Everett’s Christmas, December 14, 2014 (full size gallery)
This is not a Christmas party but a Christmas experience. In every room in the Everett household you are surrounded by Christmas. It is challenging just to see everything. And their collection is still expanding!
This year was special since it was Cherry’s birthday. We sang "happy birthday" and had a combined Birthday/Christmas chocolate cake. Also as the festivities began, we were at sunset along the Rappahannock with a wonderful light and the occasional heron flying by.
Woody is the official greeter and their dog Minnie too. The living room has a gigantic tree, a decorated Christmas mantle and a large screen TV with continuous Christmas hits. Then moving into the hall is the real treat – the old Christmas village with churches, hotels, stores, and moveable Christmas rides. It is an assault on the senses! There are three tables. We are told that two of them are a permanent exhibit – they are just covered for the rest of the year!
There is a separate home attached with a inground pool covered over for Christmas. In this room are larger Christmas exhibits, including a manger scene, Santa in a balloon and a wire Christmas tree. (Don’t even try to count the trees in this house!). A long table was set for dinner for 30+.
We began with cheese and crackers and wine and then the family prayer. Dinnner was a covered dish of venison, barbecue, meatballs, ham biscuits, jello salad, apples and several vegetable casseroles.
We especially welcomed Dave and Duchy and Judge Bowen to this event, part of the 30+. As the dinner ended, Helmut began a series of Christmas favorites on the violin helped out by the Everett’s neighbor Ted who called himself a "bathroom baritone." Ted and Helmut enjoyed singing German classics but welcomed Elizabeth to help with a Latin version of "Adestes Fidelis" and then Nancy to help add to the voices.
Dessert besides Cherry’s cake was some pecan treats and other chocolate made by the Everett household.
At the end we processed to their dining room where there was an ornament for each us and of our choice – an angel, Christmas tree or Christmas ball. This room has all the Santas from all over the world as well as the singing penguins. Cherry showed off scarves she makes as well as a stained glass adorned mirror made by on of her relatives.
This was a wonderful conclusion to St. Peter’s "Big Weekend", Dec. 12-14. For me it does more than any other event to really get you in the Christmas spirit. Blessings, Everetts!