CHRISTMAS AS A GAME-SHOW!!

**After all the rush of the holiday season, the big day comes and goes and another December 25th becomes a “Christmas Past”. (Without doubt, the rush and hubbub and harsh commercialism will not be missed. It’s a bit like having all the political commercials and campaign signs finally go away after election day.) However, what is most special about this holiday in particular, is getting together with family. In fact, that is the most important blessing of all. It is the sharing of hugs and activities and visiting and laughter that makes the holiday package a family affair.

**This year several changes occurred in our traditional routine. Our Alaska-Family-Portion was not here with us this year, our Tri-Cities-Family-Portion came for several days but returned home on the 24th, and for the first time we joined our Local-Family-Portion in their home for Christmas morning and the mid-day meal. Well, All Right! As our kid’s families mature, they need to begin building their own traditions. To accommodate the changes, we embraced flexible scheduling, and it all worked out fine. Everyone got some time with everyone else, the girl-cousins had time together, including a sleep-over at Grandma’s house, and the overall workload on us was considerably reduced. All-in-all, it seemed to be a more relaxed week of visiting and having some time to talk, and I think the stress levels were quite low.

**I can’t detail all of our week, but one unusual but typically creative event occurred on Friday that so typifies our genius kids that it will serve as an example of our wonderful Christmas week. Because the family of #1 Son wanted to be back in their own home for Christmas Day, Betty and I gathered with them and our daughter’s family here on the morning of the 24th to exchange gifts and other forms of affection. In a traditional way, beginning with the youngest, each selected a gift under the tree and delivered it to the person to whom it was addressed. In this way over the years we have all enjoyed what is given and received. And so the morning proceeded with five girls and six adults participating. Ohhs and Ahhs and thank you hugs were expressed and shared until finally…. all the gifts were distributed. But wait… Something was different. Everyone else had some nice gifts and plenty of them, but Grandma sat with just a pair of socks and I held only a calendar and a small, green ball designed for massaging the bottom of my feet. This situation was pointed out to us in case we had not noticed, and a final wrapped package was given to us. Oddly it only held a couple of noise makers such as are used in common board games. Hmmmm. You know how you can tell when “a plot is afoot”? I was beginning to get that feeling.

**Sure enough, Something was going on, and the level of excitement in the room was climbing. We, however, were pointedly invited to spend a little while somewhere else. Yes, we were being banished from the room! When we obliged, a flurry of activities and strange requests began coming from the living room!. “Do you have a spare power strip?” “What can we use to put this on?” and everyone seemed to be scurrying about with smug comments and huge grins. After several minutes of this unusual behavior, the youngest girls were sent to escort us back. The loveseat sofa was set before an impressive array of technical equipment and multiple computer screens and suddenly we had become the surprise guests on a “Jeopardy-Style” Quiz Show. Indeed along with the moderator’s comments a screen showed "answers" on a contest blue-screen, and sound bits of “Jeopardy” music and typical intro patter were heard, and suddenly we realized that we were the contestants and the categories were going to be about “The Sound of Music” (our family’s favorite musical as the kids grew up) and “The Grapes of Wrath” (a book I taught for many years which has had some impact on all of us).

**Amazingly, as the game started, we realized one of the computer screens was displaying our family in Alaska (#3 Son and Wife and both Grandsons!!!) and they were live and participating too, thanks to a wonderful internet communications program. So for a few special minutes all our own kids and all of their kids were together “in the room” and involved in putting on the game. It was a great experience and an especially heartwarming part of the whole effort.

**The noise makers were our buzzers to sound to get to provide questions for the answers displayed. Betty and I competed to get to form each question, just like on the real program, and we each had chances to build up our winnings on the scoreboard being kept. The winnings mounted, and before long the game was into the “Final Category” which concerned “What’s In The Box?”. Sure enough, a large wrapped gift box appeared and we won the opportunity to see for ourselves. TA-DAH!, it turned out that the game was an entertaining and dramatic way to present us with a large flat-screen TV to replace our ancient, nearly B&W relic on which people and words were to small to recognize. The new set shows the entire picture in bright color and sharply focused images. Wow!! What a kick! And presenting the TV in a game-show format was so like the creative cleverness of these inventive schemers. Everyone enjoyed the planning and the playing and the outcome; it was a triumphant success!! Brilliant!! Well done everyone!!

**Now Betty and I are looking forward to reconfiguring the family room to accommodate the wide-screen, to considering some communications upgrades for “non-pixilated” TV reception, and to remembering and sharing the story of our most unexpected and greatly appreciated gift which came from the three most special families we know!!! Thanks Kids and Grandkids. You have surprised and delighted us with this gift, but we already knew how precious are each of you. So Thanks for the TV and Thanks for a Merry Christmas together. This Christmas may be "Past", but it will not be forgotten.

PS On the morning of the 25th, we did get several nice gifts to go with the socks and calendar. Thanks for those too.