Favorites - A Party

       I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community today. It's always a pleasure to read what everyone writes about their lives.

Happy New Year

       I went to a new thing last Saturday night. It was nice to be invited by a friend and former colleague. I met some great new people and reunited with some colleagues I hadn't seen in a while and it was a happy start to this year. This is not the first time this has happened, but now for the whole rest of the year I'll be deciding what I think would make a good, no great, choice for this "Favorites" party: all women, all ready to have the holidays over, to relax, talk, eat together and be happy. 

        We were invited to bring five favorite things. What had happened in past years was that everyone brought the "same" favorite things, but the invitation did not say that, so some of us new to the party brought five different things. Then we put five slips of paper in a large jar, and one by one the names were drawn. Each person got up to explain "why" what they brought was a favorite, and those whose names were drawn got that favorite gift. 

        What would you bring? As I watched I was reminded of other things that were also favorites: candles, chocolate, book certificates, rolling pins, special rocks--quite an eclectic mix.

          What would you bring? And why?

I brought:

1. socks, because I love socks and warm feet!
2. a travel journal, because I write and love traveling
3. a fun bottle filled with lemon drops, because I always had some kind of container on my desk           at school, and think everyone should have some small container of candy to share. 
4. a bar of pure soap, because that's what I love to use, too
5. a Starbucks coffee cup, because I like Starbucks and coffee

I received:

1. a pair of "zoom" glasses because she loves silly gadgets
2. a grouping of different oils and ground powder to mix for a special facial, because it's a favorite mix 
3. a huge double bar of Reece's Peanut Butter Cups, because, well, you know
4. a big plastic straw cup, because she believes that using a straw cup rather than a water bottle helps you hydrate better
5. a homemade pencil case with special fabric because she likes to learn new things, and wanted to figure out how to add this kind of zipper

       You can imagine how fun this was, but it was more than that too. It was instant camaraderie because of the excitement of what lay on the "favorites" table. We ate dinner, visited around the room, and then it was time! There was laughter by getting to know one another through choices made. It was lovely to see a group of women laugh till they cried, joke with each other, and shout praise for a gift. One woman sent a video and another of her friends brought her gifts. She didn't want to miss this party! It was great to be there!
       

What would you bring?

photo credit: bark 40+51 Wool Socks via photopin (license)