A Cracker of a Christmas Party

A Cracker of a WI Christmas Party!

Christmas is a state of mind and that special feeling that only comes with an empty bank account!

One lovely thing about Christmas is that it's compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together.

The principal advantage of the non-parental lifestyle, which most of us live now, is that on Christmas Eve you need not be struck dumb by the three most terrifying words that the government allows to be printed on any product: 'Some assembly required.'

Yes it's all about having your entire dysfunctional family together under one roof, and as this year I plan to put off my Christmas shopping extra early, the inviting thought of the WI Christmas Party looming meant we could all pop the cork on the festive fun and celebrations for our members, and host a Christmas party to remember.

Now WI Christmas Party's don't just 'happen.' They take months of meeting and planning to ensure that we have chosen the right mulled wine, tasting compulsory although I don't drink anymore as I can get the same feeling from standing up quickly, our cakes and sandwiches will be up to the exceptionally high standards of baking beloved by WI's, and to decide which party games are going to provide the most humorous poses for photo posting on Audlem Online!

Quite an onerous task you would agree?

Even though the light at the end of the tunnel had been turned off due to budget cuts, I think Lin Nicholas, our beloved President, and her committee did a fabulous job deciding on some unique and unexpected experiences for our members.

Working on the principal that you can't drink all day unless you start early, we decided a 2.00 pm start would give our members ample time to line their stomachs, select their outfits, pop into the Co-op for their £3 present – more of that later – and take a selfie ready to post on Facebook – why waste all that work if no one is going to see it?

Personally I dress how I feel. I just go off my emotions. I can't prepare my outfit a day before as everything I wear is spontaneous – and it usually shows! However I can be the life of the party – even if it lasts until 8 pm!

Right, let's cut to the chase. Our dedicated WI Committee all turned up, complete with obligatory Christmas jumpers, bauble earrings and wobbly antlers, at 1.00 pm to create a party atmosphere and arranged chairs in a large circle for the compulsory 'Pass the £3 Parcel.' The unbroken circle also ensured that none of our members could escape without express permission! We'd put a lot of hard work into this party and all members would be there until the bitter end!.

Tables were set out with a variety of flower arrangements, Secret Santa Prize stickers were placed under four of the chairs by Pat Smith, WI florist and raffle supremo, plates of sandwiches and cakes were arranged in the kitchen, mulled wine was heating up in buckets of boiling water and half pint glasses were arranged – would they be large enough?

As usual, our ladies drifted in half an hour early to ensure bagging the best seats and to check the mulled wine was up to scratch. Unfortunately a few ladies had to have a second glass as they still hadn't made their minds up if it was up to WI standard!

By 2.00pm, we had a roomful of excited party goers – ages ranged from 18 (Christine Jenkins' granddaughter) to 97 years old – Happy Birthday Joan Vernon, we are proud to say you are our oldest and longest WI member and you encompass the ethos of the WI – you are an inspiration to us all and if you take life too seriously you'll never get out of it alive!

Fortunately our members were all sitting down as they drank their mulled wine, all sticks, walkers and uni cycles had been vanquished to the side of the room to allow for maximum movement when necessary. Miraculously, all of our members had remembered to bring their wrapped £3 presents and our version of 'pass the parcel' began! This entailed Kath Disley – renowned for her 'teachers voice' – reading a story and moving your parcel left or right whenever those words occurred.

Now, I'm not saying that our members don't know their left from their right, but the eagle eyed soon spotted that the better a present was wrapped, the slower it seemed to move, and if it was in a proper Christmas bag, it was held tightly and had to be wrestled away! You see, we're all just kids at heart.

Fortunately, everyone ended up with a present – not their own – so all was well.

The next challenge, sorry, game, was explained quite clearly to our members – tie your piece of string to the next person's until all pieces have been completed and the final length will be measured to decide the winner.

However when the four inch length of string was handed out to each of them, they all looked slightly bemused! Now things became personal as they were divided up into two teams and working on the principal that teamwork means you never have to take all the blame yourself, the competitive instinct set in and the speed of knot tying had to be seen to be believed!

Worse was to come, each team then had to pass a polo mint over each knot and first past the post wins! Thankfully the reward of a chocolate to the winning side appeared to calm any heated dispositions and fortunately no-one noticed that the chocolates were also passed around the losing team. We are nothing but fair in the WI, it's hard work being part of a vibrant village!

This was the moment that I had been waiting for as a photo opportunity! Our members were asked to check under their chairs to see if they had a winning sticker. Never let it be said that we ladies aren't as fit as we should be as with lightening speed, chair bottoms were examined and the four lucky winners raised their arms in glee!!

Their reward was a unique candle with the WI Emblem embossed upon them – courtesy of our lovely local printer Joe from Audlem Printers. Now I'm not saying that the other ladies were green with envy, but I shall be keeping an eye out on eBay to check the for sale pages.

Flushed with all this exercise, our members moved over to the tea tables, where yet another challenge awaited them, the Christmas Quiz and Dingbats!

Personally, I wont be impressed by technology until I can download food, and I gain maximum enjoyment from romantic walks to the fridge. We ladies work on the principal that technically, if you don't cut the cake and just eat the whole thing with a fork, you've still only had one piece!

However sandwiches and cakes did finally appear, alongside a welcome cup of tea, to ensure brains were up to scratch and fully functional.We were all born intelligent, it was just education that ruined us, but as that was a long time ago, we've fully recovered now!

No Christmas party would be complete without carol singing, and June Perry once again accompanied us, mostly in tune, in a rousing rendition of various carols.

After birthday flowers were given out, the committee surprised their members by handing out a booklet of write ups, poems and photos to celebrate our Centenary Year. There were shocked gasps of delight (well I hope that's what they were) as the booklets were passed around – no one could escape being handed a copy!

This was my finest moment, as midnight oil was burnt in order to produce the booklet on time, and once again I bow my head in appreciation for the sterling job that Joe from Audlem Printers did in interpreting my requirements.

As our ladies finally wound their merry ways home, mostly in a straight line, I can honestly say it was the best Christmas party I've attended this year.

I would like to wish all members of Audlem WI a very Merry and Happy Christmas and I'll leave you with these wise Christmas words.

Keep your friends close, your enemies closer, and receipts for all major purchases.

This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.