Welcome to Highlowaha's
First Annual Festival of Lights
Tonight is an opportunity for us to spend a few minutes with new and old friends, made in our virtual community over the past ten months. The Festival of Lights allows us to get a peak inside one another's homes and feel - if only for a moment - that we are part of each other's holiday traditions.
Make yourself a cup of cocoa, sit back and enjoy the short slide show of your friends Christmas trees. You might also take a second to view the slide show of wrapped Christmas ornaments, so you can identify the one you would most like to select.
Then, sign in by making a post and let us know you're out there. At 8:15 p.m. (CST), after you've had time to "ooh" and "aahhh," everyone who submitted a photo of an ornament, will begin the Ornament Exchange.
Didn't submit a photo of your tree or an ornament? No worries. You can still join our party, by posting comments.
See you in a few...
The How-tos of Tonight's Ornament Exchange
- To participate in tonight's Exchange, you must have already submitted your photo to Katie.
- Make sure you have posted a comment letting us know you are here.
- View the slide show of ornaments to determine which you would most like to select.
- You will be randomly assigned a number which will determine the order in which we will select ornaments.
- Like Pirate Bingo, ornaments are allowed to be "stolen" three times by other participants, before the ornament becomes "out of play."
- Person #1 will select the numbered ornament she wants (in tonight's case it is all "shes"), by making a post in the comment section. You are deciding exclusively on packaging, which is one more reason we must accept that "packaging is everything."
- Person #2 will decide if she wants to select a different package or if she wants the package you have. She will post her choice in the comment section.
- Refresh your screen periodically, so you can be sure you are a viewing the most up-to-date exchanges (Refresh button should be in the top left hand corner of your computer).
- Remember, packaged ornaments may be stolen three times before they are out of play.
- The Exchange will continue until all 9 of us has selected an ornament.
- Tune in tomorrow morning for the final slide show, unveiling which ornament you won.
- Click on the comment section now to see who goes first...
Let's play...
Posts
137 comments:
I am here, obviously. I am also going to serve as Katie's stand in for the ornament exchange, as she is currently on a plane.
Just as well, the way I see it. She's seen pictures of everyone's ornament - wrapped and unwrapped. I think that would most certainly have given her an unfair advantage!
tera & treye here...we both submitted pics of ornamets...so there is one "he"
Illinois, checking in!
Here!
Sorry, Treye! I stand corrected. And karma will have it that you end the evening with the winningest ornament!
Checkin' in!
What's everyone eating or drinking? Me? I'm having hot cocoa (no, not coffee, Cheryl) and an Italian canoli. Yum, yum.
treye and i just had some oreo pie that he made yesterday...yum! we're also watching the season finale of survivor.
Kristen, are you playing for Julie or will she be tuning in from her favorite seat at Starbucks?
chewing on icecubes from left over sweet tea from dinner
kristen...the family pic is cute. yay for your first christmas as a married couple and having jennifer. i can't wait to see you all!
julie is not here and won't be. i'm going to be playing for her.
Hot chocolate is in the microwave. . .Julie just called me tomake sure I was on. . .she is here somewhere. . .post julie, post!!!
Yes, I agree Kristen. You look like you and the fam were having a great time. Do you like my Festival of Lights tree - taken in the middle of broad day light, when no lights would show? Ugh!
no...she's not on kristen. we're texting.
I'm calling Maureen's house as we speak to see where she is?
Hold on.. she's on the phone
I don't have a drink. I have sugar overload from cookie decorating party today. It was fun. And messy.
I'm watching the survivor finale too.
cheryl, who do you want to win?
I don't know. I don't have a favorite. Sugar or Bob, I guess.
i like matty and have from the beginning...but i see a reason for everyone to win minus susie. she hasn't done a thing! i wish kenny was still here.
Maureen's in. Here's the order for ornament selection...
Kristen
Cheryl
Treye
Peggy
Maureen
Katie
Claudia
Julie
Tera
Kristen... make your choice
I really wanted Marcus to win but... oh well.
Julies internet is down...boo!
I do like the naturally bright festival tree!!
Kristen... pick the ornament you want. You are lucky #1
I pick #2
(What happens if we pick our own??)
does anyone know how to refresh the comment section w/o going back to the hla home page?
Cheryl... do you want #2 or do you want to pick a different one?
the green refresh on my taskbar works for me
I want #6
I'm hitting my f5 key, maybe that will work for you too!
