Night in Bethlehem-Monticello 1st Ward Christmas party 2015

Hannah and Kami heading to Bethelehem

This year we as a Relief Society Presidency decided to buck tradition a bit. That's pretty brave because things in Monticello are not changed often. "We've always done it that way."
We discussed how we could make our ward Christmas party more Christ-centered and less "Eat and Run". The tradition has been to put up all the banquet tables in the Stake Center and then starting on the 1st Tuesday in Dec and for the next 3 days all the wards in town have their Ward Christmas party. It's efficient. I'll give it that. But it was also not very exciting or looked forward to. I don't like to bad mouth the way the church does things, but since we got rid of the Activities Chair calling, it seems like our ward social get-togethers have been lackluster. It's all about food, eating and that's it. Not much attempt at a program or meaning behind what we're doing. And I get it. The ward council is in charge of those things. They are all the Quorum and auxiliary leaders and have enough on their plates as is. They don't need to take on planning and pulling off a fancy party.
So we took it over. With permission. We formed a committee involving lots of other sisters in the ward, each over a certain portion of the planning/prep. We decided we'd like to do a Bethlehem themed dinner party. And it all came together wonderfully. We ended up rearranging the tables and putting up tents and the Primary did a program of the Nativity + music for us.
The food was fabulous. Not quite the roast beef the bishop likes, but it was good and there was oodles. The decorating was awesome. It looked really good in the cultural hall.
The nativity was so cute. Charles did awesome as Joseph, until he let Mary fall off her donkey! I hope everyone enjoyed it and will want to do it again some time in the future. Sometimes traditions need to be changed.

directional sign decor

the line at the food market tents...

Poor Kami was too tired to enjoy our Israeli supper. She's such a sweet little girl!

we had meatballs, deviled eggs, pita, hummus, bagels, fruit, veggies and apple cake!

guess we were part of the 'senior crowd' as we opted to sit at a table rather than on the floor

The Primary depicted the Nativity for us all

Charles (in blue) was Joseph, and Soren (in brown with a turban) was a wise man.