# Dope the Halls! Baltimore/DC/NOVA ChristmasDope! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 12, 2001, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869 "2001-11-12T04:40:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/21 "2001-11-29T09:29:24Z")
Well, **Geobabe** mentioned to me on the phone the other day, “In any event, I’ll see you on the 15th” My response was a carefully considered intelectual powerhouse-“huh???..oh, yea, my dopefest” Having proven myself to be an idiot of the highest order, I think I ought to bump this thread. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/22 "2001-11-29T12:18:11Z")
Seems I’ll find myself in the neighborhood that weekend, so I may try to hitch a ride to Casa de Dave and see what this is all about! Pencil me in? In pen? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/23 "2001-11-29T14:10:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Weirddave \* > Anyone who is interested should bring a present, under $10, please, and then everyone who brought a gift can pick a present from the pile. Might I propose a modification to this? Our office has done a variant on this that has added much liveliness to our Christmas parties, the past few years. We call it a “Yankee gift exchange.” The basics are the same: everyone brings a **wrapped** present that cost under $10. And everyone that brought a gift ends up with one. But getting there is the fun part. If there are N people involved, then there are N turns. Each turn **ends** with someone choosing a wrapped present, and opening it. At the beginning, a random drawing is held to see which turn each person will _start_. First turn: the person who starts it, chooses a wrapped present, and opens it. End of turn. Other turns: the person who starts it, can either ‘steal’ an unwrapped present from a person who has one, or unwrap another present from the pile. If he steals a present, the person stolen from, gets to either steal from someone _else_ who already has an unwrapped present, or unwrap a present from the pile. And so it goes. (_Key caveat:_ each present can only be stolen _once per turn_. Otherwise, each turn can go on forever.) People stealing presents from each other, and having them stolen back, or swiped by someone else, on the following turn, brings a whole new element to the gift exchange, IMO. Anyone else done this before? Anyone game to try it this time? ---
**Author:** ![Spritle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Spritle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spritle)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/24 "2001-11-29T15:37:17Z")
Holy Crap, **RT** , you gonna make a flow chart for everyone to follow? Sheesh! Remind me NEVER to play poker with you; after three beers you’ll be making up weird games with people handing up cards and pulling down cards and all sorts of ever-what! Guys, while I _ **TRULY** _ (all coding to emphasize the heartfelt emotion behind it) appreciate your efforts to include me\*, I must beg off the 15[sup]th[/sup] (as you know) and cannot commit to the 29[sup]th[/sup] as it’s during the X-mas holiday and Spritle-sis is in town from the left coast. - [sub]Who the hell am I kidding. Y’all ain’t trying to include me, you’re just looking for any damn excuse to get together and drink yourselves silly. - and eat strategically placed candy coated chocolates![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/25 "2001-11-29T15:39:38Z")
If it’s the 15th, and it looks like it is, scratch us off the list. We’ll be in New York State that weekend. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/26 "2001-11-29T16:08:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spritle \* > Holy Crap, **RT** , you gonna make a flow chart for everyone to follow? Trust me, this is pretty easy to actually _do_; it just looks like hell when you try to explain it on paper. Sorry you’ll miss it! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/27 "2001-11-29T17:13:41Z")
I’ve played the game **RT** , _and_ I’ll be in the area on the 15th. I can help explain the game, althoug the usual rules here at the office include keeping it under $5, and nothing _too_ blatantly sexual, which means that if you’re going to Spencers, be _careful_! “Suggestive” is fun however, and the game is a blast. No problems about finding Casa de Dave, either, as he lives two miles down the same road as my father (a little past Carson’s Run, Dave). It’s definitely the 15th? So, can I come play? ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/28 "2001-11-29T18:09:01Z")
Have you room for one more? I wouldn’t mind meeting other dopers (I think). ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/29 "2001-11-29T19:31:27Z")
While it’s Dave’s party, we’ve never turned anyone away from a DC/Balt Dopefest, and I doubt we’re going to start now. 🙂 And as far as gifts are concerned, we’re not an office - lewder is better, with this group! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/30 "2001-11-30T04:46:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*…lewder is better, with this group! 😛 \*\* Oh, boy! Spencers, here I come… ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/31 "2001-11-30T06:16:58Z")
FTR, Dopefests do not require specific invitations, everyone is welcome. If, by chance, someone was specifically NOT invited, then that person would be told off the boards. I have no one who I would not want to come. No one in this area, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Spritle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Spritle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spritle)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/32 "2001-11-30T12:19:05Z")
_whew_ I guess you’ve forgiven me about that “Mysterous white powder and the traffic stop” incident. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/33 "2001-11-30T12:34:29Z")
Could you email me your address? ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/34 "2001-11-30T16:40:23Z")
I’ll get an e-mail out to everybody next week. I live in Aberdeen, Md, in case you were wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Nacho4Sara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Nacho4Sara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nacho4Sara)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/35 "2001-11-30T17:01:06Z")
I should be able to come! I have my first final Monday though, so I might not be able to stay the whole time. Gotta study and all that crap-o. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/36 "2001-11-30T17:51:40Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Christina25](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8edcca/32.png) [@Christina25](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Christina25)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/37 "2001-11-30T18:01:24Z")
Count me in. But wont the poor cats be lonely without friends? ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/38 "2001-11-30T22:12:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Weirddave \* > \*\*FTR, Dopefests do not require specific invitations, everyone is welcome. \*\* Oh, I know that, just not sure how much space you had available, and didn’t wish to crowd you out. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/39 "2001-12-01T01:56:41Z")
Damn! Another one I have to miss – although, oddly enough, I _will_ be in Baltimore on the 15th. The kids and I are flying out of Baltimore International to visit Kevin in San Diego for the holidays. We won’t be home until the 4th, so I’ll miss the party on the 29th, too. Actually, we’re driving up to Baltimore on the _14th_, spending the night at the Holiday Inn near the airport and then catching our flight at 8AM on the 15th. I’m not familiar with the Baltimore airport, or with this hotel… is it close enough that some of you Balt/DC types would be willing to come out and meet me in the Holiday Inn bar for a drink or two on the 14th? Or is it too far out in the sticks (or scheduling evenings out too close together)? Jess ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869/40 "2001-12-01T03:35:13Z")
Hey, that’s about 15 minutes from our house! We would love to meet you for a drink or two. I’ll email you our number, and you can give us a call. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dope-the-halls-baltimore-dc-nova-christmasdope/92869.md?page=3)