Monday, December 22, 2008

Joy Vey

Christmukkah was a total success. First of all, Hillary made some excellent appetizers -- grilled sandwiches with brie and apples and walnuts in them and these wonderful things calls "bratzels" -- hot pretzels with swiss cheese melted on them and bratwurst on top of that. (German sausages are generally a HUGE part of all Jewish holiday celebrations, for those not in the know.)

The highlight of the evening, of course, was the gift exchange competition:

Team Berman provided the following:
-gift bag with the word "Joy" printed on it
-Elvis rear-view mirror hanger (complete with swivel hips)
-Children's book titled "To Bethlehem We Go"
-Cranberries CD "The Faithful Departed"
-angel figurine

Team Canedo provided the following:
-bottle of Bell's winter white ale
-bottle of Yoo Hoo chocolate drink
-CD single of John Mayer's "Your Body is a Wonderland"
-birthday candles
-Grands buttermilk biscuits

Can you guess the holiday carol that either of these gift assortments represent?

Team Berman came closest to the pre-determined spending limit ($20) without going over (they were at $19.52; our total was $19.45); they also provided more "gift-y" components in their assortment of clues and had a clever play on words in their gifts, whereas the Canedos were much more literal. Team Canedo guessed their holiday carol, however, and Team Berman was not able to guess theirs; also, Team Canedo did a much artsier presentation of their song lyrics. So who is the overall winner? No one cares -- we're too busy thinking about our entries in the Peeps diorama contest next spring.

Team Berman also gave Avery an adorable stuffed Rudolf that plays "Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer" when you squeeze its hoof. Avery loves it more than she has ever loved any toy, as was evidenced by the 915 times we had to hear the song on the way home from Bethesda.

Bermans -- clogging your toilet and Avery doing a Hong Kong Phooey over Sammy's head with the inflatable guitar aside...we had a great time and truly appreciate your hospitality. Viva Christmukkah!

7 comments:

Ri. Short for Maria. Not pronounced like the bread. said...

hmmmm.

Okay - for Team Berman. The obvious would be "Joy to the World"...
**Joy Bag
**"Let Earth receive her King..." (Elvis?)
**"Let every heart prepare him room..." Unlike the crapwad Innkeeper in the Little Town of Bethlehem, who put up the No Vacancy sign
**"And Heav'n and Nature sing..." Songs of the Faithful?
**Angel - well, I only remember the first verse, but I'd bet there's an angel in there somewhere.

But...why do I think that's just what they WANT you to think, and it's not that at all...?

Brutalism said...

Ri -- Nice guess, but no. A little more literal...

Ri. Short for Maria. Not pronounced like the bread. said...

Hmmm...I'll have to come back to the Berman's,then. (Perhaps reviewing the guidelines wouldn't hurt me any, either...)

Now, Team Canedo won't be "Winter Wonderland". Even though I might make a case for:

**"Sleigh BELLS ring..."
**"Are you listenin'? (YOO HOO)
**John Mayer - WONDERLAND
**birthday candles - well, they go and build a snowman in the Meadow...and Frosty was a snowman...and Frosty said "Happy Birthday" when he put the hat on...
**Grands buttermilk biscuits has me stumped, though.

So, I'll guess "Good King Wenceslas" for this one...

dilettante07 said...

Bermans--Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Canedos--Sleigh Ride

What's our prize?

Dilettante and Dilettard

Brutalism said...

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner(s)!

Nicely done, Dilettante and Dilettard. Your prize is a job well done. What greater reward could there be?

Credit to the Bermans for the only non-literal clue and that was the "Joy" bag full of other gifts...thus, "joy full" or "joyful".

dilettante07 said...

What greater reward? I don't know...wind-up yodeling lederhosen perhaps? Wax lips? Moist cake? I could go on...

Anonymous said...

What kind of a blog are you running here? No post for more than a week? Come on, dance, Rummy!