[Contribution from Brother Cruz...]
One of the Chesapeake Table’s most popular Tip-a-Fews (Boucan) is the Annual Boxing Day celebration that takes place on the day after Christmas. This year, 29 Brothers, Captives and guests jammed into my condo to celebrate Boxing Day one more time. Boxing Day originates back in medieval Europe. It was a time when the royalty met with the servants to give them their Christmas gifts. In reality, they gave the servants gifts that they did not want so they may have been known as the first “re-gifters.” The Chesapeake Table, in keeping with this tradition, gets together for a party (go figure) and a chance to re-gift some of those useless little gifts that people give us throughout the year. I am sure that all of these gifts were given in good faith to the original recipient but you have to wonder what the hello-Pete were they thinking? Anyway, you know a Boxing Day gift when you first get one.
This Boxing Day started at 1500 on Saturday afternoon with folks bringing leftover food dishes from Christmas Day. Sherry Carraway made a wonderful seafood chowder and we also had a spiral ham. After feasting and drinking, we drew numbers for our White Elephant package selection. Now we do this every year so we had to add a couple of extra rules (guidelines) to the normal White Elephant procedure. First, you cannot bring a gift from last year. Second, you must take your gift with you when you leave as I sure don’t want all that crap left in my house. Well, I did not check that everyone took their gift when they left and it came back to haunt me. It seemed that Preston Carraway (a.k.a. Rocket Boy) went though my bedroom to the toilet and accidently dropped his gift which was a rooster crowing alarm clock. Preston told me the next day that he could not find the clock as it was dark in my bedroom. What do you know but that the rooster started crowing under my bed at 0420 the next morning? Next time I will make sure that I see everyone leave with their gift at the end of the party.
A fun time was had by all and we will definitely do this again next year.Orza!
Scott AKA Cruz
