Ladies Christmas Banquet Ideas.....

[dizzyde]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

This is really fun! Great way to get everyone involved and saves money too!

I agree, we have done this also, and it was a big hit. If you are concerned about the look of the room, you could give a color scheme that you want them to abide by. We have several ladies lunches a year that our BWOW (Becoming Women of Worth, high school and college aged girls) group sponsors, and we have done all kinds of different themes.

One thing that is constant is that our Pastors wife speaks at each one, and this is a very special time between her and the women of the church. She usually has something that she gives out to each lady present that ties in with whatever her thought is.

One year the theme of the lunch was Alice in Wonderland, and her thought focused on Alice being led astray by the rabbit, and the dangers of allowing ourselves to chase after meaningless things in our life. She gave us each a small stuffed white rabbit to keep as a reminder. There are all kinds ideas you can use like that to make things memorable.

[Esther]

Originally Posted by Margies3

We have a Christmas Tea every year and decorate this way. You have to sign up months ahead in order to get a table. But then it is your job to decorate that table and to fill it with as many visitors as you can. Then we sign up to bring tea sandwiches and special cookies. And everyone brings their prettiest teapots. And we all look for special teas that we can donate all year long. I have a website where you can get the BEST teas. Let me see if I can find it for you.

You should see the elaborate decorations people come up with!! We've had snowmen, candycanes, nativities, gold, silver, blue and silver, poinsettias, Christmas balls, Hershey kisses and all kinds of other things for table themes. It's so much fun because every table is different. We don't give prizes for best decorated. It would be way too hard to choose!

At the same time that we have our tea, in a separate room, we run a Christmas Craft Sale. The money we raise from that goes to missions.

And of course we get a special speaker and special music.

One year we had a person come in and played Christmas dinner music on the piano the whole time we were eating. She was sooooooooo good!!!

What a nice touch!

[LadyCoonskinner]

Hey girls...(and Guys, except SH) these ideas are great. I'll have to type them up and let them choose what they would like to do.

Keep 'em coming so they have plenty of stuff to choose from.

I gave them a choice last year and they chose to go on a Ladies Day Shopping Spree in Wichita. It came the Wed night before and only 2 besides me were going.

So, I planned on going anyway, wasn't too happy, but oh well, that's the way the cookie crumbles. Anyway, woke up that morning to ICE everywhere. I couldn't even get off my front porch, it was so slick. The two girls that wanted to go called me and were MAD that I COULDN'T get into town.

So this year, we'll try again. (hopefully turns out better.)

[jaxfam6]

If you have never done a tea before it is really fun. Gets people trying tea that may never have tried it before.
Some of the sandwiches and desserts are different and people will try them and find out they like something different. Also if you do a tea be sure to do the clotted cream and lemon curd and/or jam with scones, big big hit. Also is nice to offer iced teas as well as hot teas, I know I drink iced tea all year and many others do also.
also at Christmas time it is good to add spiced nuts to the menu for a tea

If you need ideas for foods give a shout, got lots of food ideas, recipes, etc...

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by LadyCoonskinner

For our annual Christmas Banquet/Party this year, I want to come up with something different/unique and fun. So I had this idea of a "Cookie Swap" and then everybody had to bring a homemade gift.

I'd like some different ideas and opinions and input.

(Now last time I started a thread like this, it went down hill fast, so please be nice to me.)

Pinata in the image of Obama.

[commonsense]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Pinata in the image of Obama.

LOL
Great, but that sounds like more of a Halloween party...



Now for Christmas, the tea sounds great. If lots of the ladies work, keep it simple. One of the easiest is a salad bar...fruit,veggie,maindish but it must be a salad; add the holiday breads and/or cookies.


I like the idea bringing teapots; one of my many collections.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by TCSQ

You know that sounds great! Have you ever had the Calamari walk away cocktails they serve on the Wharf there in S.F.?

I just had marinated Calamari steaks this Sunday. Please explain to me the Calamari cocktails? What kind of sauce?

Originally Posted by TCSQ

Smoked clams are great but deep fried EVEN BETTER! Deep fried oysters by the way are out of this world too, but you probably knew that.

I'm not to crazy about deep fried clams, unless you place them in the deep fryer fast until they turn light gold. Then take them out. You cannot leave them in until they turn brown, if you do they are ruined.

I like calms on the half shell raw, also raw oysters with Dave's Insanity sauce, and lemon.

Originally Posted by TCSQ

Tried the smoked eel at Schipol ...didn't do a whole lot for me. But I would try it again! Anything (Almost) once. I had promised myself I would never eat brains , but in a country I once lived in they served up this big selection of appetizers to eat with Pita bread, and what I THOUGHT was some kind of scrambled egg dish turned out to be sheep brains, spit it out washed my mouth out with vodka (okay the last part isnt true) but YUCK never again!

