Christmas Pipe Give Away

[Growley]

I was going to try to sell this pipe, but seeing that it's almost Christmas and everybody has already spent their money, I figured I'd give this one away. It was my first "Christmas Pipe", and may be the 3rd pipe I made if I remember right. It was red with a white stem and I recently re-branded it so to speak to look like a real pipe.

I'll admit, it's only an "ok" pipe, so when you win it try to think to your self, "Well, at least it was free."

Ok, so here's the deal. All you have to do to enter is reply with a Christmas tradition you hold that means something important to you.

I'll give you an idea with two of mine to get the ball rolling.

One thing I've been doing with my kids for several years now is, we read through the "Jesus Storybook Bible" every year and time it so that we read the Christmas story the night before Christmas Day.

Second, we don't buy wrapping paper that is already decorated. We buy plain brown paper and hand decorate each package ourselves. This year I've wrapped a gift for my in-laws that features a Christmas Water Buffalo

Judging will be solely by me and will be completely bias. I'll pick the entry that interests me most. I'll pick the winner sometime Thursday the 22nd.







MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL!!!

[JMG]

Living overseas for lengthy periods of time, my kiddos don't get to see family members and State-side friends very often. So, this year we decided that instead of a typical Christmas tree, we would instead do a "family tree-Christmas tree." We printed lots of black-and-white pictures of all of our family members and close friends back home and cut them out and let the kiddos hang them on the tree to decorate it.

While I don't guess this is necessarily a tradition yet, seeing as though it's the first year for doing it, I feel confident it's here to stay. I'd like to credit for the idea, but this was all my wife's doing.

[Ocelot55]

When I was young we always opened Christmas presents on Christmas eve. When we got to great grandma's house there would be no presents under the tree. After dinner great grandma would tell us that Santa would soon be by and urged us to go upstairs and look out the window to see if we could catch a glance. As we went upstairs one of my uncles would go outside and rattle some sleigh bells. In the meantime the rest of the family brought out the presents and put them under the tree. When we kids were ushered back down stairs, behold, miraculously the presents were all under the tree.

Christmas day we always go to my maternal grandmother's house for dinner. Because of our Italian heritage we have always had lasagna on Christmas. Slightly unusual, but a treat every year.

[Massis]

Christmas itself is always a merry evening amongst the family for us.

It's always the same, but that doesn't really make it a tradition.

However, my wife and I have one tradition (I picked it up, she's been doing it for 10 orso years).

The first weekend after "Sinterklaas" (the Flemish counterpart to Santaclaus, also a guy who brings gifts...) is the "christmastreeweekend". We get out the tree, all the decoration (perhaps even the first few gifts) and put on the same CD every year.
It's called "bert and ernie's christmas cd" (yep, the guys from sesame street) and contains wonderful songs such as "ik ben een kerstbal" (I am a christmas ball).

Seeing as we have a fake tree and lots of decorations, we always have to listen to the entire CD at least twice before the tree is finally up, but I tend to like that evening even better than christmas itself... The downside is you'll be singing "Ik ben een kerstbal" for the next 2 weeks orso...

[flix]

We always go out all around the city to look at lights. Our local paper has a map all geared toward families (on a tight budget) to go out and have a cheap thrill. Got a bunch of presents under the tree, finally! The aunts and uncles came through big time this year...

[DMI]

I don't celebrate Christmas (not being a Christian) but I do celebrate the solstice, it has been my habit for many years to spend the night on my own thinking of friends past and present. During the night I write a list of all those who have died and as dawn breaks I say a little prayer and burn the list.

David.

[Growley]

Seeing how this has been a s l o w contest, I might as well pick early today and get the winner his pipe shipped out.

I pick JMG. Not only does he get a little extra credit for submitting a picture, I really like the idea of making family the focus of your Christmas Tree decorations. Very cool idea.

Thank you all for sharing your traditions.

PM me your address JMG and I'll see about getting your pipe in the mail.

Brian.

[JMG]

WOO HOO! I'd like to thank all the little people, my mom, my high school typing-class teacher, my wife for being the brains of our family....and Brian, thanks bro. This was a really cool thing of you to do!

[Ocelot55]

WOO HOO! I'd like to thank all the little people, my mom, my high school typing-class teacher, my wife for being the brains of our family....and Brian, thanks bro. This was a really cool thing of you to do!

I agree. Brian, thanks for being so generous and building such camaraderie among we humble pipemakers.

[DMI]

As with the above comments I think things like this are great as to me they give pleasure to both the giver and reciever.

David.