It's not an Oscar, but.........

 No, that is not a hood ornament on my car. That happens to be the trophy you receive if your lucky enough to win our family Christmas Jeopardy game that is held each year during our family Christmas get together at my sisters house.

Last years winner was my daughter Bryn, so she had the pleasure of keeping the green head for one year, until the next get together, which was last week. ( yes, a bit early for a Christmas party but my family generously works around my strange work schedule.) My daughter kept the green head on a shelf in her classroom the entire year. It was sitting on my car because we were in the process of loading it into the car as we were leaving for this years party. Each winner only gets to keep the head for 1 year.

Wouldn't you be proud to show off the green head in your home? I bet you're wondering what the history is of this obnoxious, gaudy hunk of clay. Well, me too. All I know is a friend of my brother made it many years ago. Why did my brother come to be in procession of such a nasty looking sculpture? Again, I have no idea. But today, it represents winning. If you can answer random questions about the movie "White Christmas" or recite the words of various obscure Christmas Carol's, then you too can be the proud owner of this green head.

For one year anyway.

This years winner of Christmas Jeopardy was Dave, the husband of my niece. As they were packing up their car after the party for the 6 hour drive to their home, Dave refused to let Mr. Green Head into his car.

For the last 300 days, the green head was proudly displayed on a beautiful window shelf in a classroom full of smiling high school boys.

Sadly, for the next 300 or so days, the head will sit abandoned, unwanted in the basement of my sisters house, probably in a dark corner next to a box of old books and a broken beach chair.

Christmas just won't be the same.