Chinese auction

In my family we have a Chinese auction every Christmas gathering. This means instead of exchanging gifts with everyone we just buy one thing. Something cheap, humble, funny usually. A surprise. All these surprises then are piled high in the living room without any indication to reveal save for wrapping paper. Now pick a number from the hat and the auction begins.

This year I was number six, half way through the line which isn't bad. The first to pick are often the worst off since anyone after them can exchange their gift for people before them. I ended up with hot sauce, yep hot sauce. The funniest gifts were surely my Uncle Danny's new found pink snuggie and the huge deer head my Dad unwrapped. Both given and received in part by my uncle Danny, the trickster.

I'm lucky to have a big close family from always. I realize that more as I grow older and compare to many other people I know. In the end everyone found something to take away for themselves, making something fit weather snuggies, hot sauce, piggy banks, or chocolate sweets. My brother even claimed the deer head over my dad as some novel kitsch for his pad. Many faces, too much good food, and catching up with family. The ritual and tradition continued. This is why I come back even from so far away. One day it won't be there you know? You have to make it work you see and appreciate it for what it is. This is my dad incredulously unwrapping a big ass buck head, and my cousin Corey laughing in the background (just got accepted into Virginia Tech found out!)