Thanksmass 1960!

It's the most wonderful time of our Casablanca year!

I must confess that I enjoy all of the parties we throw, but Thanksmass is my absolute favorite of them all. (The Spring Break Formal  is a close second.)
This year Thanksmass fell on Saturday December seventh...sorry to take so long to post!

 It was a good old fashioned Thanksmass this year. Originally when we started planning in October, it looked like we would have almost 80 guests in attendance for dinner, and that we'd have to rent a haul to fit everyone! However due to College finals, and local Christmas productions around town, we celebrated with a cozy 26 friends. I know some of you might be thinking "MICK! Why tell us only a fraction of the guests came?! That sounds like a failure!?"  but it isn't really, as George Bailey reminds us- "No man is a failure who has friends." I was glad for all of us to fit in the actual Casablanca, and be able to gather around one table to share the meal. That's what's important to me!

(Myself with the famous "Coca-Cola ham".)

Friends started showing up around 4:30P.M. day of the party, some had arrived the day before Missouri Michael from, well... Missouri. Savannah and Jarrod drove down from Oklahoma, and Friend Melissa our fabulous in-house photographer, drove all the way in from Albuquerque NM!
Once most of the guest had arrived they were forced gathered in the lounge for the annual tree decorating.

(Jere, Michael, Lyz, & Rachel)

(Emily)

(Katherine, Patricia Miss Casablanca 1960, & Rachel)

(Jere & Patricia add the finishing touch.)

(A job well done!)

By 6:00P.M. all of the guests had arrived and the kitchen was humming with activity. Everyone had brought so much wonderful food it truly was a Thanksmass Feast! Finally we gathered around the table for the yearly group photograph and then after prayer sat down to an excellent Thanksmass Dinner!

After the meal, we hauled the tables outdoors and readied the living room for the entertainment portion of the evening!

 (Melissa & Hannah with "The Thanksmass Song"!")

Each year Melissa pens the new verses to the song, and it has become one of my favorite traditions of the holiday! You ladies were wonderful!
In keeping with traditon, before the big White Elephant gift swap began, we took a moment to remeber the real reason for the season.

(Jere reads the story of the birth of Christ.)

After that, little friend Harper let the games begin!

(Remember "All is fair in love and war" in this game!)

("I WANT THAT COOKIE JAR!")

Round and Round we went, swapping, stealing, and laughing all the way! When the last present had been opened, it was time for another Thanksmass favorite, Miss Casablanca singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".

(Patricia, Miss Casablanca 1960!)

Lovely as always, Miss Casablanca upholding her yuletide duties!

This Thaksmass, we were not able to have a pianist attend the party, and we learned very quickly that the piano is what makes all of us sound so good while caroling... Haha! But that did not stop us from singing!

I will spare you the video's, haha we weren't quite the harmonious choir we usually are, but it was a lot of fun none the less! As the evening wore on some guests departed from our merry gathering, some changed into more comfortable clothes, and a few settled in to talk the hours away and wait for the ball drop and the New Year.

(7...6...5...4...)

(3...2...1... HAPPY 1961!!!!)

As is always the case, it took forever for it to get here, zoomed by, and was over to soon. Luckily we have the memories, friendships, and fabulous photos to remember it by! It was a VERY Merry Thanksmass!

I owe a huge thank you to everyone who came, near and far. Thank you all for bringing food or drinks, and  wanting to share this wonderful holiday with us! 

There are so many people involved with the Casablanca, I really cannot say it enough, it takes each and every member to make wonderful things like this happen. Thank you all so much, each and every one of you!

-Mick-