Bill was feeling very pleased with himself as he drove the car up the highway the next morning. He looked across at Clover and couldn't believe that this good looking girl had agreed to become his wife. As usual she was looking gorgeous. She was wearing what she described as her "Christmas dress" a silky black dress covered in little pictures of Christmas things; snow men, bells, pine trees and the assorted nick-knacks that you would decorate a tree with. Add the heels she was wearing and he was getting a hard-on, which was actually quite remarkable given how the little minx had exhausted him last night.
Clover was musing over how much to tell Bill about the family tradition. All her life it had been drummed into her that what happened at the cabin was not to be told to outsiders. But Bill was no longer an outsider anymore. She had a ring on her finger to prove that. She was busting to tell him about what he was in for.
On the other hand when she had discussed inviting Bill with her parents and siblings they were adamant that she had to maintain her silence. Evidently it was another family tradition that the surprise of newcomers was there for all the family to enjoy. She could remember with delight the horrified expression on her brother-in-law Jim's face 2 years ago, when he figured out what was in stall for him on his first Christmas week. However Jim and Clare were still married and Clare had told her only yesterday that he was as eager as everyone else to get back to "The Cabin". Michelle's husband Charlie and Simon's wife Melinda were also eager participants each year. She had still been at the kids table when those two had enjoyed their first family Christmas and had been a bit naive about the sexual dimensions of someone's first swap.
However right now she was wetting herself thinking about what was going to happen to Bill tonight. He on the other hand had no idea. He guessed the family tradition was something like running around in ugly Christmas jumpers.
She hoped that like when her sisters first bought a significant other along, Bill's swap would be rigged. For that reason she was wearing her best underwear. Not that she wouldn't be wearing nice underwear if she was swapping at random. But for Bill's sake she had sexed things up a bit more than she ever had previously.
'So now we are halfway there, are you going to fill me about what this family tradition is' asked Bill
'Nope. It has to be a surprise'
'No clues at all?'
'Hm. Well I think you will enjoy yourself and I'm fairly sure it will bring us closer. Mum thinks the family tradition is why we have never had a marriage breakdown in our extended family'
Bill was none the wiser from that clue.
They had arranged to meet up with Clare and Jim at a McDonalds where two highways met an hour or so short of the cabin. As they turned into a carpark they saw the couple getting their 5 month old son Jack out of the car. Bill pulled up beside them 'Hi there strangers' Bill called through the window.
After a round of greetings they moved inside. Bill could sense the excitement of the couple. Initially Bill assumed it was about it being Jacks first Christmas however after being told that 'Jack was too young to participate - you have to be out of nappies' he gathered they were excited more for themselves.
Several times Jim gave Bill a light slap on the back and gave a few more hints about what Bill was in stall for. 'Don't be frightened. it's not as bad as it first seems' and later 'After this week you will really know what it like to be part of the Wilson family'. Bill had got on fine with Jim the couple of times they had met but he had never seemed quite so welcoming previously. It was like that by attending Christmas he was becoming Jim's best mate.
After lunch they followed Jim and Clare off the highway onto a gravel road and up into the hills. Clover excitedly told Bill to stop when they crested a hill and got the first glimpse of the property, it was in a pretty valley. Clover pointed to a sprawling brown set of buildings on a small hillock overlooking a a large reservoir. He noticed a quite a few cars parked in the clearing around the buildings. Other than the cleared hillock and the water the rest of the surroundings appeared to be forest.
The arrival was very hectic. Everyone wanted to meet 'Clover's guy' There were too many names for Bill to recall them all. He knew Clovers siblings and their offspring already and had met her parents plenty of times. Clover specifically introduced him to her grandparents "Pop" and "Ma" and also to another octogenarian "Uncle Eric". Eric was the mate of Pop who had somehow started the tradition with him.
The other people were a bit of a blur. There seemed to be heaps of kids and just as many adults. They all seemed to be Clover's cousins or their spouses. Bill found out "Cousin" was a bit of a loose term. Anyone from either Eric or Pop's family were considered cousins, whether they had a blood connection or not.
After the greetings Clover found out which room was for them and they moved their gear in. It was a simple room but contained a double bed and a wardrobe, into which Clover quickly unpacked her belongings. Evidently they would share a bathroom with other people in their wing. He met his neighbors, two gay guys Arthur and Drew who were about his own age. Arthur was Clover's cousin.
Clover's Mum came around and asked to collect their gifts. Bill handed her his wrapped up fishing hat. She corrected him when he called her "Mrs Wilson" 'Around here call me Peggy. Half a dozen of us here are Mrs Wilson'. Monica then sent Bill to return the suitcases to the car. He took the hint and left. Clearly Clover wanted a private word with her Mum.
When he returned he was able spend a couple of hours with Clover and after she changed to some sandshoes they walked down to lake and sat on the jetty watching the water. Two boats were tied to the jetty. Clover explained that one was "Uncle Alf's" and the other belonged to "Oscar" He recalled meeting Oscar a Hispanic looking man with tattoos who was supervising toddler twins. Oscar was married to one of Clover's cousins.
Clover spent some time trying to relate to him who was who and how they fitted into the family. Bill just got more confused.
At 5 Clover said they needed to return as 'My families a bit traditional. All the women are expected to help prepare the Christmas dinner. No doubt you will find all the men out the back, probably drinking beer and playing soccer. Go and join them. I'm sure you will find Jim there. I worded him up to look after you'