You should have a refresh button on your tool bar up top that is usually two green arrows on PC's.
You are more than welcome to pick your own - in which case I applaud you for buying an ornament so nice you want to win it.
All I am doing to refresh my comment page is hitting the arrow button at the top left hand corner of my page.
nothing is working for me :( maybe b/c i don't have a blogger log in? oh well...i'll make it work!
Treye, your up. Do you want #2 #6 or do you want to pick a different number?
i'll take 3...i like the wrapping paper
Peggy... #2, #6, and #3 have all been selected. Which do you want? Steal or get your own.
Just checking in!!!
love snowmen, saw #1... that's my choice
cheryl...if susie wins immunity, i'm gonna be MAD!
Hi Maureen. Just in the nick of time. You're up next. So far, no stealing. Everyone is being very polite. Will it be the New Yawka who changes things up or not? That is the question.
So far #1, #2, #3, and #6 have all been selected. Maureen, which do you want?
ME TOO!
Maybe we should grant immunity. This is like HLA survivor!
I cant load page correctly but I will go for 4
Crabby Patties!!!
noooooooo...susie skated by this entire season...she's not a good player. i'm so mad!
at least nick & star won the amazing race :)
I declare HLA full of whimps! No stealing and we are already up to #6. I know Katie and I know she would want to stir the pot. Therefore... Katie demands number #4!. Fork it over, Maureen!
Now pick another before Crazy Claudia goes!
OK # 3
yes, katie would have stolen a gift for SURE!
Treye... pick another. Either steal or pick #5, #7, #8, or #9.
ohhhhhhhh...you made treye mad! he says he'll take 9.
Aunt Treye, let's go
who is up?
watch your mouth young lady! no need for the sassiness...
I recognize the house from which ornament #5 came. I am going for ornament #5 (though I have to say... #6 was a close second, because Peggy's packaging is a dead give away!!!).
Julie (a.k.a Kristen) you're up next.
not sassy. . .just busting the chops of those slow pokes
Julie wants one of everything
no way, there is no way you could tell that!
no...i'm julie for the day...she'll take 5
Tell Julie too bad. Either that or she has to go up against Kelly from Montana who is winning ornaments hand over fist because of her winning football team.
Julie is up for the challenge (she's a Penn State football fan)
Them there's fightin' words, Julie! Your sister has gotten you in a heap of trouble!
I guess I will go with my very close second. Cheryl, fork over #6
psu is no good ;)
Julie says "Oh no!" but really she is up for the challenge!
I have her on the phone now
Now those Johnson's are just trash talking. . .we can revisit the PSU/Ohio state game if you would like...but only the one from 2008
Hey! I'll take 5 then.
Hey! I'll take 5 then.
Cheryl... we are all waiting to see whose ornament you wnat. #7 and #8 have not yet been claimed... or steal from someone else.
lol...oh kristen!
What cut throats LOL!!!
#5 is out. Julie pick another.
julie is giving me crap about PSU/OSH via text...those schnepp sisters
Julie votes for one of everything...again
Let there be no misunderstanding.... Ornaments are SERIOUS business!
Julie will take 2.
Tell her Claudia says... "Get a grip." Pick an ornament (and you better stay away from mine).
"I KNOW" didnt you take a look at my tree? You know which one it is...
Kristen... are you going to let her get away with that?!?!?! Or... are the Schnepp sister scheming?!?!
Kristen.. pick an ornament.
Uncle Tera...now you are creating drama between the Schnepp sisters!
How about 9
i know her well enough to know that is exactly what she would have done...steal your ornament
Oops.. my bad. Kristen.. if not #2, which number does Julie want?
Treye... Julie stole your ornament!!!!!
Pick another.
Claudia...don't listen to Kristen. I'm picking for Julie...not her. She's just trying to keep her ornament.
Treye will take 4.
no no not fair!!
Blood before best friends!
I gotta go with the original set up or it will get too confusing. Treye pick an ornament.
Katie will take number #2
can we recap who has what ornaments?
YEs, but in the meantime... Kristen needs to pick another.
YEs, but in the meantime... Kristen needs to pick another.
I pick 4
#1, Peggy
#2, Katie
#3, Maureen
#4, Treye and he keeps it.
#5, Cheryl and she keeps it.
#6, Claudia
#7, nobody
#8, nobody
#9, Julie
Kristen... #4 is already out. Treye was the third person to go for it.
