reindeer games

Growing up together, these shiny happy terrific kids.

I love them all.

The name of the game is Boutros Boutros Ghali, named after the Egyptian United Nations leader a while back. It's not that he invented the game.........I think it became named this because his is so cool. All you need is a pile of little pieces of paper, some pens and a bowl. Two teams are formed. Everyone writes down names of famous or not so famous (obscure) people on the scraps of paper and then throws them in the bowl. Each team takes turns, with one volunteer from their team describing the person picked out of the bowl, without using the name..........as fast as possible. The goal is to describe as many people as you can in a minute.

Boutros Ghali is a fast paced fun game we play often when groups of us get together. Over the years, the kids have joined us, or have played their own version in another room. Last night, after the big Christmas feast shared by three families, the kids challenged the parents to a Boutros duel........the first time we were pitted against one another. And, they whipped our asses. Given that we are a competitive bunch, this came as a shocker. It was like they were in the zone together, often only having to offer one or two words to describe the person and they would guess right!

They laughed until they fell over. We laughed at them laughing until they fell over.

After this mornings sober second thought.......perhaps it was payback time..........I mean I did make them all don antlers and reindeer noses at the dinner table.

It was a great day. One of my favourite moments? Right in the middle of dinner, before we got too silly, each person was given a photo of another person sitting at the dinner table and they were asked to say something about the person in the photo. Memories of times together were shared.......feelings about another person's gifts were expressed........a few laughs were provided.....a chance to acknowledge another was embraced.

Who needs a turkey dinner when the food is fellowship? Having stated that, I have to say the turkey AND the music were really excellent even though it won't be what is remembered down the road. It will be the laughs, the beautiful spoken grace as we held hands. It will be the games and the time together.............that's what will last in our memories. Well, except perhaps for my son. He'll remember eating a lot of bacon. Yes, bacon was served for breakfast!

Today, a chance to hunker down to watch movies and read. (Grace Eventually was tucked in my stocking.....:) ) Boxing Day may be known as a shopping day for many. For me, it means staying in my jammies on the couch under a blanket.

The boys acting out a new version of a Christmas Carol. Turns out Scrooge (in red) was gay. It "totally" cracked these two up.... :)