I am often asked what I get Piper for Christmas and the answer is nothing. Believe me when I say he has everything he needs and then some, all provided throughout the year. This does not mean, however, that Piper doesn’t get to participate in Christmas.
He loves wrapping paper.
Piper “helped” me wrap his daddy’s gifts before the big day. If you have ever tried to tear a piece of tape from the dispenser with one hand while holding the gift wrap in place on the present with the other, try doing it with a bird crawling down your arm on a mission to chew the paper you are so carefully attempting to position.
When I was finally done, about an hour later than I should have been if i had not had “assistance”, I took the gifts downstairs and placed them under the tree, located in our dining room. I often sit at the table in this room and work, writing stories and editing photos to accompany them. Piper is often with me, perched on my shoulder or the top of anther chair, sometimes investigating the spiral notebook and pen on the table. But once the presents went under the tree, all he wanted was down. I swear he recognized the gifts we had wrapped for Mister Rain, he completely ignored the others that had been put there a few weeks prior.
On Christmas afternoon, my husband and I sat beneath the tree, opening the presents we had gotten for each other. Piper was sitting on Mister Rain’s shoulder until he spotted the same gifts that have had his attention since “we” wrapped them. He climbed down his daddy’s arm and sat amongst those presents, not quite sure which one to “unwrap” first.
Once we were done oohing and aahing over the thoughtful, fun items we had received, we recycled some of the paper but I placed most of it in a shopping bag and set it by the tree for future use. No, not to wrap again – for Piper. Now when he is with me in the dining room, I put the bag on top of the table and he goes to town, pulling pieces out, chewing them, throwing them to the floor, going into the bag. I can’t even tell you how much joy it brigs me when he plays with things, I love to see him engaged and curious.
Another Christmas is in the bag, a new year ahead to unwrap and sink our beaks into. With Piper leading the way.
#sisterrain #birdmom #adoptdontshop #parrotsofinstagram #conure #ahelpingwingparrotrescue #piper #piperthegiftthatkeepsongiving
