Rockin' Round The Christmas Church Tree

My church had its Christmas party last night. A simple pot luck type dinner with an ornament exchange.

Gabi and I went and had a lot of fun. By the time we found out the party details, though, Gilberto had already made plans to go see his favorite punk rock band, Bad Religion, with his cousin. We got a good laugh at that one. You know, good religion (church party) vs. bad religion (concert). Ha ha ha.

When I emailed my pastor earlier in the week and mentioned it, he didn't seem to think it was as funny as we did. Note to self, keep humor in check when talking with your pastor about the dark side. Even if it is to joke about your husband, who happens to not go to church, and stays home to play World of Warcraft. Yeah, that joke probably didn't look so good.

The party was held at a very lovely home right on the ocean. I almost went to the wrong house with my box of food, because I'm getting old and my eyesight has started to betray me. Luckily I saw someone from the church going in two doors down, and diverted before I tried to barge my way into someone else's house. Though that would have made a funny Holiday story. Perhaps I should have done it anyway. That'd be a good way to see what all those houses look like on the inside!

My contribution was brownies and Baked Ziti. Though it was really Baked Penne. Which almost didn't get baked. I had forgotten the Mozzarella, which Baked Ziti Penne is dead without, and decided in all of my shopping wisdom to head to Costco. Because a 2 pound block of Mozzarella is only $5.39 there, and I didn't mind walking all the way to the back of the store to get it. I thought I could get in and out pretty quick.

The parking lot was my first indication that this might have been a bad decision. It was packed all the way to the back, which is like, a mile from the entrance. I finally found a spot at the halfway point. And once inside, I didn't walk, I dodged. It took me twice as long as normal to get to the back, and in the process was hit by a cart, elbowed by a woman trying to walk faster than me, and stepped on by a twirling child (not my own). I made it back to the front of the store without any further injuries, but had to stand in line with my lone block of cheese behind people with carts loaded like the bug in the IKEA commercial. I made it home with just enough time to cook.

After we had all eaten, a very rowdy ornament exchange game was played. People get very serious about their ornaments! There was a lot of wrapping balled up into hardened missiles that flew around the room. We survived, and my tree is now adorned with a My Little Pony ornament and a gold glitter encrusted reindeer with crystal beaded legs. My poor tree is wondering when our taste went out the window, but it should know that we never had any to start with. Martha Stewart my tree is not. I love having an eclectic ornament collection, and will continue to add more to it. Though I will admit that My Little Pony was a bit of a stretch, even for me.

I realized after I got home that there hadn't been any alcohol served. Which I wouldn't have had any of anyway because after forgoing it for 9 months while pregnant and then even longer while breastfeeding, my tolerance is zilch and two tiny sips would either put me sitting on the giant stuffed Santa's lap that was in the entryway, or in the corner passed out. Not exactly church appropriate.

And not that there SHOULD have been alcohol served. This was a church event! But it just dawned on me that I had attended my very first Holiday party where there wasn't any, not even spiked eggnog.

And it made me feel really grown up.