Tuesday, January 4, 2011

It was an intense "Sock Exchange" this year . . .

The highlight of every Christmas is the annual "Sock Exchange."  It really has nothing to do with exchanging socks but it is a play on words with "Stock Exchange.  From a previous Christmas post I explain the Sock Exchange:

Sock Exchange: My father in law started this tradition years ago with his kids and it has continued even with in-laws. Instead of having Christmas socks with candy in them, they are filled with practical items (food things--maple syrup, spices, ramen noodles and non-food things like serving spoons, windshield washer fluid,  etc.) as well as not-so-practical (OK, junk) items. We then play a white elephant like game, trading and exchanging items from our pile of stuff.
You can save one item and then anything in your pile is up for grabs.  We "rock, paper, scissors" to determine who goes first and then let the "sock exchange" begin!


Someone had just taken something of my brother-in-law's that he wanted.  Lots of intense, "Oh man!  How could you? " was yelled.  (All in good fun, I should say.) 

A few years ago, the "mystery gift" was introduced.  There are usually 3-5 mystery gifts floating around.  Some are great gifts, many are not. They can't be opened until Sock Exchange is declared over.  My brother-in-law the one "non Republican" in the group got Glen Beck's The Christmas Sweater on CD.  Pretty funny.  

Toothsome #4 with one of the "sockie" items Dentist husband ended up with.  Pretty awesome.  

This Richard Simmon's VHS has been a mystery gift for quite sometime.  Dentist husband's sister got this after someone "ruthlessly" took one of her prized items--a nice liquid measuring cup.

This was indeed Sock Exchange at its finest.   

2 comments:

Queen Elizabeth said...

What fun ideas - both the film fest and the sock exchange. Too bad my in-laws would rather watch TV and drink more beer. Baby steps, eh?

Anonymous said...

That sounds like SUCH fun! And I love your Film festival, too. What was your movie?