CHRISTMAS CRAFT CHAOS
Each year for the last seven years there has been one of my favorite holiday parties in my calendar. I've flown and driven hundreds of miles to be there for it and it's one of my favorite memories to make each year. This year marked a milestone as the third generation of crafters joined for my mom Ana's Mother, daughter, sister, aunt, girlfriend Christmas Craft Party! It's a mouthful, I know. And each year the turn out gets bigger and bigger, this year we had over 35!
It's always been the little party that could. Defying the odds when in the 11th hour the cleaning and craft preparation is being finished (Shout out to Terri, Germaine, Karen, Aunt Susan, Kim, you know who you are you little elves)! But some how the party ALWAYS happens and some years it's nothing short of a Christmas miracle! One year it fought against a power outage from a storm in Northern California and in my mom's true fashion, a generator was plugged in since the party must go on!
Each year brings new faces and new craft stations. Each station is a different holiday project from calendars to body scrubs, ornament making to cupcakes to go. But each year two stations remain, the gift tag station and my station..... the mimosa station! And one rule stays, no boys allowed! Guests bring their favorite treat to share and of course there's a good old gift exchange. We've done exchanges for holiday aprons and holiday towels. And let me tell you, some years the battle gets pretty intense.
I share this with you because a little idea my mom had years ago has now turned into one of the best times around the holidays. And I encourage you to throw one yourself! Yes, it's a huge undertaking, but there is something about getting together with your best gals and crafting away to bring some holiday cheer. Check out some of the fun we had this year and consider throwing one of these next year. It's never too late to build your own tradition with the best girls in your life!
Happy Holidays!
Contributed by estCA staff, Megan Araujo