Christmas Tea, Pod "Q" Party

My honey hopped up at 6:15 AM on Friday to make it to his 8 AM doctor’s appointment (a follow-up for the eye surgery a week ago), and I followed at 6:30 to get things going for my tea.  First up was getting my mulled cider in the crockpot so that it would be warm by NOON.  Then I made some additional lemon cookie cups:  

Normally everyone wants to bring dessert at Christmas time…this time I only had 2 – 3 desserts for over 20 people, so I thought I’d better make some  :~).  It was easy as I had frozen some of the cookie dough...and still had extra filling in the fridge.  

After that I made 3 runs of homemade Bailey’s (always my naughty tea at Christmas time), and set out plates/silverware/napkins and my honey set out the extra chairs.  By then it was time for everyone to arrive……we had tons of great food…

and lots of lovely ladies: 

and I think everyone had a great time.  

I was absolutely pooped once everyone left, so other than stacking the dishwasher, I sat in the living room with my leg up on a stool, reading my book!  

We’ve kind of been adopted by a group of residents from one of the other pods in the complex, so at 5 PM Michael and I got dressed in our Christmas finery and headed out to pod “Q” for their pod party.  Paula kindly let me her headgear from the SHQ party: 

remember this?

so that I looked appropriately festive  :~).  We had appetizers at one house (the decorating was everywhere): 

interesting tree

then the main course at another: 

and we peeled off for home after that as we were both tired and food-ed out!  It was a terrific day, but 6 food related things in one week was WAY TOO MANY!!!