Hiding Presents

I've been buying Christmas presents for my kids all year and then hiding them in various nooks and crannies around the house. It saves having to rush around at the last minute battling manic mall shoppers for that perfect stocking stuffer. The only problem with this method is that you have to remember what you bought and where you hid it. Just last week I brought home something for my son and carried it to a high shelf of my closet only to discover a similar item that I had placed there last summer. Doh!

And then there's the fun of pulling out towels from the linen closet in February to be hit on the head by a doll or matchbox car that I forgot to put under the tree a few months before. It's always a challenge for me and my wife on Christmas Eve to check off every item for the kids. What we need is a dedicated Gift Closet. With shelves for every occasion. And a lock on the door, of course. I wonder if I can ever be that efficient.