We put together a fabulous Relief Society Christmas dinner...(I am the Enrichment leader)
Heather and I worked our buns off as we didn't have a committee...grrrrr
Everything came together so well, though and our hard work payed off...
Our theme was "English Christmas"...
These were the handouts that I made...(I probably have lung cancer as we speak since I burned the edges to each one of those handouts including the 3 page programs...) My house smelled like a smokey old lodge for weeks! ugh! Shortly after this, someone told me that there are ways to "age" parchment without actually lighting them on fire....Something that would have been nice to know BEFORE!
As a service project, we asked everyone to bring with them to the dinner some type of toiletry item, candy, hot chocolate, fruit snacks, cereal, etc. to be placed in a basket and delivered to our local missionaries....
The tables were set with china and decorated with fresh greens and beautiful orange ornaments (courtesy of Susan--of course!) There were kumkwats and cranberries and dried orange slices sprinkled about... It looked so festive and fresh! I loved the idea of using non-traditional Christmas colors...
A program and dark chocolate orange was on each plate...
The menu:
Ham
Smashed potatoes (recipe in Dec. post)
fresh steamed green beans
fresh steamed green beans
raspberry cranberry salad
Polly's Christmas salad (recipe in Dec. post)
rolls
chocolate fountain with pretzels, marshmallows, strawberries, and pineapple
orange raspberry trifle (a true English dessert)
orange raspberry trifle (a true English dessert)
I could just kick myself for not taking pictures of the food!
After dinner, we began our program by singing two old English carols...
Good King Wenceslas and Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella.
We had several kids from our ward act out the story, "The Christmas Orange." (We called them the Doylestown Country Players)
They all dressed in raggedy "orphan" clothing--
It turned out so well!--I was so thrilled!
the cast members were:
(top row--Abigail Sears, Ellie Merrill, Melanie Flanigan, Waverly Merrill, Sarah Flanigan, &
(top row--Abigail Sears, Ellie Merrill, Melanie Flanigan, Waverly Merrill, Sarah Flanigan, &
Katie Merrill
bottom row--Joseph Sears, Whitney Sheffield)
Katie Flanigan, our relief society president gave a wonderful presentation tying the whole "orange" theme together...We also had a musical number by Kelly Price (a very talented vocalist in our ward)
We ended by singing Silent Night...
The women all seemed to really enjoy the evening...
I was so pleased with how things turned out!
Here I am with the relief society presidency...(from the left)-Jen Pond, Katie Flanigan, Heather Merrill, me and Catherine Savitsky)
As a take home gift, we gave everyone a dried sliced orange wrapped in pretty cellophane and a copy of the Christmas Orange story...
**Do you like using non-traditional colors for Christmas from time to time?
**Did you have a memorable Christmas program in your church this past year?
amazing decorations!
ReplyDeleteI know I have said it before, but I feel so privlaged to be related to such a classy woman with style like yours.
(maybe all these kind words will gain me another follower.)
:)
YOu are awesome! What an amazing activity! The table looks gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteFancy! Wow that looks awesome! We had a someone be a reader of the 1st Christmas, then others dressed up for "silent acting" of the first Christmas. It was quite beautiful, then we were served an abundance of desserts. Quite the feat they pulled off two days before Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteI love the deep orange. But that is one of my favorite colors.
ReplyDeleteOur relief society Christmas dinner was OK. Different women were in charge of bringing china and a centerpiece for each table (I get the feeling that our relief society is somewhat larger). But I thought it was funny because then they served the food on paper plates that they put over the china. So, you didn't actually end up using it. And paper cups. So you had a table with goblets and china and you still ate on paper plates and drank from paper cups. Too funny. It was about traditions. And it made me think, so in that sense I suppose it was a success.
The tables at your dinner look great. The chocolate orange slice was such a nice touch!
That is incredible! I love those colors, and I love that you wanted to make the Relief Society Christmas program memorable. We always do a tour of houses at Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a gorgeous event, especially since it wasn't held at the church! It's so nice when everyone can fit in someone's home like that. Wow!
ReplyDeletebeautiful!!! i could have been there if i would have stayed an extra day-- gggrrrr!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI will admit that I use nothing but untraditional colors......graphite and persimmon, chocolate and ivory or blue, orange and lime green, the list goes on!
ReplyDeleteLovely documentation of the R.S. party. I'm so sad that I couldn't be there....drat those BES events! Perhaps when I retire.....
I love the orange! How wonderful that you could have it in a home, so intimate. It is just not the same when you are in the cultural hall...
ReplyDelete