The story “Twas the Night Before Christmas” has turned into a wonderful game that my family has been playing since I was seven years old. The year was 1998 or 1999, on Christmas Eve. My dad’s side of the family had come over for the third year in the row to celebrate Christmas with us. My grandparents on my mom’s side have come over to celebrate with all the grandchildren and introduce this new game. My grandma gets everyone into our living to explain the game and how to play. I would say there was about 15 of us in the room, but sadly I would not be playing the game because there were too many of us under the age of seven so I was the odd man out. While I watch from the sidelines I saw my aunts and uncles pass all these presents out to each other in a circle. My grandma asked if everyone had a present and started to explain how the game works. Every time she read the word “Thee or the” you have to pass the present to your right to the person next to you. While my cousins waited with great anticipation to watch the game come forth, my aunts, uncles, sister and parents where all laughing at each other making fun of who would get what gift.
Finally the game began I can tell you all hell broke lose with everyone trying to keep up my grandma reading the story. I thought presents where going to get broken with how violent and competitive my family was with pass them around. I laughed so hard that I was almost crying because how ridicules my family look at playing this game. After the book wast read my family members had the opportunity to swap presents with other members of the family to get the one that looked appealing. My sister, Kelsey, refused to give her present because it had a cool shape to it and she thought that she was getting the jackpot of all presents. So my grandma told my family to go around the room one at a time and open their presents. What was so surprising about these presents was that they where gag gifts that my grandma found at the dollar general. My family was dying of laughter at the funny gag gifts my grandma got for all them, but are all time favorite was my sister Kelsey’s gift. The gift she was hoarding from everyone was a roll of toilet paper. My whole family lost it after that and for many more years because for almost 10 years that we have played this game Kelsey got the roll of toilet paper.
For many of you out there who read The Rocket can relate my story of great family Christmas memories, games and toys that have lived through out your stories on this earth. Others may had have memories of people helping their family in need. They helped you with Christmas that year for your family and those memories have lived on through you. That’s why I am fond of the tradition my family has played this game for more than 20 years and how still recall all the times Kelsey got the toilet paper or how “pappy” read the book one year and put in some extra thee’s and the’s just to make the game go longer. Many of us may have started some new traditions with our family that will live on through our memories and for some of us through our children. So enjoy the times we spend with our families and enjoy the traditions you’ve created with them. We don’t know how long the ones we love will be with us. So let’s remember all the traditions we had with our families and lets be open to new traditions that live on with our family members. I hope all my fellow students and faculty have a wonderful Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy festivitist for the rest of us and a Happy New Year.
