My friend Megan had this great idea.....she heard of a woman in Canada, years ago, who invited half the country into her mansion each year for a Christmas party....at the party she would read a Christmas story and as she read it - the story would come to life....she hired actors to play the parts and then there were presents for everyone and treats galore and they all went caroling and then Santa came and it was an extreme Christmas for everyone - go Canucks!
Well....after Megan told me this I started thinking....wouldn't it be fun to do a mini-version of this?!?! And the wheels started turning....so, with a limited budget, a small home and not much time, I invited a few families with small children to come to my home for a teensy-weensy Christmas party.....I had the treats ready to go....
Gingerbread cookies, iced sugar cookies, red velvet cupcakes with a chocolate truffle tucked inside, fudge and peppermint bark and a cherry pie and....
White cupcakes with peppermint frosting, a German Chocolate cake and pictured above is the double chocolate cupcake cake that I burnt to smithereens! So it was frosted and used as a decoration....I can't leave the kitchen with something in the oven....I know better....oh well.....I also had a lemon meringue pie for the mister - store bought because he PREFERS that crap to the one I make....and I had snowballs....vanilla ice cream balls covered in toasted coconut with hot fudge sauce....it was a diabetic's nightmare to be sure!
I decided to read T'was The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore....and "hired" a REAL director to give me some ideas and to direct the "actors"....Brooke actually got her degree from U-Dub in Directing! (She now has her own photography business, www.hendrickskimphotography.com )She had some great ideas for me and the "actors".....
Here's a pic of the "set" made from cardboard, and held precariously together with duct tape...the black fireplace was actually the door that opened up to let Santa in - there is a sliding glass door behind this elaborate set...and, as you can see, the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...and please notice that it had REAL lights in the "beautiful REAL garland" on the mantel! I spared no expense!
It looks rather pitiful here but at night, with only the tree lights on and a glow from the real fireplace, I assure you that it looked most magical...okay, maybe not, but the kids liked it! We had Mamma in her kerchief and Papa in his cap and two sugar-plum fairies dancing about....we also had a "singing moon" and, of course, Santa - who stole the show! We ended our production with some Christmas carols and more treats....oh, we had an orchestra, too! A guitar and a violin! Woo-Hoo!
I have no pictures of the actual production - as cameras and video-taping were not allowed - just kidding - no one thought of it! Probably just as well - I'm sure the actors would want to save face! But it was very fun and very funny - could part deux be in the cards for next year?!?
Oh yeah....I'm sure it was exactly the same kind of evening the rich lady in Canada hosts in her mansion each year!
