Tuesday, December 25, 1984

1984 Christmas (12/17+25/1984)

Saturday, November 3, 1984
Sneaking in photos from a trip to the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown, RI.
Erich, Kent, and Kyle
Erich and Kent (photo by Kyle)
Kyle and Kent (photo by Erich)
Kyle and Erich

Monday, December 17, 1984
Made clam and cheese spread on English muffin hors d’oeuvres, and at 19:10 Kent and I left to go to Mary B’s and Frank M’s apartment for the Meeting Street School PT party and wine/cheese tasting party. Arrived at 19:30 with Pam B and her husband Wayne K. Karen C already there. Then Janis and Bob S arrived, and Bev B and Sue P, who had taken a wrong turn somewhere and were on I-295! When Lorna and Michael B arrived at 20:30, we could begin the wine tasting, where everyone was really getting into checking the clarity and sniffing bouquets, etc.
Set up for wine tasting
First the Chardonnays; the Almaden being a good turkey wine according to Kent, and the Paul Mason being inferior to the Almaden. Next the white Zinfandels; the Sutter Home wasn’t very popular, but had an interesting peachy color. The Los Hermanos was more of a rosé, and was very popular, being called the most drinkable. The red Zinfandels, where I had bought an outrageously expensive Ridge Fiddletown Zinfandel for 25% off, so it was $12. It was a “beefy” wine, full of body and flavor, so that it made the Almaden seem inferior. Next were three Beaujolais; the youngest being the best. There were two Georges DuBoeuf and a Moulin à Vent.
It became a cheese tasting party with such a variety of cheeses available, with a garlicky French cream cheese of Boursin and Alouette, a Muenster, Bel Paese, Gouda, a brie, plus a jalapeño cheese and Orange Delight.
Mary and her Christmas tree
Janis doing the reindeer dance
Frank and Bev
Lorna & Michael
Pam & Wayne, and Bev
Bev, Sue, and Bob
Kent
Janis, Karen, and Pam
It was time for the Secret Santa present exchange, and I got a pair of earrings in a series of four boxes. I went around asking if anyone wanted the boxes back, as a way to find out that Mary was my Secret Santa. I was the only one who wrapped up a crazy tie for my significant other. Mary had door prizes to give out: Wayne won the Playboy calendar, and Bev won a gourmet meal at Mary’s. Sue was the last one to figure out that I was her Secret Santa. The original nine bottles of wine were emptied, and another opened before Kent and I left. I drove and Kent was soon fast asleep.

Saturday, December 22, 1984
Our Christmas tree
Christmas cookies made with help from Kyle and Erich


Tuesday, December 25, 1984
Merry Christmas!
Left at 6:30 to go to Mary Jane’s and let ourselves in. Kent made a pot of coffee, and Barney came down. Mary Jane came down, and the kids were slow to follow. Erich carried his stuffed raccoon and two huge Tonka trucks. I was promised a three-minute explosion of unwrapping gifts, but the boys wandered until being directed to the note Santa left by the cookie plate, and the gifts under the tree in the front sunroom. They began opening their gifts and examined each one.
Erich
Erich
Kyle
Kyle
It took about an hour, and then the adults were given gifts, even me, a nice blue and green scarf. Mary Jane went to make breakfast and we started assembling toys.
Kyle and Kent
Erich, Knickers, and Kyle
After breakfast, Harriet came bouncing in and was boisterous for an hour before leaving. Kyle’s friend, Adam, and his mother, Nancy, also stopped in.
We left to go watch the video “A Christmas Story,” which was very good.