Gag Gifts

The thing about my family is that we are clannish. I suppose all families are but we have some Scotch blood and some Irish Blood and for years and years we all got together at every opportunity. Not so much anymore. Oh sure some of it still goes on but the feeling from when my grandparents were alive isn't there anymore.

We also loved to laugh. My grandfather always liked a good joke and he could tell them. It was just a different feeling then.

One of the family traditions was the exchange of "gag" gifts at Christmas. Santa was always the giver of these gifts so no one really knew who had given it.

One year I found a Golden Buddha much like this one

which was to be passed from person to person. I think my cousin Tom was the recipient and he kept it.

Another gift was an antique corset. Somewhere there is a picture of my Aunt Jean wearing it like a bonnet. (Or maybe it was a bonnet.) It got passed on from person to person each Christmas. Many of the "Santa" gifts were re-gifted the next year and always were an occasion for laughter and poking fun.

Once I found a gold plastic wall clock with a black velvet background with red roses. The damn thing actually worked. I kind of liked it so instead of giving it as a gift I kept it as a conversation piece. It was awful.

The nativity scene at the top fits the category of gag gifts. Last night Jon said he had to find a $20.00 gag gift for a party he was going to, so I gave it to him. It has a $49.99 price tag on the bottom. (I got it at a Christmas sale so it did not cost that much.) I could not believe my good fortune. But since we don't exchange gifts at Christmas anymore I was stuck with it. Now it has gone on to be used as a gag gift by Jon and then probably will be handed on to others in the future. It would be interesting to know what will happen to it.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week-end. j

Addendum.  Just got this from a cousin

Hey!  I read your blog today and have to comment about the family traditions!!  I think it was my first Christmas with you guys and you all pulled the "gag Uncle Evil, Aunt Edna" thing on me!!  I was the recipient of some wonderful shag rug material pillows in dark purple and hot pink.  No one told me about these pranks so I was trying to be as gracious as I could be.  It wasn't until the ride home that Dixie explained it all.......then then next year Scott was the recipient of the "family jewels"  -- I think he still might have them.  You know it is a wonder I stuck around  -- you guys could sure pull some good ones on us "new to the family" group!!!  Boy did I learn quickly, I think it was year three or four I found something "nice" and gave it to Chris and Tom,,,,,never got picked on again after that!!!  Thanks for the stroll down memory lane, I sure miss those days!!!