Annual Christmas Dessert Contest and Christmas Game
Preparations for our 'Annual Christmas Dessert Contest' and the first ever 'Christmas Game' are in full swing. The cards for judging the desserts have been designed. This year the theme is 'Gingerbread'. That is left completely open to interpretation. Gingerbread can be used, but a gingerbread man, or lady, or a gingerbread house can be represented with a different flavor. Since I have an affinity for chocolate, maybe a chocolate gingerbread man would be great!
The prizes for the first, second, and third place have been purchased and wrapped. The prizes always have something to do with baking or dessert making. Prizes of cookie cutters, mini-dessert glasses, and a variety of baking and decorating supplies have been given in the past. This year is no exception.
The red poinsettia tablecloth has been placed on the dining room table, and the vintage mirror runner is placed down the center of the table. Three clear glass vases filled with silver, white, and red ornaments decorate the runner. Two classic crystal candle holders display gold candles.
Although the display might be simple, the desserts are meant to be the stars of the show! The desserts will be placed around the table and numbers representing each dessert will be placed in front of each entry. Cards for judging are printed on cardstock and will be placed on one end of the table, along with ink pens.
Everyone, big and small, participates in the judging, except for Memphis! She is only six months old now! The kids get a big kick out of the contest and right after Thanksgiving they begin talking about what dessert they will be making for it.
This year for the first time ever, we will be playing a "Christmas Game", which I came across on Pinterest. The inspiration for the game came from Natalie, who has a blog, which you can find here►Let's Get Together.
The idea is to collect inexpensive presents for everyone who will be at the Christmas party and wrap them. Cash or gift cards can be hidden in some of the gifts. Natalie's family wraps three gifts for each person. At this point in time, I am only wrapping one gift for each person. I just came across this last week and don't have enough time, but maybe next year!
We are having eighteen people here so eighteen numbers will be written on pieces of paper and drawn from a hat. Number one goes first and chooses a gift and opens it. Number two goes next. That person can pick another gift from the pile or steal an opened one from someone else. The person with the stolen gift can either choose another gift from the pile or steal from someone else.
The game resumes and the next number is in play. A gift can only be stolen three times before it is dead and can't be stolen again. (Most of us have probably played a similar game with co-workers, but everyone brought a gift.)
I thought this was a great idea, but I took it a little farther and chose some cheesy sayings, which were also inspired by some pins on Pinterest, to accompany the gifts. I am sure some of the puns will get some laughs and perhaps some will receive winces, but it should be fun.
These are some of the tags I created to accompany the gifts. Blowing Christmas Wishes Your Way is with a bottle of 'Bubbles', which the grandkids love. The snowman is in a package with socks. The little elf is on a carton of mini-Sprites and Nachos, obviously, go with the little Mexican in the sombrero. A muffin mix is wrapped with the muffin card and a three pack of flashlights is wrapped with the flashlight tag.
Hopefully, it goes over well with the family and becomes another tradition, and next year we can look forward to our Annual Christmas Dessert Contest and Christmas Game.
