I hosted a Christmas tea and cookie exchange on December 16, 2001. We numbered seven, as my mother became ill and could not attend.

Upon arrival and after displaying the cookies, each guest was given the option of choosing a hat from my extensive collection. Everyone opted to wear one!

I first asked each guest to introduce herself with a mini-biography. As the tea progressed, each of us related a favorite Christmas memory - with much laughter and joy! We also played an angel game and prizes were awarded. I gave each guest a wrapped angel ornament favor, which they unwrapped and appreciated. English crackers were snapped, and everyone collected a half-dozen of everyone else's cookies.

I used a white lace tablecloth on the table, with white linen napkins that I tied with gold cord into a bow. At a second-hand store I found a dessert plate and mug set in white with gold designs. A festive gold English cracker was set at each place. I also used Christmas plates and glass plates.

The angel centerpiece was placed on an overturned glass bowl and that bowl was set inside of another bowl placed in the center of the table. I filled this bowl with water and added fresh pine cuttings and holly. Everything looked very festive!

As a theme for the tea party/cookie exchange I chose "Angels Among Us" and used angels in the decorating, the prizes, the games, and the favors. I selected the angel theme to emphasize to my friends the importance of our guardian angels and how we can be angels to each other.

Angel decorations: framed angel picture, an angel on the cookie exchange table and an angel centerpiece on the tea party table.

During the tea we played a word game using the letters from the phrase, "Angels Among Us Tea Party". The prizes were a framed angel print, an angel pin, and a 2002 angel picture calendar all wrapped in angel-themed paper or bag.

At the end of the tea I gave each guest an angel Christmas tree ornament in an angel gift bag. It was great fun finding each unique angel ornament.