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I don’t normally decorate a tree (being Jewish and all), but this year, I will be celebrating Christmas at Poppy and Nonna’s house for the first time, where I hear they are saving tree decorating for our arrival.

Is this a good thing or bad thing? It’s hard for a Jew to tell.

Since I’m a total Christmas novice, I enlisted my friend Robyn Welling to teach me a thing or two about what it takes to make this particular magic happen. She advised me that before unpacking the ornaments or attempting to untangle the Christmas lights, I need alcohol— lots and lots of alcohol.

Then Robyn she did me one better! She put together a tree decorating drinking game to ensure the whole experience is as “magical” as possible.

Everyone got a cocktail in one hand, a breakable ornament in the other hand and a toddler clinging to your ankle?

Yes?

Then let’s begin!

christmas-drinking-game

take a sip of your “HOLIDAY BEVERAGE” if:

• You open a box marked “XMAS DECOR” and it’s full of Halloween stuff.

• The boxes appear to contain 10% decorations and 90% glitter.

• Your kids start hanging ornaments before the lights are unpacked.

• You catch the cat with a mouthful of tinsel.

Take a gulp every time:

• A glass ornament shatters.

• Your kids argue about which one of them made the clothespin reindeer (and you can’t remember who is right).

• You dodge an obviously loaded question about Santa.

• The Christmas lights are all tangled and bundled up and crisscrossed and WTF is happening with these mother$%#@! lights?????

Take two long gulps when:

• You have to tell everyone to SHUT UP so you can hear the festive holiday music.

• You sob openly over preschool pictures in Popsicle stick frames.

• You can’t find the F’n box of tiny ornament hangers.

• You discover your toddler ate all the popcorn garland (including the string).

Drink directly from the bottle when:

• The lights do nothing.

• A fight breaks out over whose turn it is to put the star on top.

• You notice the entire tree is leaning 7 degrees to the left.

• You silently vow you’re not even putting up a tree next year.

Finish the bottle when:

• You realize you didn’t silently vow nixing the tree next year; you screamed it out loud.

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Thanks for playing and have fun taking it all down in a few weeks!

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To read more from Robyn welling, visit Hollow Tree Ventures and follow her on Facebook.

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