BEYOND THE BOOKS #14

WEIRD FAMILY TRADITIONS

BEYOND THE BOOKS is a weekly meme where KissinBlueKaren throws out a topic (mostly non-bookish), and we blog about it.

I cannot tell the backstory to this first weird family tradition because I promised Cait from PAPER FURY I would do an entire blog post about it, but it has to do with pants and pineapples.

Anyway...

You know how after someone gives a performance they get flowers, or candy? Well in our family you get a pineapple!

Here is Sebastian as Horton in Seussical at our regional theater, right after he received his pineapple. Not really. I think this was a tech rehersal, but he has the same expression of complete joy on his face! Ha ha. I think he is 15 years old in this photo. I have to start scanning in images. Currently I go around to other people's Facebook pages and pilfer pictures.
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Just before dress rehersal for one of the musicals Sebastian said he was sick of being told to break-a-leg, so I asked him what did he want them to say, "you suck"? He said yes, so now when anyone in our family is ready to go on stage we whisper in their ear, "You suck!"

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If you are a performing member of our family you will also get a congratulatory ad in the program from Bob Loblaw. Make sure you read his name out loud.

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And you will receive one blue raspberry Ring Pop.

In fact, you will get one in your Christmas stocking, Easter Basket, Halloween cauldron, and on Valentines day!

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* Wait, is a Halloween cauldron a weird family tradition?

Up until Sebastian was thirteen, and he told me it was stupid, I prepared a Feast Of Fools every April Fools Day. We would make funny decorated hats out of paper bags to wear. I would set the table with mismatched dishes and big serving spoons, pickle forks, and canapé knives as cutlery. I would make gray punch by mixing grape juice and orange juice together. I cooked things like tofu hot dogs with spaghetti through them,

green mac n' cheese,

and blue mashed potatoes.

When they started carrying JONES brand soda in our grocery store, we added some of their weird flavors to the menu.

I hope to resurrect this tradition with my someday grandchildren.

We follow this wonderful idea for birthdays and Christmas.

But, we also get a gag gift. It is usually one of those As Seen On TV type of things because our local department store has a section in their sale and clearance auditorium for both genuine ASOTV products, and their cheaper knock-off cousins. Five Below stores sometimes have them, too.

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My last gag gift to Sebastian was a pajama set I gave him for his birthday. I bought him a Goodnight Moon t-shirt from OUT OF PRINT and paired it with color coordinated sleep pants.

It ended up not being as much of a "ha ha" moment as I thought because he thinks it is cool and wears it out of the house.

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My last gag gif was...

Thanks, Sebastian.

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And then there was the Christmas a few years ago when we bought each other the same gift. Heh heh. 

If we are writing a shopping or "to do" list for someone else in the family we always add a faux item or two. In the past some have been...

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Sometimes Sebastian will call me from the store to make sure he is not missing a real item because we also have grocery list code names, like...

There are too many to list, but "mood enhancers" is one of my favorites.

What are some of your family quirks?