The Caroling Party

Tonight we held our sort-of annual caroling party.  It was quite a frantic exercise getting the house ready for guests after all the neglect the Nutcracker season brought.  However, we were all shiny and ready when our first guests arrived.  Steve and Michelle came with Alex and Elizabeth.  Caitlin and the twins immediately got busy.  They grabbed the caroling books and headed for Cait's room to prepare for the main caroling event.  Renee, Chris, & Kenai came next, bring along Renee's mom, Carol.  Then John & Julie Conroy made it.  Finally, Lisa, William and Caroline joined us.  (They had stayed at home to watch for a special message from Craig broadcast from overseas to the local TV station.  That was an event too special to be missed.  Fortunately, his message was presented early in the broadcast window, so they made it in time.)
All our guest brought delicious side dishes, appetizers, and cookies to share.  Jeff  made spinach bisque, Swedish meatballs, and his signature garlic green beans.  I made gingerbread cookies at the last minute which Gwen expertly icinged.  (I had hard boiled eggs ready to be deviled, but they got forgotten in all the hubbub.)  And, on top of this, we ordered three extra large pizzas to feed the children.  Once the pizza order was placed, those of us who wanted to carol headed for the door.  Jeff stayed in by the fire with Michelle, while Gwen & Kenai got each other really wound-up.
Caitlin, Alex, & Elizabeth led the carolers the entire time.  They were so excited!  At every house we sang a carol (not quite in key, but with gusto), and then the little girls offered the people some mini candy canes.   The kids didn't seem to mind the cold at all, so we hit every occupied house from our place to the top of the street, both sides.  For our first rendition of The First Noel, I tried to sing the harmony part, but that totally threw off the rest of the singers.  I did not attempt that the second time we sang it.
When we finally returned to our house, we sang one final song for the folks who stayed home.  Just as we finished, the pizza guy arrived!  Talk about perfect timing.  We spent the rest of the evening eating and drinking and making quite merry.
Happy Holidays everyone!