First Annual Ugly Sweater Party

As my brothers, sisters and I all got married and had children we all gathered at my parents house for Christmas Eve just as while growing up our Aunts, Uncles and cousins all met at my Grandma Penney's house (aka Nanny). So Christmas Eve to me and also our kids has always been known as 'Penney Christmas'. Try as we have over the last 37 years we have been unable to get a consistent 'Dennison Family Christmas' going. This year Tom wanted to try again to start a new tradition so he came up with the idea of an ugly sweater contest. He bought a Christmas trivia game and we pulled out the Yatzee and Uno (Penney's never did well with games as much as my mother tried LOL). He and I sat down together picked categories and ordered medals so that everyone would win. We even had a banner made. We picked a list of snacks (none of which are traditionally served at the Penney Christmas) and the annual Ugly Sweater Party was born.

There are those ugly sweaters in all their glory 1985
I made my sisters kids Halloween costumes
and we got these in exchange
 

Making Grinch Kabobs

I also made a broccoli Christmas Tree
with cauliflower snow
I don't think I will be doing that again
The toothpicks were dangerous

Jack insisted on making holes in his sweater and putting stains on it.
To him that's what makes it ugly.
I think he gets it now

Jennifer packed away her sewing machines for the evening

so that we could serve the food

Lily didn't quite get it, she refused to wear an ugly sweater.
She gets it now

Ella beat them all in Yatzee

and we ALL learned some great Christmas trivia

like Santas in Russia wear blue

They were all over our house 4 days later and finished up all that popcorn LOL

Everyone got a million dollars too

Never too big for a hug

double sweaters
funny thing I gave her those holiday sweaters
from my 'teacher' days

Ella sang us the songs that she sang at her Christmas concert last week

Dennison family Christmas 1988
 

                                                             Ugly Sweater Party 2014



Penney Family Christmas 1987

Traditions are good

 

Come back and see the wrap up of our year.

It's been a busy one!