Arrivederci, auf wiedersehen, etc.
I'm going to my little hometown this weekend. There is always a little bit of culture shock involved. Suddenly we have to drive everywhere instead of walking, and there is no longer a gym/library/CVS within a few blocks away. But, on the upside, it is much quieter, and you can see the stars.
My family's Christmas party is this weekend. They rent out a hall, Knights of Columbus or some such, and all 60 or so of my mom's side of the family shows up. She is the youngest of five, and they all had kids, and their kids have kids, so it's a nice, big crowd.
Among the events are Santa (played by one of the men, it changes each year. One year, embarrassingly, Santa had presents for me and D, so we had to perch on his lap, one per knee. I think Santa was my BIL that year) and the Yankee swap. I'm still fuzzy on the rules of the Yankee swap, but it is basically a Darwinian game where people give each other presents, but someone else can take yours away (and give you theirs).
One year my sister's boyfriend brought a fruitcake, to be silly. My niece, who was maybe six at the time, got a lottery ticket and was very excited. Then my aunt got the fruitcake and swapped it for the lottery ticket! My niece started to cry. Eventually my sister's boyfriend solved the problem by taking the fruitcake from her and giving her a candle.
Hopefully no one will bring fruitcake this year.
My family's Christmas party is this weekend. They rent out a hall, Knights of Columbus or some such, and all 60 or so of my mom's side of the family shows up. She is the youngest of five, and they all had kids, and their kids have kids, so it's a nice, big crowd.
Among the events are Santa (played by one of the men, it changes each year. One year, embarrassingly, Santa had presents for me and D, so we had to perch on his lap, one per knee. I think Santa was my BIL that year) and the Yankee swap. I'm still fuzzy on the rules of the Yankee swap, but it is basically a Darwinian game where people give each other presents, but someone else can take yours away (and give you theirs).
One year my sister's boyfriend brought a fruitcake, to be silly. My niece, who was maybe six at the time, got a lottery ticket and was very excited. Then my aunt got the fruitcake and swapped it for the lottery ticket! My niece started to cry. Eventually my sister's boyfriend solved the problem by taking the fruitcake from her and giving her a candle.
Hopefully no one will bring fruitcake this year.
Comments
amy - i know, it was awful. mom thinks kids shouldn't play. but then they might feel excluded, i guess.
Or maybe that's only what happens with a crowd of military people.
R - that's true!
Kitkat - i suspect it would go like hotcakes. i'm bringing a book called "100 margaritas" or something like that, which i hope is equally popular. it shows how to make all these different margaritas.
(heehee)
hehe.. take care!