I pretty much
For some reason,
But, perhaps you can get some idea of what it was like.
I loosely based our program on this and and the last idea on this page.
We had five businesses.
The Bakery, The Tin Shop, Blacksmith (those two combined), The General Store, and Times and Seasons publishing/books. We had four dividers in the four corners of the gym, and used chalk boards to kind of close the front and make an entrance.
In the Bakery, we had it set up so you could decorate gingerbread cookies.
In the general store, we accepted canned food donations, and people could come and get candy. I had the lady doing the store hand out the candy wearing latex gloves, because we didn't want anyone to pass germs.
Here's a picture before it was fully set up...
Hey, I can't decorate, prepare and set out food, take wonderful pictures all at the same time.
And don't get all anal about the candy jars. No, they probably didn't have those, but I was tired of researching.
In the Tin Shop we had lids, hammers, nails, and ribbon so you could "tin punch" an ornament.
Behind that was the Blacksmiths where you could make paper chains. Yeah sorry, we can't start any fires in our gym.
In the Times and Seasons shop, we had the missionaries at a table with pamphlets and pass along cards. Then we set up two tables with Christmas cards where people could write cards to the missionaries from our ward.
Of course we had Father Christmas come, in a santa suit...
Don't worry, that's my son.
Apparently, the curtain got pulled down and when they hung it back up, they hung it way, way up.
Oh well.
I had my 10 year old pull kids around in a wagon with a stick horse and bells attached to the handle. It was our version of a hayride.
We tried to have the menu be semi-authentic.
We served ham, turkey, mashed and baked potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, cornbread, etc. and I made a couple sweet potato pies, some mince meat tartlets, and a cranberry, blueberry, apple slump served with cream (very tasty).
Someone brought a huge tray of chocolate crinkles. My favorite.
Did I get to eat? No.
I'm getting tired of typing, so I'll post some random pictures.
Don't worry, my boys.
and finally, the Bishop...
So, that's it.
It was fun.
I woke up at 5:30 that morning, and I'm pretty sure I only sat a total of one hour the whole day. Our ward is so great with cleanup and helping that we were out of there by 8:30!
Now I just have to unload my van.
What's that?
The party was Saturday, and now it's Tuesday?
Yeah, so?
17 comments:
Congratulations on a job well done! It looks like fun. Oh if you leave food in the car for a few days cuz you don't feel like unloading it...it will give you blog material. Just a tip.
I hope you hear the intensity of my voice when I say I "need" your cranberry, blueberry, apple slump recipe. Never heard of it before, but it was mmmmmmmm good!
Irish Mince Tartlets
1 lg. jar of mince meat pie filling (or other flavor pie filling)
2 recipes for 2-crust pies
1 beaten egg
Oven 450F
Roll out two crusts at a time. Cut into 4-inch circles with large biscuit cutter or tart cutter for as many pairs as will fit. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the bottom crusts. With a pastry brush put egg around the edge to seal. Cut a slit or small hole in the top crust and place on top. Press down firmly and seal the edges. Brush with egg (I brushed with cream and sprinkled with sugar). Place the tartlets on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until crust is golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire rack.
Repeat with second two pie crusts. Yield: about 20 tartlets
********************************
ABC Slump (or apple, blueberry, cranberry)
6 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 30 min.
Ingredients
• 1 cup chopped peeled tart apple (I used granny smith)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (I used frozen)
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (I used fresh)
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup sugar
•
• DUMPLINGS:
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons cold butter
• 1/3 cup milk
• Half-and-half cream
Directions
• In a large saucepan, combine the fruit (I cooked the apples and cranberries a few minutes before adding the blueberries), water and sugar; bring to a
• boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
•
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder,
• cinnamon and nutmeg; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse
• crumbs. Add milk; stir just until moistened. Drop into six mounds
• onto simmering fruit. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until
• a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean (do not lift
• the cover while simmering). Serve warm with cream. Yield: 6
• servings.
********************************
Sweet Potato Pie
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 50 Minutes Ready In: 2 Hours 20 Minutes
Servings: 8
INGREDIENTS:
1 (1 pound) sweet potato
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
(I used 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice instead)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
DIRECTIONS:
1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.
Wow. I bet my Activities committee chair person would totally go for that a an activity next year. She wants to do the whole Bethlehem thing, but our ward has done that before. Nauvoo is a great idea!
You are dedicated and wonderful. I at least got to eat some cold food around the time everyone else was pillaging the dessert table and getting ready to leave our ward Christmas party!
Do you mind if I post your recipes on Sariah's recipe blog? They look really yum. I'll link back to you.
You're amazing! I love the quilts on the chalkboard dividers - very clever! I love all the activities - I bet everyone had a great time.
You are to be commended :)
I'm thinking the EQ should come to your house and unload the van for you. They're always looking for a service project, right?
That is a great Christmas party idea!1 You did a great job carrot! Wish I had been there... Lisa
Hey, posting by Tuesday after all that work is great! Looks like it was a fantastic event. Thanks for sharing those recipes :o)
Wow, those are all great ideas!
Thanks for posting the recipes, they look so good.
What an interesting ward you have. Everyone looks the same! White square heads. Are they all related?
Teehee
Wow! That looks so fun. Thank you for posting the recipes--can't wait to try them!
Wow!!! I wish I went to YOUR ward! It looks like an amazing party. Nicely done! And the van will eventually unload itself...so it's okay! ;)
clothedmuch.blogspot.com
CUTE!! CUTE!! CUTE!!!!!!! Aw! It's all so adorable!!! I love it! :)
Amazing you have impressed me and given me one more calling I pray I never get!
Wow! I wish I'd been at your Christmas party!
Ok, I am so inspired by this that I just have to tell you that I signed up to do my family Christmas party next year (I have a really huge family) and I am totally going to do something similar to this. I love all of it. You did a great job!
So is your van unloaded yet? LOL!
It looked very very nice :)
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