{dirty!} Santa Baby!

So does your family do any of the fun gift exchange games at Christmas?  It has different names including but not limited to:

Pass The Trash
White Elephant
Dirty Santa - this is what our family calls it cause we get kind of nasty and steal things!
Yankee Swap! (as seen on the famous episode of The Office)

In our family on my Dad's side, this is a COVETED time at Christmas.  I mean, what is better than seeing someone open a gift they like and then STEALING IT away from them (hahaha  - evil laugh).  This game is highly competitive and it's not uncommon for curse words to be exchanged or something to be said about your mother. Here's how it works for us:

* Everyone brings a wrapped gift, $20 - 25.
* We draw #'s 1 through however many people are playing.
* #1 opens a gift of their choice.
*#2 can STEAL that gift from #1 person, or open a new gift.
* This goes on until everyone has a gift.  The caveat is that if someone takes your gift, you can then pick again. At that time you can STEAL from someone else or open a wrapped gift.
* Each gift can only be stolen TWO TIMES and then it's dead, can't be stolen again.

If you don't do something like this with your family, co-workers or friends - you should.  It's great fun and a lively event.  Now, in our family, we bring gifts that people want to fight over, with some funny additions.  Like last year, my husband wrapped his 16"x20" photo of himself as a Senior in highschool in his football uniform - but he taped $20 bucks to the back of it.  Some folks do this game with funny things or junk from their house, but we've found there are a lot more STEALS (which come on, is the fun of the game) with good stuff.  We often have screwdriver sets, other tools, COACH wristlets (highly fought over), local college stuf (GO CARDS!), gift cards, home items, and more.

So anyway, the fun part of the story - we started this game on my mom's side of the family this year.  It was everyone's first year in this group, and no so many steals and such, but we still had lots of fun.  And, I got the gift I brought!   Now, my mom at both parties this year tried to take the gift she brought FIRST before opening something surprising.  I told her she needed to LIVE LIFE and be surprised.  She seemed offended, but hey, I had to say it.  Anyway, my cousin Katie won the gift I brought which is a FAB chevron patterned tray with matching turquoise tumblers . . . . yep, that would look pretty good in  my house (eh hem, see it sitting on my bar table in the dining room).  She is recently married and living in a small apartment, and really didn't have room for it - so she gave it back to me, and I gift her the automatic wine opener I won.  So everybody wins, especially me who now has this great new tray!

PS - Maxwell wanted you to see him holding the tray.