Almost makes me recoil from scrambled eggs as well!

Smoked eel has to be done by someone who knows how to prepair them. I am no expert in smoking fish, but I have tried eel that wasn't great after it was smoked. Good smoked eel tastes very good, melts in your mouth. It is also great on top of raw calms.

Have you ever tried Alligator Sauce Picante? My wife makes the best!

[HappyTown]

Originally Posted by LadyCoonskinner

Hey girls...(and Guys, except SH) these ideas are great. I'll have to type them up and let them choose what they would like to do.

Keep 'em coming so they have plenty of stuff to choose from.

I gave them a choice last year and they chose to go on a Ladies Day Shopping Spree in Wichita. It came the Wed night before and only 2 besides me were going.

So, I planned on going anyway, wasn't too happy, but oh well, that's the way the cookie crumbles. Anyway, woke up that morning to ICE everywhere. I couldn't even get off my front porch, it was so slick. The two girls that wanted to go called me and were MAD that I COULDN'T get into town.

So this year, we'll try again. (hopefully turns out better.)

Us ladies got together and did beauty makeovers on each other, share hair ideals and beauty secrets . It was fun learned some new stuff..

[Rhoni]

Looks like we've all been to a Ladies meeting or two. LOL. Great way to share ideas. My head always goes to every minute detail from yong girls passing out the programs as you enter, to the MC & guest speaker [and don't forget the supper prayer by the oldest sister there] and one or two skits while you eat. Don't forget the Christmas music playing in the background with someone taking snapshots to display at the next ladies meeting. You also need a special table for the Secret Sister revealing with the Christmas party...makes it so much fun... Leaving with a prayer of hope and cheer for a blessed New Year for all the families in the church. [Clean up crews are nice]

Blessings, Rhoni

[TCSQ]

[QUOTE=Evang.Benincasa;585853]I just had marinated Calamari steaks this Sunday. Please explain to me the Calamari cocktails? What kind of sauce?


You know they were like marinated in some kind of a white vinegar type marinade. Which reminds me , Where I live we also have a lot of Turkish markets. And it seems the staple of their deli's includes the Dolma (Grape leaves stuffed with rice and ground lamb) hummous, baba ghanouj and then Calamari, again, cooked (steamed?) and stuffed with a giant (again cooked maybe steamed or boiled) prawn, They then marinate them in a vinegar, red pepper spiced marinade. FANTASTIC MAN!!! UTTERLY AND ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! (You eat them cold! They are so good)


I'm not to crazy about deep fried clams, unless you place them in the deep fryer fast until they turn light gold. Then take them out. You cannot leave them in until they turn brown, if you do they are ruined.


Do you remember the Howard Johnsons restaraunts that used to be all over the place?? Now THEY knew how to do clams! Grew up on them, it used to be such a big deal. Now few people even know what you are talking about when you mention HoJo! (They also had a sundae that was perfect, Peppermint Ice Cream (with the broken up red and white peppermint candies in it) covered with Hot Fudge! Oh and the Ice Cream Cake rolls! And the HJo Cola that had a touch of Cinnamon in it! Oh well, I understand there are a few left . Find the link in a moment! HEY did you hear Coney Island closed down for good this year???? Reminds me of the empty place that Riverview left in Chicago! never to be filled again!



I like calms on the half shell raw, also raw oysters with Dave's Insanity sauce, and lemon.


Lemons! Lots and LOTS of Lemons!


Smoked eel has to be done by someone who knows how to prepair them. I am no expert in smoking fish, but I have tried eel that wasn't great after it was smoked. Good smoked eel tastes very good, melts in your mouth. It is also great on top of raw calms.



You know that was one of the few things I have tried that really, hate to admit it, just didnt do anything for me. Kind of reminded me of soggy cardboard. But you are probably right, the chef is the key. Strangely enough (And I dont know if you knew it or not , you probably did) but Eel IS kind of traditional in a lot of European countries for Christmas and New Years. (Give me Roast Beef, Turkey or Ham anyday!)

OH YEAH And also Roast Goose! You could always roast a goose! They are different than Turkey not having the white meat, more along the line of Duck.
But oh sooooooooooo good!


Have you ever tried Alligator Sauce Picante? My wife makes the best!

[B] Have you ever tried ALLIGATOR? There in the Lake Charles area (Louisiana) you can get it deep fried just about everywhere! Its really pretty good. Tastes like.............................................. .........................................
Chicken.)[/