One of the things I look most forward to each and every year is our Girl’s Annual Christmas Sleepover with 4 of my very dearest friends, Loretta, Lucy, Sandie & Tamara. I have known Lucy, Sandie and Tamara for the past 25 years and Loretta (Aunt Retta) for the past 10.

On a monthly basis, we try to get together for dinner to catch up on each other’s lives but lately we have been skipping months because everyone has been going in different directions. So this year’s annual sleepover was extra special because we all hadn’t been together in quite awhile.

In year’s past we have had our sleepovers at Sandie’s house and Tamara’s old house but the last few years we have had it at Tamara’s beautiful home on 3 acres on a lovely lake.

Previously, we would each bring a wrapped gift and then we would draw numbers from 1-5. The person with number 1 got to choose the first gift and open it and then the person with number 2 had the choice of stealing that gift or choosing from the other unwrapped gifts. We had so much fun with this, hooting and hollering, as gifts got taken and the person with number 5 was the lucky one because they could choose from any of the previously unwrapped gifts or choose the one wrapped gift that was left.

But, this year Aunt Retta had the idea of all of us making a gift for each person.  We wouldn’t draw numbers this time.  At first we were all kidding with Aunt Retta saying Hey thanks for making us work so hard this year because we had to make 4 gifts. 🙂  But after all gifts were opened, we all agreed it was a lot of fun and we wanted to do it again next year.

Wait til I share with you what each of us made. I can truly say, we are 5 talented ladies! (Yes I am bragging!) 🙂  Firstly, Aunt Retta made us all a wreath made of candy canes (to hang on the wall) with a picture of all of us in the center of it, as well as a visor with a handpicked emblem to go on it.

Lucy, (who has recently taken up quilting)  made each of us a beautiful tote bag.  We told her she needs to start selling her work (she makes quilts, baby quilts, tote bags and more if you know of anyone wanting a special handmade gift.)

Sandie made us each a glass jar filled with all ingredients  to place in a pan of and make potpourri.  This was wrapped in a Christmas dish towel tied with a Christmas ornament and a packet of hot chocolate.

Tamara made us all homemade liquid soap (smells heavenly) in a pump glass jar decorated with Merry Christmas burlap along with a pair of Christmas socks (we all love these!) and a packet of Starbucks hot chocolate.

And last but not least, I made homemade chocolate bark with Heath Bar crumbles, chocolate bark with Butterfinger crumbles, white chocolate with red and green Christmas peanut m&m’s crushed on top, and white chocolate with crushed candy cane pieces on top – all layered in alternating colors between wax paper in a Christmas cookie container.

Pretty cool stuff, huh?  I love that we all had totally different ideas!

The food was delicious that Tamara made, Sandie brought side dishes, I brought brownies sprinkled with powedered sugar (thank you mom cuz she asked if she could make them for us) and everyone brought snacks and what they wanted to drink.

Words cannot describe the absolute glorious time that we all have together.  We laugh (a lot!), hug, talk, eat, stay up way too late, open gifts take pictures and just enjoy the love each one of us uniquely brings to our get-togethers.

I am honored and blessed to call you my friends.  xxxooo

How bout you?  Do you have that special friend or friends that you are thankful for?