Thursday, December 23, 2010

Christmas Traditions

When my brother was an infant, my aunt and mother started a tradition that lasted until my aunt passed away.  My Aunt Marge found the Christmas card that my mother had sent her the year before, and because she liked the picture of the cherub on the front she put a new date on it and sent it to my mother.  So it went, back and forth each year, with maybe one year when the card got "lost." 

In 1985, a similar tradition started with my siblings.  But it wasn't a card...OH NOOOO.  You'd have to understand how twisted the sense of humor is with some of my siblings to comprehend how this ever kept going.  You see, we gift a pig's head. 

2007
It started off as a doll, then it lost its body, then it lost one of the eyes.  It was just ugly.  In 2003, the nieces and nephews pleaded with us to end this bizarre tradition.  Nah...that's not gonna happen.  So I gave him a bath, fixed his eyes, gave him some hip sunglasses (aging, y'know), added a little color to his cheeks.  (Chicagoans, note the box...Marshall Field's!).
2008
When this tradition first began, the recipient of the pig's head one year was able to decide who got it the next year.  But now, we just have a white elephant gift exchange and that's one of the gifts.  So there's no telling who will end up with it each year.   
2009
(Clearly my daughter was not thrilled to be the recipient last year!)

This Sunday is the family Christmas with my siblings and their kids and grandkids.  Can't wait to see who gets to bring home the most prized Christmas gift ever!!
Do you have any bizarre traditions?  Share!!

6 comments:

Laura said...

Hey PK - I never knew about the Pig's head (or if I did, I completely forgot about it!) Too funny! Leanne and I wanted to start a tradition (ok, we stole the idea from Cindi) where all grab bag gifts must be bought at a Goodwill store. Then, whatever grab bag gift YOU receive you have to display it in your house for the entire year.

Peggy K said...

I forgot about Cindi telling us about that. I LOVE that idea. I think I might propose that to my fam this year.

Leanne said...

PK!! I had not heard this pig head story before .... but it explains so much about you and your fun sense humor! ;) I see that you get it from the family, eh!?!?

I wish you a merry Christmas, dear friend! Looking forward to great things from us in 2011!!!!

carol said...

We have a similar tradition but with a gift box. Remember Chess King? Well we have a Chess King gift box that goes back and forth..sometimes xmas sometimes a bday. The receiver has to put their name and date on the box then they pass it on...I have the box to pass on, but I'm waiting until my dil's bday in Feb. because she's never received the "box."

Cindi aka Ericksoc said...

The Goodwill gifts were exchanged this year, but my gift partner wimped out because of the snow...so, it'll be delayed. Sister and her friend did theirs, though - hysterical! I love the pig! - We have another tradition with a mug that Bob has gotten for the past 2 years - he almost fell on the floor laughing this year when he opened it - I'll have to fill you in on that one when I see you. My sister and her friends used to plant an African American Santa figure in each other's yards, too.

Fireproofing Joliet said...

Great post tthankyou