CHRISTMAS VISITOR

This is a picture of my dining room table.  My mom said it was one of her favorite centerpieces that I have done. 

These gold presents came from Pier One several years back and they are so versatile.  I simply lift the lid and can easily change out the color.  Many times I use napkins but I used pink tissue paper in these.  Not only are these a great centerpiece at Christmas, I have also used them for birthday parties. 

Now please notice that the center box no longer has the pink tissue paper in it and here is the reason why!!!

This guy did not stay on his tree.  Instead, he decided to take up residence in my gold box!  I was not very happy at all.  At first glance, I thought the shadows outside were casting a dark spot on my beautiful pink tissue paper.  However, when I passed by again, something did not look right.  On closer inspection and much to my horror, this monster head peered out at me.  Of course, I let out a blood curdling scream.  My dear husband was not home to rescue me, so I was on my own.  I shook the box, demanded he leave and even shook the table, but he never moved.  I decided he was dead so I poked at him with a knife, but he jumped, then scooted down into the tissue which caused me to scream again.  I left him alone for awhile but then decided to scare him with the vacuum cleaner.  I turned it on right beside the table but he only retreated further into the safety of the tissue. 

Several hours later, my dear husband arrived home and was not my Knight in Shining Armor.  Of course, he was tired and cold, but still.  He suggested that we leave him in the box as they eat bugs and went off to bed.  I didn't sleep well that night which means he did not sleep well.  I was worried that the visitor might decide our bed would be a safe haven from the vacuum cleaner.  The next morning, he was basking on top of the pink tissue paper - sunning himself in the morning light.  That was it.  I demanded he be taken outside and it better be immediately.  My husband didn't want to waste the pink tissue paper and thought that he should bring it back inside to be used again.  I made him put it in the outside garbage can, so rest easy all of my friends.  Should you receive a gift from me, it will not contain recycled lizard tissue paper! 

I got to thinking.  What if I had held a Ladies Christmas Lunch?  I shudder at the image of my visitor poking his head out of the delicate pink tissue paper inside my beautiful gold box.  He probably would have took one look at all of us and decided to run  across several of the ladies' plates.  I would have never lived that down!!!