I want # 6
I just want to go on the record for saying that Julie started all of this!
that made her laugh (she's still on the phone, so she's kinda here, too!)
I have that Julie needs to pick because Katie stole 2 so Treye needs to pick for Julie, right?
OOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Ok. I'll hand it over, but there will be some crazy, creative $#@! to pay!
#6 is out. I will take #8!
I'm all confused...I thought I was picking from JUlie from the beginning...but now Kristen is? Confusion!
CKB, I think you need to re-pick
Nevermind. Keep going.
ohh. . .and the plot thickens
Cheryl... I think I've got reasonable account going on here. Let's hope.
Right now we are waiting for Tera to pick an ornament.
#4, #5, and #6 are all out.
9 please
All I know is I got 5 and I'm keeping it. :)
CKB #6 might beout for now...but it may be able to be bartered later
I just reread my comment. Cheryl... I sounded snarky. It wasn't intended that way. You are record keeper extraordinaire! I should have conference called you in to officially keep track for me.
O.k. Tera have you decided yet?
yeah...i said 9 a few comments back
Tera, u picked that number on purpose. . .Julie wants 2
Oooohh... So Tera takes #9 from Julie! Julie (Kristen) what number do you want?
#4, #5, #6, and #9 are all out.
kristen...i'm so confused i don't have clue who has what...i just picked. tell julie if she's dying for 9 i'll give it to her when i see her :)
No snarkiness taken. :)
#2 please (haha Katie)
Ooohh.. stealing from poor Katie who isn't here to defend herself!
Hmmmm... she might want to see how much bark Maureen really has. She'd take number 3!
Maureen pick another
Julie doesn't have a clue what she is picking...i really don't think she will be heartbroken
number 3
Maureen.. wake up over there. You already had number 3. You need to pick either #1, #7, or #8.
Can you all tell I'm feeling feisty!?!
you guys lost me at HELLO I will take 8
Are there no steal backs in this game??
who's up??
Maureen picks #8. Oh my gosh. I won't even tell you what just happened. Ok. Sorry.
I want #1.
Peggy pick another one. Either #8 or #7
I have no clue! I thought it was just me that was confused. I must have lost something in translation LOL
It is an hour later here in NY Im super tired!!!!
huh? nope! I want #1 back
YES....very tired here, too, maureen!
Hang in there folks. We're on the tail end!
In the meantime.. let me say thank you now. Tomorrow morning the unwrapped ornaments will be posted.
Here's the run down so far.
2, Julie
3, Kaite
4, Treye
5, Cheryl
6, Julie
9, Tera
Peggy gets #1 and I - in the name of beauty sleep - will happily take #7.
And to all a good night.
Check in tomorrow to see what you won!
Signing off until tomorrow...
How did Julie get 2?
I thought she wasn't allowed to have more than one???
Now Dash Away, Dash away, Dash away ALL!!!
Ha Ha Im on overtime I need to go to sleep now... Goodnight HLA!!!
Finally tally, since I like order...
1, Peggy
2, Julie
3, Katie
4, Treye
5, Cheryl
6, Julie
Lucky 7, Claudia
8, Maureen
9, Tera
fun chatting w/ everyone tonight!
cheryl...enjoy the end of survivor.
kristen...see you in a few weeks!
ckb...thanks for organizing this...lots of fun!
Julie still got 2??
I steal from my sister then!!!
thanks everyone. :)
This was fun. I hate the jury part of Survivor. :)
thank you claudia... have fun sorting things out....survival!
Kristen... if you steal from her it will be off the books. Your secret is good with us (until she reads this, that is)!
haha, ok, our HLA cyber secret. . .for the night anyway. . .
and to all a good night!
A few notes of importance:
1. Watch out for those Schnepp sisters!
2. I am rolling in laughter looking at all of these comments! Sorry I missed the banter!
3. I LOVE that Claudia knows me well enough to know that I for sure would have stirred the pot by stealing an ornament!
Signing off until tomorrow! Goodnight HLA!
OMG! I am laughing so hard, and I'm sitting at Starbucks!!!
Thank you to everyone ... and especially to Kristen who called me so I could be "part" of the fun!
Let it be said, despite what CKB said about me starting it all, I believe that she, for Katie, did the first steal!!!!
I'm still not sure how I ended up with 2, and my sister, who was doing my picking for me, ended up without one - but alas - I will share!
I haven't even read today's post yet ... so on to there now!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!
And my drink of choice today is: Caramel Frap!
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