A Fun Old-Fashioned Family Christmas

Sunday night we had a Christmas party with our Small Group. A Griswold Family Christmas Party.

If you know Brad, then you know that movie is his absolute-all-time-favorite movie ever. He was practically giddy about this party. Me, not so much. It isn't that I don't like a party because if you've read this blog for any length of time, you know I love to throw a party. I just don't like to dress up in costume or partake in a white elephant gift exchange. (I find white elephant gifts frustrating. My love language is gift-giving and I have tried to tried to have a more noble love language like quality time or words of affirmation, but I am what I am and I can't change it. For that reason, white elephant gifts drive me crazy!)

So I decided to have a nice "family" dinner while we were all dressed up like characters from CHRISTMAS VACATION. I feel like our Small Group is our "other" family, anyway, so it made perfect sense. I was especially proud of my table. It was beautiful if I do say so myself!

I made the trees from styrofoam cones and scrapbook paper. Oh, the wonders of ModgePodge. I loved the juxtaposition of the sparkle and the burlap. To further that juxtaposition, I used silver sparkly ornaments and silver bells tied with raffia.

Everyone else appreciated my table, too. Or at least I like to imagine that they did because I think the right atmosphere to a party makes all the difference...even if no one else does!

I baked a ham for dinner and made mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and rolls. I told everyone else to bring a dish that they always have at their family dinners. The one that if it was missing, it wouldn't be Christmas. I thought it would be fun to share it with our "other" family. It sounds dorky, I know, but it was really fun and oh-so-delicious.

Everybody really like that part!

I also took photos of everyone's costumes. There were some pretty good ones, too.

The squirrel and Frank (Clark's boss)

The tree and Clark.

Audrey and Eddie.

Frank and Ellen. (Kudos to Adley for being the only kid to dress up!)

Eddie and a quote. My shirt reads, "Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas!" See, I wore a costume. Sorta.

The boys.

The girls.

It was a great night and one with lots of memories...even if I would rather do dishes than participate in the white elephant gift exchange. (Oh yes, I did.) Sometimes it's necessary to just hang out together and be silly.