OUR MUCH ANTICIPATED, EVER JOYOUS AND FLAMBOYANT (this year it is) CHRISTMAS PARTY

My cousin/co-organizer/co-presentor. We did threw a rockin' party!

It's never too late to post this entry (though apparently, it's already Valentine's and this thing happened on Christmas Day). Yah, it's late. But who cares... I want this in my page.

Year 2007 was quite a thrifty year for our clan. No summer outing (the first time in five years, I guess), no spending February in Baguio for the yearly flower festival, to name a few. But we're still blessed that two of our family member (an aunt & an uncle) were given their working visa and went to work in the "maple leaf country". Hey wait.... call it quits coz on the other hand, another two from our family got their working visa refused (a cousin and he who must not be mentioned), at the last quarter of 2007. Maybe their too young for their age, unripe & still not ready to be picked from the orchard. Maybe they'll be ripe this year....haha.

December 2007, the month of excitement, rushes and expenses. As the organizers of our annual Christmas Party, my cousin Richelle and yours truly were busy by the second week, planning the games, prizes, gigs, theme, food and drinks. We decided to have a cocktail-themed party this time, to get rid of the usual red get-ups. Invitations were distributed by the third week, so they will have enough time to find themselves cocktail-appropriate clothes. But we reiterated in the invitation that as much as possible, wear anything that's modest from their closet to avoid spending as most of my aunt's & uncle's families are in tight budget. Good for those who have money to spend on cocktail dresses, and good for me for I have money left from my past and forgotten job.

The week before Christmas was a totally busy week. Wrapped gifts & prizes, compared & purchased ingredients for my hors d'oeuvres and chocolate fondue, bought martini glasses, goblets & some chinawares and did the cutouts for the mini red carpet.

Christmas Day. I slept at 1 am the night before, I woke up at 10 am and started to prepare the foods for the cocktail. It was 2 in the afternoon and we started the program with stints of poses at our improvised red carpet, complete with a bunch of fabulous names as backdrop. All families lined up and had their pictures taken. They had no idea they would pose and take pictures the way celebrities do it, that they posed more and more and some more.

We had games for the kids and for the kids at heart (including the staple egg-throwing). But I never expected that the message relay would be a total laugh trip for the adults. They liked the prizes which were wrapped in glittering gold and silver. After the program, we exchanged gifts and ended the program with a Thanksgiving prayer by Lola Nene. The prayer was immediately followed by cocktails and refreshments. From being the co-host of the event, I transformed into a chef and did some finishing touches. Finishing touches that took me about an hour to finish. My aunts volunteered to become my sous chefs sparing the craving stomachs of my guests from hunger.

For the hors d'oeuvres, I made smoked white fish on cucumber rounds, olive tomato squares (brushed with basil pesto), and my current favorite chicken satay triangles. They liked it as much as I did saying they loved the texture. For the chocolate fondue, I used Trufettes du Francais (french truffles from Vancouver), white cream and vanilla syrup. Pretzel sticks, butter cookies, marshmallows, semi-ripe plantains & apples served as the dippings. As compared with other fondue, I took it a notch higher and made it more luxurious. I bought walnuts and smoked macadamia nuts for coating (after they have dipped whatever on the fondue). So for that night, my family members were treated with a luscious and decadent dessert that is French truffle chocolate fondue, coated with precious nuts and paired with cocktail drinks (cathedral punch & sparkling lemonade), a California red wine and a 2006 Shiraz Cabernet. Who said you could only have these gastronomic delights in a deluxe hotel? Well, we managed to bring these treats at home and made it a really special night for all of us!

Posing & taking pictures resumed right after that.

All couples. My aunts & uncles during the tip off (egg-throwing).

The Mummy Returns (one of the games).

Let's eat! Can't wait to make the satay triangles again.

The Adorables. Emil, Addi & Justin.

All star casts. My proud cousins.

With my brothers and our beloved grandma.