Community of Christ, Part Deux

We went to the C of C's Christmas Day potluck with a cheesecake topped with raspberry pinot noir sauce. (Ironic, no?)

After winding around the tables and self-serving the wonderful repast, we adjourned to the sanctuary to sing Christmas songs. I saw one our choir sang and suggested it. The fellow leading the music said he didn't know it and asked me to lead everyone--and slunk away chuckling, leaving me to lead the music for the rest of the songs.

After the music, we went back into the room where we'd eaten. The non-singers had cleaned up and set up for the gift exchange. The pastor, Pat, said she had brought extra gifts so the people who hadn't brought one (or hadn't known to [like us]) could participate. We drew numbers and then the gift picking/gift stealing began.

It was a pretty good natured exchange; I've seen this game get ugly--mostly at work where the gift stealing manifested along the lines of extant hostility.

The two clear canisters of cashews changed hands several times over the course of the game. One guy wanted someone to take his gift and took to saying "I have jam!" and later, "I have jam--and a DOLLAR!" One woman finally took the jam (and dollar) off his hands and he looked a little sad.

When someone stole Hetty Jane's vase, she took a full lap around the gift table with her walker checking out the opened and unopened gifts. HJ cracks me up. She's in her 70s at least and at the party the night before, she said some "old geezer" had hit on her.

Anyway, after the game we collected our spoils and went home to open our gifts. Twas a lovely Christmas all around.