But first, one last Christmas celebration. I mention it specifically because it's a great fun idea that I love passing on. We call it our Christmas Carol exchange and it's something Rick and I do with our friends Mark and Jan. After all, we decided long ago that we had a lot of stuff. Let's exchange by couples -- and do something fun.
So, each year we pick a Christmas song and pick our gifts ($25) to match. We've done "Deck the Halls," "The Twelve Days of Christmas," "Jingle Bell Rock," "White Christmas," "The Christmas Song," "Winter Wonderland," "Let it Snow" and "Baby It's Cold Outside," among the 16 we have done to date. This year's song was "Christmas Island." (cue the music) This is Jan from our celebration several years ago!
Needless to say it was loads of fun. For Mark and Jan we found some fun glasses, coconut milk, a stocking filled with goodies, and some ornaments that included a surfboard and Santa in a canoe.
They found us Mango Mimosa, Snoconut chocolates, a Jimmy Buffet CD with the song (he wrote it), a mix of several versions of the song, Hawaiian leis and fun napkins with a shell theme. Most of all, we had great fun!
A couple of nights later, we saw the New Year's in at our friend Cheri's with friends old and new (and there were a few invisible guests as well)!
Don't you love Cheri's centerpiece? I have to make one!
Cheri had cute little crowns for us. Rick found a unique way to display his!
As the clock approached midnight, there was a little bubbly being poured and then...
Happy New Year!
It's been a rough year for some of us in that group. We were glad to say goodbye to the old year. I know it's been tough for some of you as well. So, I'll add a little drum roll and announce the winners of my Marmelade Gypsy tenth anniversary drawing!
They are -- Valerie of Bastelmania! Jenny of Jenny Woolf, English Travel Writer! And Bella of Life on the Pasture!
You might recall I didn't say what the prizes were in the drawing. I had thought something from my inventory but then I decided that I'm going to come up with something new and unique for each of them. We'll see how that works out -- I do have back-up plans! So hold on, you three! Something fun coming in the new year!
Sharing with Let's Keep in Touch
37 comments:
Sounds like . . . “Oh what Fun” . . .
Sixteen years of wonderful memories!
I love thinking up something new and different.
Usually I am not stymied with coming up with gift ideas.
I will be getting together with my pediatric nurse friends on Sunday.
We worked together back in the 80’s-90’s and get together twice a year.
That USUALLY word is dangling at the moment . . .
oh I have some ideas but nothing that really “rings my bell.”
Your Christmas Song idea sounds perfect . . .
So true, we all really have all we need or want . . .
I may have to propose some new gift giving ideas!
Congratulations to the Giveaway winners . . .
You are a party girl Jeanie. Good for you. Looks like you have ignored the cold and just gone for with. I love the theme idea. So many fun ones to pick from. I love the idea for Christmas Island. :) I hope you just go partying into 2018 and share! HHugs-Erika
You sure know how to have fun! I am smiling just looking at the photos! And congrats to your winners. You are always SO sweet and generous! Enjoy your evening! Sweet hugs!
What fun you had. Your enthusiasm for life always knocks my socks off, Jeanie. My very best wishes to you and Rick for a most wonderful 2018.
WILD CRAZY people...haha...looks like you had a great time. Me....I was sleeping when the New Year came in.
I love the way you always find unique fun entertainments to share with friends.
And yes, I love the center piece.
Here's hoping your 2018 is healthy and happy.
Hugs,
Congrats to the lucky ladies. How wonderful.
You and your friends know how to party even when times are tough. So glad you had a great New Year and I hope 2018 is far better health wise for you and better for the world, too.
Sounds like you had a wild and fun party to see in the new year, lovely to see you all looking so happy. Thanks for choosing my name for one of your surprises, I am honoured, and will look forward to mine. Have a great 2018, keep partying and being happy, stay healthy, have fun! Hugs, Valerie
looks like alot of fun! and I do love the crowns!
Ok...enough champagne for you guys! ;-)
What a great party, you and your friends certainly know how to have fun, another one I will put an early invite in for! :-) Congratulations to your winners.
The Christmas carol exchange sounds fun, and it sounds like you found - and received - great gifts for it this year.
I hope 2018 is a great year for you, and is filled with plenty more wonderful moments with family and friends... Just like those you've shared in your recent posts.
