Traditions

Nano left me with a depleted stock of words. I felt like my creativity was zapped, and I had nothing left to spare. That's a scary thought considering I only made it through writing half of my novel (yes I did "win" Nano and wrote well over 50k) but I felt drained. So it's been a while since I've written anything anywhere.

But, luckily I'm back! Though for those of you thinking, oh god no! Please feel free to hit the back button now.

Today, I'm tackling traditions, and one in particular. The gift exchange that my local writer's group does every year. It's one of the few Holiday get together's I actually look forward too. (Yeah, ok... I do just enjoy watching everyone fight over the box I wrap... but still!)

I've found Christmas to be too commercial. It's lost all the fun and wonder it had for me as a kid. With the exception of the gift exchange. Basically everyone in my writer's group brings a gift that's under $5.00. Every year I scrounge my house and put together what I've lovingly come to call, Writer's Survival kits. Every year the kit is different with variations in items and nick-nacks. Then I wrap it, as pristine as possible, and find the perfect bow, all of which hides mountains of tape to make the boxes difficult to get into.

Once at the gathering, we all draw numbers. Once a gift is chosen then opened, the next number in line has the option to "steal" the gift. Which can only happen twice before the gift becomes permanent, and a new one has to be fought over. This two times rule started once I joined the group, much to my glee. Every year, I get to sit back and watch people demolition my boxes (or drool) as I've been known to stick things like beef jerky, or chocolate along with other writer must have's in them.

I have to say I'm looking forward to the carnage tonight..

So, What's your favorite writing related tradition?