For more years than I can remember (I'm 60, you know), various members have hosted the annual Christmas party. This year, despite having just moved into our new home/farm, we held the event here. It was actually great incentive to put the house together fairly quickly, complete with Christmas decorations.
Seventeen members/partners attended and our house was filled with laughter and great conversations. As this was a pot luck, we were treated to many delicious recipes, including two from Henry Joneit (thanks - they are keepers). Harm and I provided three door prizes - matching mugs from the St. Louis AMO convention, the hanging quilt from our very own international event in 2008, and a black and white print of the 2008 convention artwork. A rousing game of Secret Santa ensued afterward which lasted for at least half an hour. One particular present was the target of intense interest which added to the excitement.
This was the perfect way to welcome friends to our new home and to kick off the Christmas season. Let's see if we can increase the attendance next year. For those who have been able to come to one of these, it's the perfect opportunity to get to know your fellow members, tell stories, laugh and relax.
Have a very Merry Christmas everyone, Happy New Year and here's to what we hope will be a fantastic 2015 for all!
Barb van der Veen, your Website Editor