Ten Things Thursday

How about ten of our various holiday events for 2024? Warning: lots of pictures--and very long!

1. I have lunch once a month with my highschool friend, Cathy.

This month, we went to a new place--The Buttermilk Ranch. It's near Stephanie's house. The front part of the restaurant is a bakery with a seating area where you can have coffee and a pastry and free internet access. For lunch, we both had the Hot Brown. It's a dish that originated at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY. It was so delicious--served overa buttery croissant--turkey and a cheese sauce. It's definitely big enough to share. 

We got this photo inside, but the outside was made to look like a gingerbread house. I don't know how it would hold up in the weather, but it sure was festive. 

2. On the night we had our poker dinner, we started with happy hour at our friends, David and Linda's--she's in red next to David. 

We went to their club--The Brentwood Country Club. The food was delicious. Even though several couples were unable to make it, we still had a great time!

3. Next up was our lunch with our 96 year old bridge friends.

Unfortunately, Betty was sick, so only Louise was with us. We went to the Midtown Cafe--a really nice place with great food. Connie and I wanted something a little nicer for the holidays. We're looking forward to playing bridge with them this coming Monday.

4. The very next day after our lunch with Louise--Tuesday--we had our Richland Bridge Club Christmas party.

Wednesday, Sandy arrived in town. We met Mitchell and Emily here at Richland Country Club for dinner that evening. 

5. On December 19th, I had my 2nd annual Dickens Party. it was the 181st anniversary of the publish date of A Christmas Carol. What better way to celebrate than with my book club---or at least many of them.

Sandy was here too--she's taking the picture. I served Wassail, potato soup, 7-Up biscuits, grape salad and Pumpkin Bars with cream cheese frosting for dessert. We played a little trivia game based on the book. And, we toasted Charles Dickens. I said that I wondered if he had any inkling that a book club in Nashville, Tennessee--180 years in the future would be celebrating him. I ended the toast with "Here's to you Chuck!" 

Here are a few pictures of my Dickens table:

6. Just about the time Sandy and I cleaned up after the Dickens party, we headed over to Steph's to help get ready for our annual mother/daughter ornament exchange. 

As it turned out, she was ready and didn't need our help. We had a lot of fun just catching up with everyone. Jordan and Morgan were there--the first time in years that they were able to make it to the exchange.

I started this over 30 years ago. At first it was my friends and I along with our daughters. Now, those daughters have grown up and bring their own daughters. It makes me so happy to have this time each year with 3 generations! Everyone brings an appetizer or dessert. There is always so much good food! Then, the exchange--after all these years, we have it down! It's quite competitive, but always in good fun. Now that the second generation is at the helm, we're looking forward to many more years--maybe even welcoming a 4th generation!

7. By Friday afternoon, the entire family had arrived--well, except for Olly who had to work the weekend. It was party time! Unfortunately, Mitchell and Emily were not going to be with us as they were off to D. C. to spend the holidays with Emily's family.

That evening, Stephanie had all of us over for a taco bar and games. It was initiation by fire for Graham--Elizabeth's boyfriend!! He fit right in!

8. The next morning it was all about the birthday girls. Mindy turned 40 and Jordan turned 30 this December. We had a full day planned starting with a girls brunch at Darsie & Dru in the Hermitage Hotel.

What's wrong with this picture? All of my granddaughters are about a foot taller than me. It kind of makes me look a little freakish!

Once we got back to the house, the festivities began!

We moved all the furniture to make room:

We ordered their favorite cakes from the premier baker in Nashville--Dessert Designs. They are the BEST!!

Jordan's favorite is a yellow cake with chocolate frosting--hers was a sour cream pound cake with fudge frosting. Mindy's favorite is a red velvet cake. This one had a very light and fluffy cream cheese frosting.

Morgan handled all of the paper products--personalized napkins, confetti and straws.

My friend, Beth Ann made the party favors--her delicious frosted sugar cookies in the shape of 30 & 40 all wrapped up in cellophane bags (in the basket). 

There were other snacks and punch using my mother's "King's Crown" punchbowl set.

Later, we had 6 pizzas, 300 toasted ravioli, 200 provel bites and a big Italian salad. I ordered everything except the salad from Imo's in St. Louis. I can't believe I don't have a picture of it!

Of course a birthday party wouldn't be complete (or any family gathering) without games! And lots of them! We played 4 different ones into the evening. 

I cannot believe that they didn't get a picture of me playing--considering I got the most ornaments in the bowl!

And no birthday party would be complete without a pinata!

Now you know what we did with all that candy we brought home from Disney!!

9. Okay, on to Christmas Eve. We started with breakfast in the morning. I made an overnight biscuits and gravy casserole, fruit salad, hash browns and scrambled eggs. 

We went simple with the plates from the birthday parties. 

After breakfast, Jordan and Robbie surprised us with a Christmas version of Jeopardy.

Poor Robbie--who was the judge for who "beeped in" first! There was a lot of yelling--our games are very loud! And there are a few sore losers amongst us (not me)! Still, it's all in good fun!

I made a "fancy" dinner--and I can't believe I do not have a picture of the table. Setting the table is my most favorite thing to do. Oh well. Anyway, I made Chicken Wellington, creamed peas, cranberry salad, and twice-baked potato casserole and yeast rolls. I mentioned to the family that I had made a notation on the Chicken Wellington recipe "not to make it for the family as they didn't appreciate it!" and I never did--until now. It's a very time consuming, labor intensive dish. Jordan said it tasted just like chicken pot pie. I said that she was "out" and that I'd never make it for her again. It's the cream cheese pastry that is so good. But after she said that, I got to thinking, "She's right. It did taste a lot like pot pie!" That's it, I threw the recipe away. I'm never making it again! Why go to so much trouble when the pot pie is easier and just as good!!

After dinner, we opened gifts and then played more games--Code Names this time. It's just about our favorite game.

10. Finally! Christmas day. We always start out with the Disney Christmas special while Nicky makes his famous bloody Mary's. I had a cranberry cheese ball, spinach balls and asparagus roll-ups to tide us over until brunch. 

We include Jenni, Nicky's mom and a friend of mine in our festivities.

Nicky brought another little guest this year--Remi from Rattatoullie. That was his big purchase when we were in Disney. We've convinced him to take Remi with us to Paris this summer since we're going to Disney there. We are also going to the restaurant that the movie was based on. Nicky isn't sure he wants to take Remi there! I think he should and that it would be great fun! 

Speaking of Nicky, he surprises me every Christmas season with a beautiful poinsettia.

This one is gorgeous!!

I decided to dispense with the big turkey dinner and made Poppyseed Chicken, grape salad, yeast rolls, green bean casserole, and hash brown casserole. I made it even easier by using my everyday Christmas china that could go in the dishwasher. I used the good china on Christmas Eve's dinner.

By the time we ate and I sent everyone off with leftovers, it was 12:30! I don't want any help with the clean-up. I just want to change my clothes, put on some good music (this time it was Bon Jovi) and do the clean-up. Butch works with me and we had it done in no time. In fact, he helped me with ALL of the major food events this season. I couldn't do it without him! 

After clean-up, I took a two hour nap--then stated in on the Christmas "take-down"! Ahhh, but that's another story soon to come!!