The Peoria Jaycees Christmas party is Friday night, and I'm looking forward to it. It's being held at the River Station, who has one of the best prime ribs I've had. And since that is one of the menu items for Friday, lucky me!! It should be a really good time, and I hope it's well attended.
But the part of the evening I'm really looking forward to the most is the gift exchange. This is my first Jaycees Christmas party, so I've never been involved in one of these before, but here's how I understand it. Everybody who wants to participate goes out and buys a gift (no more than $10). It can be a nice gift, a gag gift, whatever floats your boat. Then each person wraps it and brings it to the party. Each person bringing a gift draws a number and the exchange begins. Whoever drew number 1 gets to choose whichever gift they want, and they open it. Whoever drew number 2 can decide whether to take the first gift (which they already know what it is) or they can open a new gift. The process continues until each person has a gift. I believe once a gift has changed hands 3 times, it cannot be stolen anymore. It's your typical white elephant gift exchange, but knowing the Jaycees, it'll be anything but typical - I can't wait to see this group of gifts!!
A few years ago (maybe 8 or so), our family started a yearly white elephant gift exchange (works just like stated above), and it's always the hit of the day. We've gifted everything from a chia pet to a shoehorn to a giant pez dispenser. But the prized gift is a small white Buddha-looking porcelain elephant. Whoever wins this guy gets to keep him for the year, but is obligated to regift him and bring him back for somebody else to have the following year. My father won it last year, and it's sat in his family room ever since. It's always the most coveted gift at the exchange, and whoever wins him gets to write their name somewhere on him - sort of like the Stanley Cup in hockey - so that no matter who has the elephant at any time, they can see who's held him before. I'm carving out a place for him at my house as we speak!!
If the Jaycees white elephant is half as fun as our family's white elephant, Friday night will be a hoot!!
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2 comments:
It's a good time, but I wouldn't get your hopes too high.
It'll be easy to spot which gift Mary brings. She'll be laughing before it is even opened.
I might laugh at more than one gift.
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