Celebrating the “Right” Way!
used with permission
Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living! ~ Amanda Bradley
Here is a fun story game that has become a tradition in our family. It’s a chance to involve children as well as adults. It’s inexpensive, festive, and a delightful way to bring people together during the Christmas season.
Christmas With the RIGHT Family!
You can adapt the storyline to any holiday or special occasion you wish, but the following tale is the way it came to me through a friend I met at a Christian women’s club years ago.
Instructions:
• Everyone sits in a circle around a collection of small, colorfully wrapped gifts. These can be as expensive or inexpensive as you wish. Be sure to have one gift for each person, especially when playing with children, who would feel left out if they ended up empty-handed. (You can find great inexpensive gifts at dollar stores.)
• Have each person reach into the gift pile and choose one gift quickly. No mulling it over allowed!
• Select a person to read the following story slowly enough for the gifts to be passed at the strategic moments in the reading. Every time the reader says the word “right,” everyone passes his or her gift to the right. When the reader says the word “left,” everyone passes his or her gift to the left.
• When the story ends, each person keeps the gift he or she is holding. (Afterward you can give them a minute or so to trade with someone if they want to.)
The Story
Christmas was almost here and Mother Right was finishing the baking. Father Right, Susan Right, and Billy Right returned from their last-minute errands.
“There’s not much left to be done,” said Father Right as he came into the kitchen.
“Did you leave the basket of food at the shelter?” asked Mother Right.
“I left it right where you told me to,” Father Right said.
“I’m glad my shopping is done,” said Billy Right. “I don’t have any money left.”
The telephone rang, and Susan Right left to answer it. She rushed back and told the family, “Aunt Tillie Right left a package for us right on Grandma Right’s porch. I’ll go over there right now and get it.” She left in a rush.
Father Right left the kitchen and brought in the Christmas tree.
By the time Susan Right returned, Mother Right, Father Right, and Billy Right had begun trimming the tree. The entire Right family sang carols as they finished the decorating. Then they left all the presents arranged under the tree and went to bed, hoping they had selected the right gifts for their family.
Now I hope you have the right present for yourself, because that’s all that’s left of our story—except to wish you a Merry Christmas. Isn’t that right?
~
How deRIGHTful. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you.
What a cute response, Marie. And a Merry and Happy to you too.
How fun for the kids. Would be fun for the parents also while watching the excitement in their eyes.Fun game Karen.
We play with the adults and kids. Makes for a very hilarious time.
What a wonderful idea and just think: NO ONE is ‘left out’ ! I love it!
Thanks with love. Margaret
on the light side: In December my late husband used to say to everyone: “Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a Hot Fourth of July !”
Thanks, Margaret. Your response brought a few smiles, especially Herb’s comment.
What a wonderful model lesson this “Right, Left” cute story would make for ESL students, kids and adults alike during Christmas holiday time. As an ESL teacher for many years, I can envision the great fun in both teaching and learning parties. Thank you so very, Karen.
It has been a lot of fun, especially for the younger kids who have to remind themselves which is right and left, especially when the story moves along fairly fast.
I saw that idea and story years ago, Karen, and had forgotten about it. Thanks so much for bringing it back to mind. I can already hear the hilarity! Love and hugs to you during this tender season–your first one without Charles. Do know you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Thank you, Judy, for keeping me in your prayers. I so appreciate it. I’m just finishing up a three-month class called GriefShare at my church and it has been so helpful.
I’m so grateful you had that class to attend and that it has been beneficial to you. Will you be at Mount Hermon in the spring? I’d love to reconnect with you there.
Judy, thanks for your additional comment. No, I won’t be at MH next year. I was invited but I declined. I’ll be 78 next year and feel it’s time for younger people to take over. Also, the format and leadership, etc. is changing so it felt right for me to step down, thankful for all the years I had.
Funny you posted this idea this week Karen! I just did this with our friends at a Christmas Party we hosted at our house Saturday.
We had the women bring “girl gifts” and the men “guy gifts.” Then we read the story twice and did the men and women separate. We had lots of laughs and it made gift giving much more exciting.
The “giving and laughing” spirit often gets lost in the hustle and bustle of festivities. Ain’t that “Right?” This was a fun way to bring it back and no one got “Left” out!(Giggles)
Merry Christmas Y’all!
Thanks for sharing it for others to enjoy Karen!
Smiles, BRC
Beth, what fun it was to read that you had recently played the ‘Right Family’ game. So glad no one was
‘left’ out because you got it ‘right’ from the beginning!:-)