Christmas Tea at Cindy's

🎶O Come All Ye Faithful🎶

Cindy, Chris, Carol, and Cathy gathered at Cindy's house for this year's Christmas Tea.  Edie, unfortunately, was unable to join us because her husband was in the hospital recovering from surgery.  

Cindy's house was decorated for Christmas. . . .

Her presents awaiting us under the tree. . .

A clever way to display extra ornaments. . .

The stockings were all hung by the chimney. . . .

Cindy is the one who does the welding art.  Here is a fork and spoon reindeer. . .

She even turned one of her paintings into an Advent Calendar like Tasha Tudor did.  The buildings and ski slope are landmarks in the area.  Her house is #3. . . .

Once we were all assembled we set our food on the table and commenced to eat!  Cindy served a delicious  Caramel Apple tea by Celestial.  Later we got to choose one of the herbal teas in the tins. . . .

We started with soup. . . .

Carol's POTATO SOUP

One Package of frozen hash brown potatoes 

Two 14oz cans of chicken stock or broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/3 cup onions

8oz cream cheese

1/2 tsp pepper 

Put all ingredients into crock pot

Cook on low for 5 hours 

The last 30 minutes add the cream cheese and stir

Serve with green onions, bacon bits and cheese 

Next came the salad. . . .

Chris's SPINACH SALAD

Ingredients (recipe does not give quantities of most things):

Bacon - about 1/2 pound, fried, and crumbled

Baby spinach - I used one package.

Mushrooms -I used half of a carton)

Water chestnuts -one can

Mandarin oranges- two cans. 

Dressing:

1/2 cup oil (doesn’t say what kind - I used olive oil).

1/2 cup sugar 

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup ketchup

2 T Worcestershire

Sandwiches followed. . . .

Cathy's TEA SANDWICHES

Smoked Salmon w/ cream cheese

English Cucumber, sliced thinly, w/unsalted butter/cream cheese

Chicken Salad

Ham Salad

Last, but certainly not least, dessert. . . .

Cindy's SPRINGERLE COOKIES

(the white cookie with design on top)

After we could eat no more we opened the gifts we brought for each other.  This year everyone opted to give everyone a gift.  Edie had dropped off her gifts at my house earlier.  She gave us each a calendar of  photos she and her husband took on their trip to San Francisco earlier this year. . . .

Carol, knowing we are fans of Susan Branch in addition to Tasha Tudor, gave us Susan's latest book. . . .

Chris made us all cheese balls and placed them on different handmade pottery plates for each of us. . . .

Cindy used a wood-burning tool to draw a picture of special places for each of us.  It is a lid to a box, but can be hung on the wall if we prefer. . . .

Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church

Trinity Lutheran Church

Tasha Tudor in her garden

"Steamboat approaching dock" 1886

Christmas can be a time when we especially miss loved ones who have departed.  I gave a Rosemary plant (for remembrance) with a Cardinal (a reminder that our loved ones are still with us in our heart), along with a framed verse from Psalm 118:24:  "This is the day the Lord has made. REJOICE and be GLAD! " to remind us to TAKE JOY in each day no matter our circumstances. . . .

Cindy had a craft project for us.  Carol had to leave, so it was just Chris and me to try our hand at quilling,  Cindy had taken a class and showed us how to roll and shape the strips of paper. . . .

Chris and I both agreed we need more practice.  These are the ones Cindy has made. . . .

Here is a YouTube video that will teach you how to do it. . . .

                           

We hope your Christmas celebration will be a happy one, filled with love and laughter, good food, and quiet time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. . . .

                          

 

.•*¨`*•. ☆ .•*¨`*•

Take Joy!

❤️Cathy