Needlepoint Ornament Exchange- The kick off of Christmas Parties

This is my tenth anniversary of hosting the needlepoint ornament exchange. I was a newly initiated stitcher into the group ten years ago. They were an intimidating group of beyond expert stitch artists. I felt welcomed and loved that first year and have ever since.

The make up of the group has ebbed and flowed. We lost one Ann to St. Louis and another to heaven. Some had grandchildren to stitch for and others were over extended. We miss each one of them. But new stitchers were invited in and have filled the places in new and fun ways.

Every year it is so exciting to see what someone else has stitched for each other in secret. The creativity is overwhelming as is the cheeky or sweetness. This year was no exception.

We finally did away with one tradition that had gotten out of hand; the giving of a dozen individual gifts along with your ornament. We replaced the individual gifts with a bigger gift exchange. Since most people were new to this so there was not much stealing, except for the Nantucket Bracelets Lisa made. Christy strategically stole back the gift she brought, angus Barn cheese and crackers in a scout cooler bag, just so someone would steal it from her and she could end up with the bracelets. Which she did.

Kate picked to open a new gift and it turned out to be a puzzle, something she hates more than anything else on earth. In the end Christy, who had played the game better than anyone else, generously traded the much loved bracelets to Kate for hated puzzle. It was an act of such generosity. Kate has learned not to open a new gift, but to steal. Better to get something you kind of like than something you hate.

I got the cutest ornament from Julie this year, “The hostess with the mostest.” And I stitched one for Lisa, “I am fucking merry and bright”. Funny how they both had sayings on them as they were the only ones like that. We picked names for next year so it’s time to do some detective work to see what I can make for my 2025 person.