Santa's helper

[catnapper]

My husband is having a food drive at school, and I get the job to wrap a ton of cardboard boxes to look like presents. I had a little helper elf... well... it was a little pest thinking he'd play in my boxes.

Ahh, but if my pest looks this darn cute, I don't mind!


It took 5 times longer to wrap, and lots of extra paper since he decided to hide under it, pounce on it, eat it, tear it, and just about anything else a serious kitty cat elf could do to wrapping paper.

[CatDad]

Aren't are babies great, so helpful.

Bob will help when it comes to wrapping gifts also. It is just so cute that you can't get mad at him.

[iloverat]

Yep, I've been getting the same assistance as I've been wrapping Christmas gifts. Last night I hadn't seen Briggs for hours but as soon as I unfurled wrapping paper in the floor, here she came. Couldn't wait to walk on it (crunch, crunch) and gnaw (mrow, mrow) on the giant straw tote I'm using to hold the papers, tape, tags, etc. Oh, yeah - and as soon as I'd wrapped a robe size box, she plopped right down on it (crater, crater) and surveyed all from that vantage point for the rest of the session.

Is that Pouncer peeking out from those boxes? What a precious photo. Am so glad that you have such an able and willing aide. How would we get along without their help???

[jazzcat]

What a cutie!! I think that kind of helper is the best!

[Barbara]

Oh I know these helpers

But it is so much more fun with someone like Pouncer

Oh oh, better not show this cute pic to Inka; I don't wanna give her any naughty ideas....

[jenluckenbach]

Wrapping presents.........................cats............. .........

hmmmmmmm.........I didn't know they could be used in the same sentence.

Can't help but love those cute little elves.

[catlover4ever]

Oh, I will take a helper like that anytime. My RB Tony used to wait until all the gifts were wrapped and then he would sit on the top of the gifts and tear the paper apart. I think his daddy put him up to doing that...so daddy could get a peak at what was inside.

[catmandu]

My Cats like to help as well , thoroughly sniffing Every Gift , to make sure that it is just , the Right One! Especially JJJ3 and Moose , and Nifty Nugget!

[emily_the_spoiled]

Someone sent this to me last year and I think you might find it has some useful guidelines for wrapping Christmas presents :

How to wrap a Christmas present with cats in the house

Clear large space on table for wrapping present.

Go to wardrobe and collect bag in which present is contained and close door.

Open door and remove cat from wardrobe.

Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.

Go back and remove cat from cupboard.

Go to drawer and collect transparent sticky tape, ribbons, scissors, labels, etc.

Lay out present and wrapping materials on table, to enable wrapping strategy to be formed.

Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has been in the drawer since last visit, and collect string.

Remove present from bag.

Remove cat from bag.

Open box to check present, remove cat from box, replace present.

Lay out paper to enable cutting to size.

Cut paper to size, try to keep the cutting line straight.

Throw away first sheet because cat tried to chase the scissors and tore the paper.

Cut second sheet of paper to size by putting cat in the bag the present came out of.

Place present on cut-to-size paper.

Lift up edges of paper to seal in present, wonder why edges now don't reach, and find cat between present and paper.

Remove cat and retry.

Place object on paper, to hold in place, while cutting transparent sticky tape.

Spend next 20 minutes carefully trying to remove transparent sticky tape from cat with pair of nail scissors.

Seal paper down with transparent sticky tape, making corners as neat as possible.

Look for roll of ribbon; chase cat down hall and retrieve ribbon.

Try to wrap present with ribbon in a two-directional turn.

Re-roll up ribbon and remove paper that is now torn, due to cat's enthusiasm in chasing ribbon end.

Repeat steps 12-22 until down to last sheet of paper.

Decide to skip steps 12-16 in order to save time and reduce risk of losing last sheet of paper.

Retrieve old cardboard box that you know is right size for sheet of paper.

Put present in box, and tie down with string.

Remove string, open box and remove cat.

Put all packing materials in bag with present and head for lockable room.

Once inside room, lock door and start to re-lay out packing materials.

Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door, close door and re-lock.

Lay out last sheet of paper. (Admittedly this is difficult in the small area of the toilet, but try your best!)

Seal box, wrap with paper and start repairs by very carefully sealing down tears with transparent sticky tape.

Now tie up with ribbon and decorate with bows to hide worst affected areas.

Label, then sit back and admire your handiwork, congratulating yourself on making good of a bad job.

Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make drink and feed cat.

Spend next 15 minutes looking for cat, before coming to obvious conclusion.

Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat.

Retrieve all discarded sheets of wrapping paper, feed cat and retire to lockable room for last attempt, making certain you are alone and the door is locked.

At time of handing over present, smile sweetly at receiver's face, as they try and hide their contempt at being handed such a badly wrapped present.

Swear to yourself that next year, you will get the store to wrap the darn thing for you.

[Lallypop11]

What a chore it is wrapping presents with the cats around, if they aren't laying on the paper, they are batting the ribbons or getting fur stuck to your tape. It's so cute though, perhaps they are saying that they think that we should wrap THEM up since they are such a gift to this world themselves. Haha.

Plus, if I am writing a card on the table and using markers and pens, my cats are obsessed with batting any writing utensil to the ground. They aren't satisfied until they get them all. What's with that?

[sirrahbed]

YES! This year I had to get an early start - getting things wrapped for Sirrahsim (daughter Missy) and my son-in-love who live in Japan. I have NEVER had kittens before, let alone TWO! By the time I was done, the presents were wrapped but with dozens of little claw holes. The bows were chewed, etc. I kept throwing crushed wrap on the floor, but NOOOO - it was much more fun where the real action was But, the job got done, help and all. Makes me think back to having toddlers again!! Maybe when it come to wrapping family gifts - I can wait until nap time??