Jan 8: Trading Kinfolk Day

From time to time, working on the principle that deluded hope springs eternal, sports teams trade athletes. The Pittstop Athletic Feet trade their designated plate stealer to the Leftout Butter Creams for their short pickpocket. The Creams convince themselves the stealer will learn to run faster; the Feet fantasize the pick will get his hand out of a pocket quickly enough to get away with it by next season.

Jan 8 is the designated family trade day in Cyberia. Some families prefer to conduct transactions in person at public gathering places such as stadiums and auditoriums; others prefer online Craig's List style web sites.

If you were at a public gathering place for example, you would bring Uncle Ethelbert up to the stage, dressed in his finest suit, and ask for trade offers. Some other family would offer you Aunt Winifred in exchange. Of course, you wouldn't mention that Etthie drools on every dinner serving plate as he passes it down the table to other family members, nor would Winnie's family mention that she has told the same story about the handsome young man who left her at the altar 317 times in a row at family gatherings^TM over the last decade.

Generally, swaps don't usually bring anything better in an objective sense to a family then they start out with, but most families participate in National Kin Swap Day nevertheless, figuring a little variety in irritating kinfolk provides a little relief for the coming year.