Did You Know.....

 Each year our youth committee holds a meeting to plan out the events for the next 12 months. I decided to make it special by reviving a tradition I tried to start when hubby and I first got married. Many people don't realize that the official end of the Christmas season is called Twelfth Night and doesn't happen until the 12th night after Christmas. 

-You don't have to twist my arm to get me to extend the holidays-

 Twelfth Night was designated as the night that the wise men visited the baby Jesus, because they actually came a little while after he was born. Some sources say it commemorates the time that Jesus was presented at the temple and was identified as the Messiah.

Either way seems like a great reason to celebrate. Truth be known, I don't really need a reason.

Any excuse will do when it comes to breaking out the candles and food.

Besides the sushi, cucumber boat, beef wrapped asparagus, veggies, and cheeses, we also had appetizers in the kitchen, and a desert stand laden with red velvet cupcakes, pastries, and chocolate dipped strawberries.

Some of the savory foods were presented in a tiered buffet with leopard print and red/orange tulips to match the colors in my dishes. Sorry the colors aren't so vivid in the pics. I haven't found a way to capture the candle light and the colors in the same shot.  

 Let me take a moment to back track. The above is a pic of  Eloise's hair-do for our New Year's Eve service at church.

 Eloise and Miss D

 A few of the newest members of our youth department. 

This picture doesn't have anything to do with anything, but I had to show y'all how photogenic my handsome boy is .....even when he's being naughty.