What we do with lobsters

Hmmmm, what is this? Yes, you are seeing a lobster adorned with costume jewelry. Yes, a live lobster.

You see, for Christmas Eve, as long as I can remember, we have had fresh Maine lobster. And for some dark, twisted reason known to no one, we always play with the lobsters before cooking them. As a child, I staged lobster races on my grandparents' kitchen floor. The winner got boiled first. How gross is that??

My kids took this one step further. I am not sure when it began, but at some point in time, my eldest daughter began draping costumer jewelry on the lobsters rather than racing them. Decorating the lobsters became a high point of Christmas Eve. Odder still, neither she nor her brother would or will eat lobster. But their little sister, now the head lobster decorator, LOVES lobster. How barbaric to first adorn then boil and eat the critters.

Oh well, too bad for them they are so darn tasty. Not to mention fun to play with. I guess that makes up for their less than attractive appearance.