Senior Saints Party

Every Christmas season for more than 29 years the "middle aged" couples at the church my husband is preaching at right now have a Christmas party for the Senior Saints.  Three years after he started working with this church we started hosting too (although we weren't and still aren't middle age).

We have about 40-50 seniors attend and 18-22 couples help host.  It's a big party done up right!  We rent a nice place in town that can hold all of us and has a kitchen for us to prepare plates.  Each couple is in charge of a recipe that we double or triple depending on the servings.  We all chip in to rent the venue, paper goods, table clothes, postage, etc.

As the seniors arrive we have someone take couple (or individual) pictures.  It's a nice way for them to remember the night.  The hosts can have their pictures taken too.

Appetizers are already on the table when they arrive for their munching pleasure.  We serve tea, water, coffee, and wassail at this time too.

Once everyone is seated we serve the plates. This year we had chicken, green beans, rice, merry berry salad and rolls.  When we are m done with dinner we head to the dessert table and pick our dessert.

After stuffing our faces eating some of the musically inclined play their instruments while other sing along.

Dominoes are broken out too!  42 gets played at most tables.  I used to play with my grandparents and Dad.  It's been awhile and I'm pretty rusty so I don't play with competitive people. I just play with those that just like to have fun.

It's a great night:

• for the younger (middle aged) to serve the seniors
• to show our gratitude for them
• for the seniors to be served after a long life of serving others themselves
• for the seniors to just play 
• to just be together