It sounds like you saw 2017 off in a fitting way. Let 2018 bring in what it may!
You are so much fun to be around, even if it virtually, Jeanie!
This sounds and looks like great fun -- the best way to say hello to a new year. Stay warm and Happy New Year!
I love your themed holiday exchange and how long it's been going on! Looks like you guys had a blast! Your NYE sounded like so much fun, too. We usually make plans to get together with friends for NYE but this year we thought we were going to be at my parents, but my chest cold prevented that from happening. So it was a very quiet NYE for us. I didn't even attempt to make it up until midnight. I was in bed by 9:30, I think! 2017 was a chaotic year for our world. It was a great one for us since it was the year we got married and we had lots of other adventures, but I was still glad to see the year come to a close as I know 2018 will be a wonderful year with the birth of our baby!
Jeanie, your New Year's Eve looks like it was a blast. Love the game you played at the party, from all those smiling faces I'm sure it was a hoot! Loved the centerpiece, what a great use of the corks. Congrats to your winners. May your all your hopes and wishes come true in the new year........Hugs.
What great fun you had Jeanie. Love the centrepiece, saved it to my Pinterest.
I can't remember what those fried things are called on your first photo, but I remember my Mom used to make them for Christmas many, many years ago.
Apart from my daughters you are the most sociable people I" know" LOL..
Amazing! I am exhausted for you!!
Fun fun fun..:)
I am so boring compared to you..you have no idea;)
I have not made rosettes in years..see? That excites me:)LOL
I love the way you jump in with both feet and celebrate holidays! And how lucky to have friends who are in the same mind set. And, I love the way your just keep on celebrating - the fun seems to never stop!
And for the record, I am SO swiping that Eiffel Tower topped cork tree centerpiece! I have been collecting Eiffel Tower 'stuff' for years - and all I do with it is sit around to collect dust. Now a good project besides hanging them on a Christmas tree! LOL
Thanks for the vicarious party!
You all are too fun. What a great idea. I'll file this away for next year's "friendsmas" celebration. Thanks for linking up to Keep in Touch!
Hello, I just love these photos. You and your friends have so much fun! Congrats to the winners. I am hoping 2018 is a happy year for all of us. Have a happy day and week ahead!
You have the best group of friends! Clever idea the Christmas Carol theme. Happy New Year party looked like loads of fun and I love the centerpiece! Lt's make 2018 a much happier year!
I love the gift idea with a theme. I have a girls Christmas party every year that we exchange a small gift. How fun to make it a theme....next year! You always have so much fun at your parties....love it!
Looks like a complete blast. Let’s hope for a fabulous 2018.
What did she have in the bubbly? Fruit?
Thought I left a comment here, but must have been on FB. Love everything about your celebrations. How fun! Our party pooper friend just don't party anymore. We did enjoy our daughter's open house on NY day, what fun to mix with the younger set. Happy New Year dear friend.
Celebration, happiness, YOU all know how to do it!! A blessed & creative life you live! Party on!! Yes, last year was chaotic and for me personally too. So far, I am loving this winter even though it is COLD and a blizzard is coming today...Thanks as ever for stopping by to visit my blog. I don't get to blogspot as often as I'd like...
It is wonderful to see such happy photos.
Amalia
xo
Jeanie, you share so much fun! Congrats to the winners!
Jeanie,
this looks like so much fun. Out with 2017 and hopefully in with some calm, normalcy and decency. Can't wait to see what the year holds for us. xoxo
Thank you Jeanie. What a thrill - it's wonderful to win a prize! I'll look forward eagerly to it. Often the "silly" fun is the most fun, isn't it, and I did enjoy your amusing pictures!
I love books, so much, I love the pictures of you as a child reading books. I heard that there is a library somewhere, a really old one, that will let you spend the night and look at all the books!! So cool! I Hope you have a phenomenal new year!
I love the Christmas song idea. That sounds like a very fun way to celebrate with friends, and not acquire more stuff.
Thank you Jeanie. I'm looking forward to it. :)
How wonderful it is! This reminded me of my grandchildren. We had such a party last year in one of the Seattle venues. Oh! What a lovely time it was! Now, they all are married and gone to their respective homes. This year will not be that happening.
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