From then on, we gave up on Valentines Day, and celebrated G-hog day. Back then, we decieded to celebrate G-hog by going out for dinner on Feb 2 to a restaurant we had never been to before (easy in Chicago), it should be something unique or ethnic, we order something we never ate before; and preferrably something we couldn’t pronouonce. A tridation we still enjoy, now with our teenage children. this year it was Vietnamese- I ate “Pho” for the first time.

In 1991 we bought our first house, and created a G-Hog party for our friends to join with us in the fun. Our parties featured unusual foods (allegator, rattle snake, etc.) all identified- no pressure to eat something wierd, but the spirit is to be adventurous.

In ‘99 we thought it would be fun to have a pig roasting on the driveway. We hired a guy with a trailer to cook a pig on the spit on our driveway– remember this is Febuary in Chicago- think cold; real cold. As guests arrived, the cook would open the cover and show off the pig.

We moveed into a bigger house in 2000, and the “Luau” was such a success, we decided to use our G-Hog party as a parody of other traditional parties. This year we had a Quinceneria with lots of Mexican food, beer, Margaritas, etc. We have had a G-Hog eve party, with ballon drop & champagne, Prom with rented bad 70’s tuxedos, Mardi Gras, I even had a beach party- 6 yards of sand in my heated garage… I had the guy pick it up the next day, yes I rented sand.

Anyway- you get the idea. Did I mention the Ground Hog? We bouht a “target” Ground Hog, designed to be shot at with bow an d arrow. He started sitting on the front steps with a light (shadow reference) but lately we dress him in “theme” clothes. We had a favorite dead celebrity party once, the statue was Elvis.

G-Hog is geat. There is no one way to enjoy it, party on.

“Sausage?” you say.

Well, yes, it is ground… hog.

And may it be your tradition as it is mine.

*soysauge is an acceptable alternative.