Pretty Much the Best Book Club Luncheon EVER!!

I know that I have mentioned my book club before.  We have been together for 13 years and have shared views on more than a hundred books.  We have two big events in addition to our regular meetings each year.  In the summer we attend the Shakespearean festival in Southern Utah for a few days, and in December we have a luncheon at my house.  It is always one of the highlights of the season for me.

So of course I have to complete my Christmas decorating in time for the luncheon.  This year that meant putting together a new 'brighter' dining room tree.  Because my 'must have' bubble lights have so much red in them, and my funky fifties cellophane garland is also red, I did not use the hot pink ornaments I had bought, but used the lime green and aqua ornaments with the red element, adding some vintage shiny bright type ornaments in the three colors.  I love how happy it turned out.  I even recreated a gold crown from my 'Frenchy' living room by spraying and glittering it red to 'crown' the tree.

At the last minute I wrapped some vintage tinsel garland around a favorite framed  'saying' and added an antique nativity angel from my collection.  I love it and may leave it that way all year.  It sort of suggests, given the saying and the angel, that tolerance comes about through heavenly influence, don't you think?

And its almost time for my friends to arrive.  The table is set with my Christmas china, and red goblets.  Carolyn, one of our founders, brought Amish friendship bread with red polka dot bows to add to each place setting. The book we read was a sort of Amish Christmas

 romance, so we chose Amish foods for our menu.  We had frozen fruit slush as an appetizer, then breaded chicken breast with a sour cream sauce, a sweet cooked cabbage side that was delicious, a fruit salad, hot German potato salad, rolls and a wonderful dutch oven crisp for dessert.

 Ann, the other of our founders, who is extremely busy and who had been called into an emergency meeting that morning, arrived in time for the book exchange. As you see she is still wrapping up some loose ends. (far left). 

Our rules for the book exchange include bringing a favorite book we have read and loved during the last year.  Then we take turns opening them, one at a time.  As each book is opened the person who brought it does a  short book review.  The next person can then open another wrapped book, or take any book previously opened, which causes the person whose book was taken to either take someone else's book or open a new one, and so on.  We have a blast doing this, and in process often add half a dozen books to our list for the next year.

It doesn't really matter which book you end up with, because we are all good about sharing our books back and forth. I have already finished reading one book that I borrowed at the exchange which was just two days ago.

I love the ladies in this book club.  They are all so generous and kind.  We never over intellectualize about the books we read, we just share opinions. The suggestions that come from the gentle readers in this club often lead me into new and delightful genres.  Thank you Ladies, for all you add to my life and for an extra lovely holiday luncheon again this year!