Christmas is a little bit of a big deal on Midway. As one might imagine, there is no snow, but everyone is in the same boat, they are all on a small island in the middle of the pacific away from the traditional family and friends.
So on Chistmas Eve we have an island wide Yankee Swap. For those of you who don't know what a Yankee Swap is. Everyone brings a gift and puts it under the tree and then they're name in a bag. Each person, in the order that their names are pulled out of the bag, has the option of either opening a present or stealing one of the presents that has already been open. If your present is stolen than you can either steal another or open another. Each present can only be stolen twice and you can't steal back.
The Thai's got very into it! The popular gifts this year to steal were glass balls, unique t-shirts, and etched glass (Etched by one of the resident artists). I ended up stealing Baileys and Hot Chocolate.
Santa and Mrs. Clause emceed the nights events.
Our Beautiful tree with all of the packages underneath it. What a loot!
In addition to the Yankee Swap we had a marine debris ornament building contest.
This is me with the ornament I tied for second place with. It is a snow man made of three urchin tests (skeletons) and clothed in plastic marine debris. Because this ornament is made from urchins, I am not allowed to take it off island with me when I leave. Instead I gave to Matt and Merissa Brown, the Refuge manager and First Lady of Midway. It is an honor to think that i will have an ornament on their tree.
This is Marilou's ornament (Marilou is a bird counter) that tied mine for second. It is bouy that was covered in worm tubes that was turned into a Santa ornament. (This is the ornament I voted for.)
This is Marilou with her and prize winner: a star composed of five albatross skulls. Yep that was the grand prize winner as voted by the residence of Midway.
As a gift to the Midway community, the other volunteers and I rewrote the "Twelve Days of Christmas" for the Atoll. Unfortunately, it was never performed as Chris and Nushe skipped out on the celebrations and Brette hardly speaks, let alone sings... and I was too chicken to perform it myself. So here it is the premier of "The Twelve Days of Christmas on Midway".
"The Twelve Days of Christmas on Midway"
Verse Twelve:
"On the Twelfth day of Christmas, Midway gave to me:
12 Counters Counting11 Bites from Banding
10 Dolphins Spinning
9 Gooneys Dancing
8 Hours Planting
7 Thais A’ Cooking
6 Seals A’ Sleeping
5 MedEvacs
4 Volunteers
3 Firemen
2 Ice Cream Cones
And a Tern in an Ironwood Tree!"
On Christmas Day, Brette and I woke up and opened our personal packages from family and friends that had sent us stuff on Midway. Then the two of us and Nushe had coffee with Baileys and candy-cane stirrers while we watched the original "Miracle of 34t Street".
That evening wehad a feast at the Clipper House, which was quite similar to the one had at Thanksgiving and played poker with the Thais.
Brette and I with Santa Clause!
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