Crock-Pot Christmas

Well, that last post was not exactly true. I did do one thing of note in the weeks leading up to Christmas, which was to host my first annual drop-in Christmas dinner and white elephant gift exchange. I had been wanting to host such a thing for several years now, and I finally got around to it. I cooked a big turkey dinner and set it all out in Crock-Pots that I had borrowed from various guests in the days before. It worked surprisingly well (it wasn't my idea--the woman who organized the potlucks at my old church had come up with it). So we had turkey in gravy, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, and treats brought by various guests, including a reputedly world famous chocolate silk pie. We wreathed pine garland and crystal around the chandelier in the dining room for sparkle and put lights and more garland around the mantle, plus more pine up the stair railing. It was festive and fun, and I scored a beverage warmer from the white elephant.