Uncle Frank's Favorite Gift Of The Year Award 2008

It’s time for the annual and highly coveted Uncle Frank's Favorite Gift Of The Year Award for Christmas presents. This annual post is a bit late as the missus and I needed to return to the Haut South to open those presents that arrived after we left for our Texas Christmas visit with my in-laws. Well, return we did and opened and unwrapped all our cool gifts in preparation for the bestowing of one of this website’s most coveted awards. So without any further delay…

And the winner this year is, drum roll please… a rocking Saint John the Baptist icon from my niece Valerie! A big thank you to my favorite niece!

The icon is NOT a Christmas tree ornament. To get a decent picture I tried several times with a variety of poses, with no luck whatsoever at getting a decent shot. Then my missus recommended that the Christmas tree with its dark background might make the picture work. In addition to holding the icon in place and providing a decent backdrop, the tree has the added benefit of being an alternative to a picture of my missus holding the icon. She’s a little camera shy and doesn’t want her picture out on blogosphere so the tree worked out well.

Anyhoo…

To win said prize, Valerie exploited her uncle’s love of religious art, specifically icons. By taking advantage of her uncle’s fondness of art that would give any smiling, purpose driven, evangelical convulsions as it wasn’t produced after 1966 and isn’t saccharine sweet and cute, she was clearly the favorite from the beginning. Way to go Valerie! Can you guys see why she’s my favorite niece?

For previous years winners go here and here and here and here. Anybody see a pattern?