Once again we celebrated with family and friends at our annual Christmas party. Children and adults decorated ornaments, cookies, and a gingerbead house (which Husband had assembled the night before using brute determination. At one point, when it looked like the gingerbread panels had gained the upper hand in their refusal to be joined together, he considered breaking out the hot glue gun. By sheer force of character, he willed those stubborn panels together.)

The highlight of the party was the much-anticipated Recycled Tacky Gift Exchange (which is actually a gift swap. Participants each draw a number. The first person selects a gift from the pile. The next person can then take the gift from the first person or pick a new gift. Gifts can be stolen twice.) The person who brings the best(?) gift is awarded the coveted white elephant statue.

What makes a gift the best(?) This is subjective; intangible. The gift must possess that certain quality which renders it so unique in its absurdity as to place it in a category all by itself. One year I inexplicably won for my entry: the chemical-resistant apron I'd ordered from the Science Surplus catalog. One never knows.

The winner of this year's exchange: our friend Catia.

The gift: a framed portrait of Will Ferrell, reclining in a very sexy (?) pose as his character from the movie Semi-Pro (afro, strategically-placed basketball, and white socks - nothing else). We bow down to Catia and her ingenuity. Score one for Italy.

Honorable mentions went to Bob for his roll of police caution tape (in Spanish and English) and his creepy clown statue.

It was fun; the wine flowed like water. Now I have a cold.

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