Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Cultivate Create!

Love and joy to you and your family. Amidst the busyness, and hurried visits, may you remember to smile......

 

......even when your crazy uncle does something, well, crazy.... 


......May you be gracious to all your friends and family. Share some laughter. It's okay. Let loose and cackle!






I hope this Christmas, you find ways to share happiness.....


....and to be together. 





.....to make memories....


....and be in the moment.


....even when it's hard. 




May we slow down and remember why we are celebrating, why that night so long ago was holy....


......why with the birth of a little baby named Jesus, joy was brought to the world.


....Why shepherds and wise men followed a star so long ago......


This Christmas may you love and be loved.....



....may you share hope and peace.....


.....with family....


.....with strangers.....



....with friends! 
(All photos above by Newman's Photography)



Here's to dreaming of a white Christmas! (even if in South Alabama the chances are slim to none. Hey, a girl can dream!)

I'm taking a little break to spend time with family and friends and will be back fresh as a daisy in 2015!  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Regift Dinner Party


A little over a week ago, I hosted a Christmas dinner party. The theme was "Regift," and we had a blast! Here are some of the details so you can throw your own regift party.   

Each guest was told to bring a gift that they already had on hand.  It could be anything they wanted to bring.....whether it was a ceramic goose from their Aunt Gertrude or an unopened bottle of lotion from their brother. The point was to not buy anything. Also, the main dish was provided but guests brought either an appetizer, desert, or beverage. 

Let me just preface the rest of the post by saying that an hour before party time, I still had not even begun getting dressed and ready.  So, I didn't get any photos of the tables or decor before guests arrived. I ended up quickly snapping some pictures after everyone started to eat.  Maybe next time, I will get better pictures. 

We started by playing a game to decide who had the most "Christmas spirit."  Points were awarded for questions and whoever had the most points at the end of the game won. There was a first and second place prize. 

Guests got points for: wearing red, wearing Christmas socks, wearing any kind of Christmas accessory, and being the first person to correctly answer questions.

Some questions were:
*Complete this phrase: I just like to sing. Singing's _________________. (my favorite)
*Christmas in Dixie, it's _____________________. (snowing in the pines)
*According to Buddy the Elf, what are the four main food groups? (candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup)
*What inhabits the Griswold's tree? (a squirrel)
*In White Christmas, what song does Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen sing together? (Sisters)
*The best way to spread Christmas cheer is _______________. (singing loud for all to hear) 

There were a few more questions, but you get the gist. You can make up your own questions based on your favorite holiday movies and songs. 

I also had hidden an Elvis (thanks to my Elvis loving Granny) ornament on one of my three trees. The first person to find Elvis got a prize.  

Then, I had named each of my dining tables based on the theme. I had Christmas in Dixie, Merry-N-Mod, and Christmas Glitz.  I printed it out and had each guest draw from a bowl which table they were to sit. That way, those that might not know each other as well could get to know one another. I think everyone liked doing that. 


Here are the quick photos I snapped as everyone was going through the buffet line. 



Merry-N-Mod


Desert Buffet



Christmas in Dixie


Christmas Glitz






The Beverage Bar.....we had sodas, tea, water, hot chocolate, and some yummy cider. 











After we finished eating we did a White Elephant gift exchange. I really like doing that instead of Dirty Santa.  This way, it is kind of out of your hands which gift you end up with....you have to follow the instructions. You can see the White Elephant Exchange I used here.  (It's a free printable.)



There were some really nice gifts, and there were some um, er, questionable gifts. It was so much fun!









I also had a "selfie station" so everyone could take pictures together. I also had a hashtag so everyone could share and enjoy the photos on social media. (#regiftdinnerparty) 


I took a photo with each of my guests, but I just didn't have to edit and upload each photo to this post. But, each person that attended are so precious to me!




//Via Instagram//



By the time we took this photo, a couple of the guests had had to leave, but this is the majority of us. 




I truly am so thankful for all of my friends and look forward to another fun party with them!  

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