There has been a competitive element to our Devlin family Christmas the past couple of years. Our family holiday has definitely taken on an edge.

This is due to the twist we added to our gift giving the Christmas before last. Someone (who shall remain unnamed and relatively blameless) suggested that it would be fun if everyone brought an equal number of wrapped $25 gifts to match the number of people in their immediate family. The gifts would all be piled together and then later in the evening we would draw lots to see who picked first. That person would select a gift and open it. The next person could also choose an unopened gift or they could take an opened gift from someone who had already selected.

The first year we played this game, the hit of the night was the 'ShamWow!' that my brother Bruce brought and that my brother Andy subsequently chose as his gift. Those of you who own TVs have probably seen the ShamWow! ads featuring Vince. Therefore you can imagine my delight when I spotted a 'Slap Chop' in a store at Upper Canada Mall during a Christmas shopping expedition this year.

The entire store was devoted to items advertised during infomercials. In my excitement I lost my head and bought a Slap Chop, a 'Cyber Clean', and in a moment of giddy insanity - a bottle of 'Urine Gone' cleanser even though we don't have a dog.

The minute I arrived home, Gord jumped on the Slap Chop.

"This is for the gift game!" I yelled over my shoulder as I ran to hide my purchases. "I'm going to wrap it with some peanut brittle. You have to take your chances just like everybody else!"

The day of our Christmas gathering we brought our family and gifts to my sister Susan's house. After dinner we assembled in her family room and the gift exchange game began. As expected, when my brother-in-law Rob opened the Slap Chop everyone laughed - except me.

I was noticing the gift's apparent lack of peanut brittle accompaniment.

Oh my.

There was a second Slap Chop. My brother Andy and sister-in-law Lianne had brought one too.

When it was my sister Allison's boyfriend Josh's turn, he did what he had to do. He stole Rob's Slap Chop.

Rob was forced to pick a new wrapped gift. A circa 1970s collector's edition Barbie (with matching pink boa.)

Not too surprisingly it was almost immediately chosen away from him by daughter.

T'was Rob's turn again. Despite the impeccably decorated surroundings, and the presence of young children, the promise of easy to clean chopping action left the air filled with tension.

There was no recourse. Josh relinquished the Slap Chop back to Rob. Josh then turned to the pile of unopened gifts and chose again. I was the only one who knew before the wrapping paper was even off - he had chosen the Slap Chop with the peanut brittle. Once again the prize was his.

Then it was Gord's turn. He had been waiting for this. His eyes gleamed.

He looked at Rob.

He looked at Josh.

He looked at Josh's bonus Hickory Farm's peanut brittle.

With a resigned nod Josh stoically handed over the brittle and the favoured TV appliance.

Within half an hour the game was over and Gord and Rob had defended their gifts until the bitter end. Everyone was pleased with the final results. Even Josh, who had been appeased by the gift of a Clapper.

It's been over a month since that fateful gathering and Gord's Slap Chop had been sitting in the cupboard ever since. And then last night he finally took it down and removed it from its hallowed box.

"You're opening it? We finally get to use it?"

"Wait. I'm thinking I might try it out soon. We'll see. I just thought I'd have a look at it."

I don't think Rob has deigned to use his trophy yet either.

With this level of competition I'm already worried about next year. I don't know how I'm going to top the Slap Chop if Vince doesn't introduce a new product.

Although I do still have the Urine Gone...