The Hungry Hungry Writer

I never posted these…

Pictures from Jake and Bella’s race:

Bella:

Jake:

Halloween 2006

The Group

The Pumpkins

Jake and Papa at the King Game (12/12/2006)

This party has been going on since College. I have not missed a single party. Wow.

This is how the party works. It includes several of our closet friends from high school and college. There is a name draw – Christmas gift exchange thing. And there’s good food and most recently, maybe seven or eight years, a dice game.

19 years ago there was a limit to the amount of money spent on a gift. It was like $20, no more than $25 or something. Back then we were the kids and nobody had a kid. Nobody had a real job either. We were all still in college. There was one party where there was like 50+ people in the house. But as the years went by, several people went their separate ways. I’d say in the past seven or eight years, a core group has always been there. And only my sister, Dale, Dasie, Chip, and I have been there from the very start.

And now, the gift exchange is usually around $100 (or more). All of us have ‘real’ jobs or a family, and we aren’t the kids anymore. There was a total of seven children in the house ages 1-6.

Looking back at pictures past shows that we have come a long way since 1987.

Who was there this Saturday night?

Adults: Liza, Steve, Glenn, Donna, Dale, Dasie, Chip, Lori, Reba, Cecilia, Hugo, and my mom, who was there just because she’s here for the holidays and was the only ‘real’ adult.
Kids: Jacob (6), Colby (5), Jeremiah (4-Cecilia’s nephew), Bella (3), Kena (2), Avery (1-ish), Kaden (almost 1), .

Who missed it: Tom (Reba’s husband) had to work. Jessica (in Texas and doesn’t get out of school till this week).

So here’s how it works.

First, an “All I want for Christmas Wish List” is submitted to Liza. Then, a week or two before the party we pick names from a hat to see who we would get a gift for. This is kept highly secret. It is made easy to shop because you have that person’s ‘want list’ and you just get them what they want. It could be several items that total the spending limit or one item at that limit. Whatever they want. It’s awesome.

On party night, Liza makes this awesome spread. Usually turkey. This year it was Roast Beef. There was creamed corn, potatoes, salad, bread pudding, asparagus, and other things. It was so good that I made sure I ran 9 miles before the party: to prepare for all the food I’d eat.

After we eat dinner we open gifts and play the name game. Everyone is supposed to bring a $20 gift card and we put it in ‘the pot’. Then we get a sheet of paper and guess who got whom in the gift exchange. The person who gets the most right wins a gift certificate.

One person goes first and gives his or her gift to their person and it goes on from there. The scorekeeper keeps score (usually Jessica but she wasn’t here). And usually, I win this game. Normally, I gather enough clues from people in order to get enough names right in order to win. There is no doubt now that I would have won again but most of my guesses were just that - guesses. Okay, I saw who someone else had by what they wrote on their paper… but that’s part of the game right? Anyway… did I lose? NOPE… I tied with Cecilia and Reba with 5 right so we all got a gift card. It could have been my title once again, but I wasn’t too into the game this year for some reason.

Chip had me AGAIN this year and got me this…

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
(which was on my list)
He also got me an LA Dodgers shirt as an ‘extra’ present. What a guy.

I didn’t know what to add to my list this year so I just filled it with stuff to make it easy on ‘my person’ to search and buy.

After the gift exchange we take a Christmas group photo.

Can you see me hidden behind Bella and Donna?

And then its on to one of the most exciting events of the night. We play ‘The Dice Game!’

This is where all the gift certificates are put into the center of the floor. We all gather around and roll a pair of die to Mariah’s “All I want for Christmas” song.

The rules are this.

If you roll a 7 or 11 you get to grab a gift certificate from the center or from somebody. If you roll a 2 or 12 you have to give your gift certificate (if you have one) to the person to your right. You can only have 2 gift certificates maximum so if you roll a 7 or 11 and you want someone else’s, you have to switch - one for one. And at the end of the song the die roll is stopped and you get what you have!

It is very fun, loud, and exciting. You are not allowed to sit next to your spouse because strategy is played: as if you roll a 2 or 12 and your spouse is to your right, nothing is really lost. Again, I usually win something… this year my biorhythms or something were off: I’m still chasing them. Needless to say, I didn’t win – but Donna did.

There have been times when this party would go on to the wee hours of the morning. We barely made it to midnight this year – which is way better than last year, the year before and the years before… when Jake was born. The kids stayed up really late but thankfully, Bella slept till 8:45 AM on Sunday morning. Jake and I, on the other hand, were out of the house at 7:15 to go buy donuts and dog food at the grocery store.

So, “Liza’s 19th Annual Christmas Party” for 2006 was a huge success. It always is.

Thanks, SIS for hosting!!! You’re the best!!!

Next year is going to be ‘awesomer!’

Oh, and for those who don’t know what to get me for Christmas… here’s my “All I want for Christmas 2006 Wish List”:

You can always send it to me or email me a gift certificate any time.

I ALWAYS EXCEPT ALL FORMS OF CASH!!!

XBOX GAMES (BUY THEM USED I WON’T BE OFFENDED!!!)
NHL 2K7
NBA 2K7
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Justice League Heroes
FIFA 07
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent
Far Cry Instincts Evolution

Triathlete’s TP Total Package