Christine Danek is hosting the Crazy Holiday Blogfest. The only real prerequisite is that it needs to be about the holidays. Which is good because I didn't have time to write a snippet, instead, I'm going to tell you about my families Christmas tradition.
Christmas with my family is all about bartering, trading and negotiations.
Confused?
That's understandable. Most families traditions are about a big dinner and exchanging gifts and, while we have that too, it's not the main event. We do something called the pie-pull.
How it works is each household (there's five: Grandparents, Uncle B, Uncle S, Uncle D and Mom) all buy a bunch of small gifts, well to be more accurate we'll buy bigger gifts and break them down into smaller pieces. For example, if someone bought Monopoly they'd separate the game into about six or seven pieces and wrap them individually. Once the presents are wrapped (generally in Newspaper and before we all meet) we attach strings to the gifts and fill a basket with as many presents as will fit. We drape the strings over the edge and then cover the top with a blanket.
We take turns calling out names for people to pick their string. Your draw is entirely up to chance. You unwrap your present which is sometimes already whole and sometimes just a piece of a set.
After there's been several pulls and we all see what everyone else has - including other pieces we need for sets we want to complete - we start bartering and trading with each other. You have to convince other people to trade with you so you can get what you want - and some people in my family drive very hard bargains!
You have to use every tactic at your disposal. Beg! Charm! Flatter! Guilt!
Last year my Cousin M and I were both trying to complete the same set (that was broken into like 15 pieces) and competition like that makes for a very interesting evening. (In case you're wondering, I ended up with most of it but realized he wanted the set more than I did and gave it to him - for everything else he had. Yeah, I only seem nice.)
Anyways, it's pretty much the funnest thing ever and every Christmas Eve (it's a Swedish thing) is full of awesome.
To check out more entries, go here.
Do you have any holiday traditions?
Every x-mas morning we have a southern breakfast--ham, eggs, and hominy grits with red eye gravy! I don't know if I could compete for gifts! Hey, I just got a nook, a garmin and a pair of boots-- x-mas came early.
ReplyDeletelove this idea! sounds like a blast.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds so fun! Thanks for sharing this great tradition. I might have to borrow it. You'll have to let us know what you get this year! So cool...:)
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like it could quite fun with the right family. In my family, someone would end up dead before the evening was over...not the best way to end Christmas. LOL
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a really fun tradtion!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a cool and unique tradition.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds amazing. I definitely have to suggest this. We just do the white elephant give exchange, nothing too big.
ReplyDeleteThat is one of the craziest traditions I have ever heard--it sounds awesome! That's such an awesome way to build family memories.
ReplyDeleteHow very interesting. I 've never heard of people doing this, though I can understand how much fun that might be. What a neat tradition. One tradition i have been implementing with my kids has been watching the Grinch who stole Christmas on Christmas eve.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have a great time! What fun :-) One of our traditions is that one or another of us tries to make handcrafted gifts. One year my mom crocheted hats and scarves for everyone--13 of us. Now that made for a funny picture to remember!
ReplyDeleteNow that sounds like fun! Quite the twist on Dirty Santa.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun tradition! I can only imagine what that must be like in person.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have traditions... now we just go with whatever jumps into our holiday season.
Now that is a seriously fun tradition! And smart move with your bartering. ;) Our traditions usually involve food of some sort, not so good for our waist lines I guess.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteIn this household, it's just the usual gift-giving. :)
That sounds like a game I played at a party once. Fun!
ReplyDeleteNancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author
I might install this idea! It sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteGreat tradition, Melissa! Your family sounds like a lot of fun. This was one of my favorite posts today.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like an awesome tradition! So much fun! Never heard of this game thingy. Hmm. Neat!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your tradition, that's awesome. Mine seem boring now. I may have to come up with something else...
ReplyDeleteI love that! I seriously am going to do that with my in-laws next year! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMy family plays monopoly and clue... both games get pretty competitive.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like so much fun :) I love your description of the gift exchange: "Beg! Charm! Flatter! Guilt!" The best person in my family at making me feel guilty is my mom!
ReplyDeleteOur traditions are to get a real tree every year, and to open several presents early on Christmas Eve...
Sounds so much fun! That's so very nice of you to give your pieces to your Cousin M. :)
ReplyDeleteNothing unusual for me - Christmas dinner, exchanging gifts and getting together.
Ah, we have no such traditions that are that interesting! Sounds like so much fun!
ReplyDeleteSo cool! I can see my husband's family doing something like that.
ReplyDeleteMelissa - that's hilarious! I love it. The tradition would make the party so much fun. I think I need to suggest it. =D
ReplyDeleteI love that! That is the greatest family tradition... I'd like to start something like this w/my little clan. Maybe we'll steal~ :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Mel! <3
This is great. What fun! Makes our traditions, just plain, old traditions. Thanks for participating.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteWow! What a fun thing to do, and you gave up your winnings - sweet!
best
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Wow - that's quite the tradition! I hope you don't all end up killing each other in the process. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, with that picture of you blowing an air kiss you definitely seem nice. I know now not to get into a bartering fight with you. LOL This sounds like a crazy fun way to celebrate the holiday. Thanks for sharing it! :D
ReplyDeleteWow that sounds like a lot of fun. Probably noisy too!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds amazing. I may have to adopt your tradition. I have an open house on Christmas Eve and make my famous homemade loaded potato soup, chicken salad sandwiches, and too many other finger foods, and desserts to name. We open presents with the extended family saving ours for the next morning and then my hubby and I drink crown and coke and play Monopoly after everyone leaves. We are such party animals.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun family tradition!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun tradition! I love it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a unique and fun tradition!
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing tradition, but I'd be super stressed out! Haha.
ReplyDeleteIt's the same old same old at my house in terms of gift-giving. I did have a few friends in the past who liked to be cruel and wrap presents in layers and layers of wrapping -boxes in boxes, wrapping in wrapping in layers of duct tape, etc.