Our family plays this game and has forever. It is supposedly a throwback from long ago -- the basic idea is that if you are the first one to say to someone "Christmas gift!", then they are supposed to give you a gift. I believe that it was originally played on Christmas Day only, but our family plays it for every holiday, including Christmas Eve, birthdays, Valentine's, Martin Luther King Day, etc. We have never followed through with the gift giving part -- the first person to say it just gets the pleasure of winning and lording it over everyone.
My personal favorite is when you can catch someone totally off guard and say "Oh, John?" Him: "What?" "I just wanted to say Christmas Eve Gift!" This is naturally followed by lots of disgust and drama, etc. It's tons of fun to win.
I like to win.
The downside of this game is that on holidays we don't call one another because the other person will invariably answer the phone "Christmas Eve Gift" and then they got you. In the pre-caller ID days, we would answer every call this way, so then explaining went along with the game, which is why lots of my friends play the game with us too. Joe particularly likes to get my mom. Let's be honest -- we all like to get mom.
Anyway, it is now 1:37 pm on Christmas Eve and I haven't had a single phone call and won't unless someone decides they are throwing in the towel -- and I'm waiting to pounce if they do.
I like to win.
I'm truly grateful that I have a family when so many in Dallas do not. Lots of kids served by Community Partners of Dallas would be happy to let someone win the game every single time if it meant they could have a family to be with today and tomorrow and forever.
I think I'll give mom a call and give her a thrill since I know how she'll answer the phone.
But I'll get her tomorrow.
Family.
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