Because it’s the first day of December, and because [in the great tradition of Ree Drummond] it’s Wednesday and we love you all, I give you …
The Countdown to Christmas! ..C2C. Numbers in descending order to the “Big Day”, etc, etc …
We’ll be coming to you from now through December 24th with random memories, anecdotes, and yes, even family recipes from the holiday seasons of our growing up years. [way back in the dark ages of the ’80s]
So, sit back, grab a hot cocoa or peppermint mocha, and enjoy!
Today’s treat is a tradition from the Poole family archives. Disclaimer: this was cooked up in the brain of one Ed Poole (my esteemed father). 
GIFT LABELS
We all know how it’s done …
To: So-and-so [insert name of someone “worthy” of a gift in your life]
From: Me [insert your name; the super cool gift-bestower]
Nice.
And yet, in the Poole household (to this very day), we tamper with this most traditional of traditions!
Oh, we still put the name of the recipient in it’s proper place, but the “From” category is where the wheels come off the wagon … or, as we choose to see it, the genius begins. 🙂
Every gift under our Christmas tree comes from a random person in history or pop culture. Why? Simply because we can! …and who wouldn’t want to get a Christmas present from Matt Damon? I mean, seriously!
There are recurring favorites (speaking of Mr. Damon…) such as Jason Bourne, the president, Harrison Ford, and (only since Bob has joined our family) Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.
It has now escalated to such a level that the giver name(s) is actually a clue as to the nature of the gift [picture my dad hunched over Google for hours while wrapping gifts].
What does this look like? Old Navy items always have a naval theme … I once got an ON gift card from Gilbert and Sullivan (side: just got “He Is An Englishman!” stuck in my head for the rest of the day), and I think I also got a sweater one year from Com. Oliver Hazard Perry.
DVDs have a celebrity theme (see above reference to Matt Damon), and other than those two predictable categories, pretty much everything and everyone is fair game as long as it aligns with the subject of the gift. I believe my husband even received a gift from the Fed chair last year.
Opening presents like this often comes with announcements of context (as well as the occasional history lesson), lots of laughter, and of course, my father’s voice above the clammer “Agh! From Sylvester Stallone? I knew he’d come through for me this year!”
And with that, I’ll close …
Time to go start the 2010 research. I don’t think anybody’s received something from Ulysses S. Grant in a while …
What a fun tradition!!
That’s awesome!!! How fun! it’s like a trivia lesson and gift all in one!
Do you take suggestions? Because at some point, I think your dad needs to receive a gift from Statler and Waldorf… 😀
Megan, (this is Ellie, by the way) that is an excellent suggestion!! 🙂
That is a hoot! I can just picture it. Our family tradition involves my dad purchasing several “mystery gifts.” Usually cooking items whose function is not readily apparent. The first person to guess the object’s function gets to keep it. Been doing it for 20 years!
Ellie, this is a really fun tradition! We did something similar at our house when little people liked to peek at gifts (“I have 5 now” or “I think maybe I got the ___ I wanted, because that gift is the right size.”) Someone started doing random names on gifts. It might be “To: George Washington” or “To: The princess” . . . . We had fun with that, but I think I like your family’s twist on it as you made the gift and the “giver” match.