Christmas Eve Gift!
My paternal family has a tradition that has lasted many generations. "Christmas Eve Gift" Many years ago the winner of this game would win an actual gift. This game has tweaked over the years and there is no present given anymore. On this day before Christmas persons in my family will try and be the first person to utter these three words, Christmas Eve Gift. These words are not just said, but screamed, blurted, screeched, whatever it takes to have them said before the other is finished. It is always a race to the word gift. We don't lose easily in this game, if someone starts before you, you just try and say it faster than they to finish first.
There are a couple of strategies that help to win, the first is to answer your telephone with these words instead of hello. Caller ID has helped unsuspecting callers who do not participate in this game of champions from being scared silly when they are simply calling to say hello, and we answer with a blurted and very loud CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT! The next strategy which is by far the hardest, is for when there is a room full of family, and you are on the phone to them. When the conversation is done and the phone is passed to the next person, you don't know when they will pick up the phone, and put phone to ear, so you must, must, must, just start repeating those three words over and over as soon as the first person has quit talking. Sometimes you might say the three words 20 times before the person gets to the phone, (or in fact they could have been there all along, just listening to you making a might bit of a fool of yourself), but nonetheless you are almost guaranteed a victory, unless they catch you when you are taking a breath. My brother Will always catches me when I am taking a breath. He is definately the champ when it comes to my siblings.
This game gives gifts that might not be seen, but they are gifts. The gift of giggling when you are saying the three words is inevitable, you just have to smile. The satisfaction of winning is ofcourse a huge rush, you get to hear the other not so fortunate opponent say, "Oh, that was so close," or "I almost had it," or just a general groan. As the loser in the game you get to expend extra holiday energy into a really good groan, and make everybody laugh again. This game brings my family far and wide together and united even if it is on the phone, to keep this tradition alive. We might play on the phone state to state, in the past country to country, or just down the street. When you walk into a room full of family you hear it coming at you from many directions, you are pelted with Christmas Eve Gift, I have been known to enter a room saying it, pelting it right back.
This gift brings the gift of togetherness. It truly is a Christmas tradition.
Did I mention that we play this game tomorrow only it is called "Christmas Gift," same game just no "eve". So for the next 48 hours in the midst of my fun and crazy family we will be screaming, blurting, and screaching, moaning and groaning words of togetherness. Ah! such fun, the thrill of victory and agony of defeat.
Wish me luck it is early in the day!
There are a couple of strategies that help to win, the first is to answer your telephone with these words instead of hello. Caller ID has helped unsuspecting callers who do not participate in this game of champions from being scared silly when they are simply calling to say hello, and we answer with a blurted and very loud CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT! The next strategy which is by far the hardest, is for when there is a room full of family, and you are on the phone to them. When the conversation is done and the phone is passed to the next person, you don't know when they will pick up the phone, and put phone to ear, so you must, must, must, just start repeating those three words over and over as soon as the first person has quit talking. Sometimes you might say the three words 20 times before the person gets to the phone, (or in fact they could have been there all along, just listening to you making a might bit of a fool of yourself), but nonetheless you are almost guaranteed a victory, unless they catch you when you are taking a breath. My brother Will always catches me when I am taking a breath. He is definately the champ when it comes to my siblings.
This game gives gifts that might not be seen, but they are gifts. The gift of giggling when you are saying the three words is inevitable, you just have to smile. The satisfaction of winning is ofcourse a huge rush, you get to hear the other not so fortunate opponent say, "Oh, that was so close," or "I almost had it," or just a general groan. As the loser in the game you get to expend extra holiday energy into a really good groan, and make everybody laugh again. This game brings my family far and wide together and united even if it is on the phone, to keep this tradition alive. We might play on the phone state to state, in the past country to country, or just down the street. When you walk into a room full of family you hear it coming at you from many directions, you are pelted with Christmas Eve Gift, I have been known to enter a room saying it, pelting it right back.
This gift brings the gift of togetherness. It truly is a Christmas tradition.
Did I mention that we play this game tomorrow only it is called "Christmas Gift," same game just no "eve". So for the next 48 hours in the midst of my fun and crazy family we will be screaming, blurting, and screaching, moaning and groaning words of togetherness. Ah! such fun, the thrill of victory and agony of defeat.
Wish me luck it is early in the day!
Comments
Merry Christmas to your family and may your New Year be blessed with just as many blessing as this but in a better package! :)