Christmas Toy Run

[tomanique]

Hi All,

Dec 6th is the 4X4 Christmas toy run in Surrey. Anyone going to go? Convoy?

http://www.bc4x4.com/inthenews/default.cfm?ID=424

Cheers
Tom

[FalcoColumbarius]

Whoa, I guess it's time to break out the antlers again....

[TardisDeli]

Tardis Deli will be there, Christine is determined to win for best decorated 4x4 for the third year running.We usually meet up at the Guildford parking lot. Cheers Jay and Christine,

[ShaneA]

That sounds like a lot of fun. Unfortunately I'll be at my daughter's soccer game in North Van till 9:30/10:00.

[tomanique]

Tardis Deli will be there, Christine is determined to win for best decorated 4x4 for the third year running.We usually meet up at the Guildford parking lot. Cheers Jay and Christine,

Same wreath or a bigger one this year?

[jessef]

We shall try to make it out this year.

[TardisDeli]

Oye christmas toy this sunday be there or be square.

[delicat]

Mitsushi will be au rendez-vous...

Seeya there!

[fexlboi]

So who won this year? Christine again?

[jessef]

Most likely

I'm working in front of a desk envying all those who were able to go.

I did give some toys to a friend of mine who's there in a cherokee to donate.

[tomanique]

Tardisdeli got 2nd place...although we all know they should've got first!! Delicat got 6th place.

[TardisDeli]

Well, proudly my TardisDeli took Second Place, will attach photo soon. We had 5 Delica's there this year, and next year we expect more ... details below to help with your decoration planning for next year. The recipients of the toys we donate are the Christmas bureau, and food to the food bank.

First Prize winner was a pickup truck with a pile of wood pallets in the back wrapped in Christmas paper, and the entire truck wrapped in Christmas paper cellotaped on (he says he remove tape residue with lacquer thinner, but since its a beaten up truck I's say the tape just gets another layer of mud atop). So now I know that next year I must do exterior as well as interior decoration.

Delicat's Delica also won, he tied a gigantic red bow he made all around the sides and atop his Delica, just like a large gift, very effective with his white van. So, 2 of the 6 finalist winners were Delica's, neato.

My theme this year is "4x4 Gingerbread Van", with my poem:
Run, Run, fast as you can,
Can't catch me,
I'm the Gingerbread Man,
Driving my 4x4 Gingerbread Van.

A Feast for all the senses -- sight, sound, taste, and smell as the baking gingerbread drew 'em from afar. The food (ie judges bribes) is my homemade fresh baked gingerbread men (yup, fresh from my oven at 7am that day, yawn) kept warm in my CrockPot. Thanks Jay for the inverter in my van to power the Crockpot (lower right of photo), and the hundreds of twinkling Christmas lights (along the top of the curtains completely encircling the van even around the drivers compartment), and the DVD playing the log fire picture with Christmas carols.

The traditional homestyle effects come from the fringed crochet multi coloured blanket on the floor, and my wicker basket with all the gingerbread cookie ingredients (one taster worried about the fresh butter in the basket melting but as it was colder outside than in my fridge, obviously that taster was not a Delica owner). For a grandmotherly baking effect my woodstove behind the basket is for our winter Delica camping trips, very cozy, but since Jay wouldnt install a chimney in the roof of the delica sadly the stove was not lit (but I got one of the oldtime 4x4 guys to explain in lengthy detail how easily Jay could replace the rear side window for the stove pipe exit...so stay tuned for next year). Atop the stove is the baking rack, with a bowl on top to make cookies, and various baking utensils tied around the edges ... all clinking gently as the Delica drives along.

Dangling from the ceiling are strings of homebaked gingerbread men and cookie cutters. The Christmas tree is lit up, and has decorations of cookie cutters (can you see the letters to spell Santa) and the gingerbread men and gingerbread women (gender equity of course).

My reward for all this effort is my winner's prize gift certificate from North Shore Off-Road (thanks guys, a VERY generous amount, I'll be in soon).

Your theme for next year should now be in planning, awaiting the after Christmas sales of decorations for inspiration. PS Last year I strung heaps of paper snowflakes cut from the office recycling paper, free and very effective. PPS huge rolls of cheap Christmas paper taped to your deli is cheap and very effective.

Cheers, Christine and Jay.

[FalcoColumbarius]

Tardisdeli got 2nd place...although we all know they should've got first!! Delicat got 6th place.

Yeah.... that kind of makes me sick, actually... Delicat wraps a rag around the Mitsushi and gets a placing . The TardisDeli should have taken first. More effort went into that van than the truck that won (which was wrapped in fancy paper, big deal). So Jay & Christine get first place for two years running and second place on the third year ~ but hey, they still came in first place at Delica Canada, which is where it REALLY counts... smiles.

Falco.

[garyo]

Good to see some old friends again, and maybe we made a few kids x-mas a little more cheery.

I only took 3 pics before the camera batteries died.

[fexlboi]

2nd and 6th! Well done guys. I'm proud of you to hold up the Delica flag every year at the Toy Run.