Ward Holiday Parties

                  I am told that our last bishop did not enjoy doing Christmas parties.  Forget Halloween.  I have been to some wards that have promoted Halloween and others have not.  I have been to some ward parties which offered a visit from Santa Claus and some have not.  

I understand not doing Halloween or Santa.  I do get it.  But I also understand the pleasure of being together or inviting those not of our faith to a ward activity that may offer enough light that those who don’t attend on Sundays may seek a desire to know more. 

         My mom’s ward has celebrated Christmas in lots of different ways.  I remember one time tables were set with name plates.  A host couple was selected to head each table and decorate how they saw fit. I was considered a young single at the time and invited to sit with the young single adults at what I suspected might have been the largest table. My mom and I did not sit at the same table that year – which was okay.  I saw my mom every day.  I did not always interact with those I was sitting with.

         They have brought in professional entertainment over the years.  And there was one year that we reenacted Bethlehem – which appears to be a popular tradition in that ward.  Families are invited to bring canned goods for the food bank.  This represents the taxes we have to pay to Caesar.  The nativity is presented.  There is caroling to accompany each scene.  It represents the true meaning of Christmas.  It is long. There were over two hundred people at the last one I attended.  My brother-in-law (who had also come with his family) was quite disappointed that there was no Santa Clause.

         I think the former bishop of this ward would not be opposed to having a ward Christmas party like the one offered in my mom’s ward.  I also think he would have enjoyed the one that took place yesterday afternoon.  The program was called A Christmas in Nauvoo.  

There was a theatre reading of those who may have been in Nauvoo at Christmas time – grateful for the time they had together, grateful for their lives, to have Joseph and Hyrum home from Liberty Jail, those who had endured so many sacrifices not necessarily for Christmas but reminiscing the sacrifices that had brought them all there.  It was a nice program but did not hold the interest of any of the primary youth – or even Biff and Clair who were overlooking Ally and her friend, Zac.

         I don’t think there were nearly as many that attended the Christmas dinner as those in attendance for the Halloween.  I recall many having invited so many others not of our faith.  Our former bishop's sweet wife explained his reasons as she was promoting the Halloween party this year.  She saw it from a different point of view as she watched a young sister put herself in charge. She's faced many challenges the last four years or so and our bishop's wife saw it as a project for this young sister if nothing else.  I thought that was such a cool way of looking at it.

       The Halloween party seemed to better attended than the Christmas party   More people were in town then but I know there are many out of town currently.  Our Sunday attendance seemed even more sparse than the attendance yesterday. It's more obvious in primary than the other meetings.  Half of our household remained home today along with their excuses but did manage to make it to the party yesterday.  Also disappointed that there was no Santa for Princess Ally.

         I like parties.  I understand parties.  But I also understand the not.