WINNER - Most Elaborate: Teresa Hammonds and Amie Carlton, Bluffton

Upon learning that the New York Giants would play the Green Bay Packers for the NFC Championship and a possible trip to the Super Bowl XLII, I remarked to my husband that I would love to steal our friend Eric’s “Giants Fan Parking Only” sign and ransom it back to him. I enlisted the help of our friend Amie and of course I had to let Eric’s wife, Jessica, in on it. Since Eric owns his own business and could be at home at all hours of the day, Jessica’s involvement was a must.

I did not know at the time he also had proudly displayed in his yard a blow-up Giants football player — of course this just increased the fun. Once we got our hands on the sign and doll, we proceeded in dressing the doll up in everything we could get our hands on. We put him in lingerie, Halloween costumes, bathing suits, etc. and of course took his picture. The sign was photographed in various shots of peril as well. He was sent a picture everyday along with the following enclosed instructions.

Tuesday: Kidnapped doll and sign and left “We Have Taken Your Sign” note.

Wednesday: Left note “If You Want To See Your Sign and Blow Up Doll Again” and pictures. (The sign read: Tonight at 6:23 you must put on the enclosed hat and shirt, exit your home, walk five paces due south, spin around three times and loudly recite the included message verbatim!) The shirt was an old T-shirt that I ironed on “I, Eric Schleicher, Am A Cheesehead, I Have Always Been A Cheesehead, I Love Cheese, I Love Cheese, I Love Cheese!”

For the hat, I took the cheese out of plastic wraps and put in yellow contruction paper and glued it to an old ball cap of my husband’s. Eric, not to be outdone, made a cardboard man, dressed him up in the hat and t-shirt and hung it from a tree in the front yard. Can’t think of what the neighbors thought was going on at his house!

Since Jessica, his wife, was in on the joke, she would call and give us daily updates. Now, Eric is blaming all of his neighbors and enlisted one to go around and look at the exterior siding of all the homes in the neighborhood to find the house pictures with the doll in the photo he received! Thank goodness it rained! He was so sure that it was one couple in his neighborhood that he planned to go down in the middle of the night and spray paint the Giants emblem on their yard! He also enlisted neighbors to watch the house during the day. This meant of course, neither Amie nor I could now deliver the items, so we hird a courier, who upon learning of the joke did not even charge us!

Thursday: Courier delivered note “Good Try Eric” and picture of the sign over a shredder. (The sign read: Good try Eric! But the ref called a “Twelfth man on the field” penalty, five yards. We warned you about this! There fore if you want to see your blow-up doll and sign again, do the following: Hang the delivered poster on your porch. Since you are so fond of spotlights, use one to illuminate the poster for all to see day and night!) The poster we put in a simple black poster frame. He did hang this on the porch and placed spot lights on it for all to see.

Friday: Courier delivered note “Eric You’re Doing Well,” CD and picture. The CD was music we found on iTunes with songs such as “I Love Bret Favre,” “When The Packers Kick Your ...” and “I’m Proud To Be A Packer Fan.” Although he was really enjoying the prank, the CD sent him through the roof because he could not figure out who we were!

Saturday: Courier delivered note, balloons in the Packers colors, doll and pictures. He did display all in the front yard, along with a very large wooden score board he made! Luckily the neighbors were all good friends, whom we all know, and no one complained about the shrine and rivalry obviously going on in Eric’s front yard.

Sunday: Courier delivered note and cake. (The note read: “The Peacemaker.” Eric, here is a sweet treat we promise is edible to eat! The clock has run down to 30 seconds, enough time for two more plays. Look for your sign to be returned in the fourth quarter, personally by the “Stinky Cheesehead Gang.”) The way we ended the whole thing and delivered the sign back had to be the best of all. We made a large two-layered cake with the Giants emblem on the top. In the center of the cake we wrapped the sign, the “Priceless” note, and the pictures of Amie, I, and the little doll having lunch and drinking Margaritas at the Cornerstone Grill. We called his wife and had her tell him to cut the cake at half time. Since he was not expecting us until the fourth quarter, we were able to park down the road, walk up to the garage, listen outside as he cut the cake and found the sign and pictures. We walked in right as he finished. It was great!

Another thing that makes this whole thing hilarious is neither Amie nor I are Packers fans and could have really cared less who won!