Regifting the Bag

About six or seven years ago I received a sewing machine from my Mom for Christmas. Because the sewing machine was so large, my Mom wrapped the sewing machine in a handmade cloth bag she made to fit it. She found some snowman fabric at the local craft store that she sewed together and then added a drawstring at the top to close it. It served it's purpose very well.

I didn't think much about the bag until the next year when I dragged out my Christmas wrapping paper, bags, tissue and bows. In with all my wrapping paper was the large cloth bag. I ventured out to do more shopping and came across a small piece of luggage perfect for my sister. I bought it and "wrapped" it up in the drawstring bag.

When it came time to open our Christmas gifts that year, my sister opened the cloth bag to reveal her gift. Ever since that Christmas the cloth snowman bag has made an appearance at each of our holiday celebrations. In fact it's now expected that the bag recipient find a gift to present the following year. The trick is the giver has to find a gift that's appropriately sized for such a large bag -- it adds another dimension to our holiday giving.

While it may be only a small tradition in our family, it's one we enjoy each year. We anxiously wait to see who will get the bag and guess what may be inside.

~Sara K., Marshfield, WI