Growing up, Chuck Knaus knew what he was going to get for Christmas: jams and jellies. It didn’t take long for him and his two siblings, Heidi and Randi, to figure it out.
But to add some suspense to the gift-giving, Knaus’ parents devised a game in 1977 that has become a holiday tradition that’s still alive almost 30 years later.
“It’s a chance for us all to be kids again,” Knaus said.
“The game” started when Knaus’ parents, Avis and Frank Knaus, who lived in Everett, bought myrtle wood key chains and used them as tags on the jams and jellies. The “kids,” who were grown already, had to figure out whose gift was whose based on the tag. Knaus’ was a guitar; his sister’s was a bird.
Their parents changed the game every year. One year, an animal figure adorned each gift. The children had to figure out which animal represented them. It was tricky: It turned out to be the symbol for the Chinese calendar year in which they were born.
After his mother died in 1983, the tradition continued for five years. There was a decade-long lapse until Knaus, 53, and his wife, Eileen, picked it up in 1999.
With a new generation in the family, Chuck Knaus devised a different take on the game. Brothers, sisters and their spouses get together in September and figure out what theme or puzzle they will present during the upcoming holiday season.
“It’s a lot of laughs,” said Knaus, who lives in Stanwood now. “There’s so much laughter through the evening.”
In ‘99, they devised a game similar to a jumble puzzle in newspapers. There were clues and answers where some of the letters were circled. After completing the puzzle, the circled letters were moved together. Unjumbled, they spelled the name of a family member.
“It took them 35 minutes,” Knaus said.
The following year they made up the video name game. Somewhere hidden on the cover of a video movie case was a clue. Family members had to figure out if the title to the video was a clue for them.
“That took a while to put together,” Knaus said.
One of the movies was “Stepmother.” There was one stepmother in the family but it wasn’t that easy – hidden on the video jacket was the name of one of the Knaus boys.
Another year they cut out states from colored construction paper. People had to figure out which state it was and where in line it was in becoming a state. That number was a person’s age.
The family didn’t do much together during the years “the game” lapsed. Since starting it up again, they have get together mid-year for a family camping trip, something they hadn’t done before.
“The next generation seems to be closer,” Chuck Knaus said.
Getting together to plan the game brings memories back for Chuck Knaus and his brother and sister. They talk about their childhood Christmas memories and how their family tradition began.
“They tended to be a lot simpler than now,” Chuck Knaus said.
In 2003, the planning family members put together a Trivial Pursuit-type game. The board was laid out on the kitchen floor with huge homemade game pieces. Contestants chose a color of square and a category and were told to put the game pieces on their heads. They portrayed the part of the game piece.
Throughout the evening gifts are won from a basket. They can be stolen throughout the game from other family member contestants. Once off the board the gifts belong to the player.
About 25 people will attend the game night this year and 14 of them will participate in the game. Some are small children who are not in the game but get to open gifts.
Chuck Knaus’ lips are tightly sealed when it comes to this year’s game. The family will gather Friday to figure out what surprises are in store.
They also meet on Christmas Eve when they enjoy the foods they had at the holidays when their parents were alive.
“I don’t know if it’s just the game,” Chuck Knaus said. “But anytime you get together and laugh together, it’s bonding.”
Reporter Christina Harper: 425-339-3491 or harper@ heraldnet.com.
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