Party Time!

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Our youth group Christmas parties became the stuff of legend over the years, even though they have been very different from one place to another.  One of the first years at Springfield Friends Meeting we had a Christmas dance in the Fellowship Hall at the church,and a big crowd showed up.  We had had great food, decorations and music- Jamie Robinson was our DJ- and absolutely no one danced!  But we had a great time anyway!  After that, the party moved into our little house across the street from the church. The group didn't actually fit in that house (see picture) but we celebrated just like it was a mansion.  I would fix my world famous sausage balls (not to be confused with "Sweddy Balls") and fudge, and we would play Dirty Santa.  Dirty Santa is the game where everyone brings a gift, you draw numbers to determine the order you pick in, and then you can either open a new present or steal an already open gift when it is your turn.  I have played this game for many years on many occasions, but the gifts the Springfield kids would bring (had to be under $5) were always the most interesting.  Food gifts were always the most popular, because if you didn't get food you might get feminine hygiene products, used chap stick or some other completely worthless item.  It got really bad some years, but it was always hilarious. 

In the later Springfield years we would have the youth party from 7-9 PM, followed by a Youth Group Alumni party for college students.  Those were always a blast as well, catching up with old friends and telling the old stories.  I looked forward to those times with great anticipation.  For Marilyn and I it was like a Christmas family reunion, because the students we served became our family. We missed them when they were not around, and we loved having them in our home anytime.  We thought we would always host the youth Christmas party in our home...but our move to Kissimmee changed all of that.  It would still be a highlight of the year...but it sure would be different!  Come back tomorrow and read all about how we did Christmas "uptown!"

Because of Jesus,