how I feel about that!)
“I have something,” I said. I have a stash of gift tags and generic cards. Because while I’ll give Chandler twenty bucks to buy a gift card for some girl I don’t know so he can enjoy his childhood and maintain a semi-cool social status by going to cool birthday parties, I draw the line at spending $3.49 for a birthday card every time he heads to a party. (Sorry Hallmark, your wit and sentiment is for my friends only!)
Although, now that I think of it, it would be rather entertaining to see what kind of card Chandler would pick. (Oh to be a fly on the wall while that’s happening!)
Before Chandler headed out the door to the party I asked him if he needed a card or a gift tag. He told me no. And then he showed me this:
Yes, dear reader, that would be masking tape on the bottom of a Christmas gift tin. All I can say to Chandler’s future wife is I’m sorry. I really have tried. But this boy is hopeless.
Top photo by asenat29 courtesy of Creative Commons
Charlene Ross 
Here’s my take on this. You should be SUPER DUPER proud of him because ONE of your life lessons that I personally know about having experienced it, is your commitment to improve our environment. What he’s done here is responsibly recycle his gift wrapping and did not add to the trash in the world. Kuddos to Chandler for figuring this out (whether intentionally or accidentally) and to YOU for teaching him so well.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
Of course I DO love the recycling aspect of his gift wrapping. But the masking tape?! All I can do is shake my head and sigh. 🙂
I like it. I think the girl should be impressed that he obviously did this himself and didn’t have his mother do it for him.
Too Funny!!!
Thank you Mindy! (And just you wait – it seems far away for you, but it will be here before you know it!)
Original & FABulous!
I love it! Xxxx
YOU are original and FABulous Kim. (I love you!)
Looks like something a 16 year old boy would do – very authentic! Two thumbs up!! And was that a sharpie he used?? Nice!
Yes, if anything Chandler is truly (and always) authentic! 🙂
That is so freakin’ funny, and it’s exactly what my 14 year old son would do, too. Oh the minds of our children never cease to amaze us.
Thank you Demetria. And yes, thank god for our children – their minds are very entertaining aren’t they?
Ha ha ha. Bet you’re the first one to write a post on “how not to gift wrap”! Love this post. How did the girl react?
Thank you Sarita. I don’t know how she reacted (teenage boys give no information!) Hopefully she enjoyed the gift and didn’t pay attention to the wrapping. (Hopefully!) 🙂 Thanks so much for commenting!