Monday 5 January 2015

Invitation

I'm having a little party on this blog. It's a kind of bring and buy, but without the money. All you have to do is bring a drink and a snack of your choice, and one unwanted Christmas gift from this last Christmas. Obviously tact is required, since the gift can't really come from someone who might read this blog (unlikely, but sod's law is always on the lookout). If you fancy anything anyone else has brought, then feel free to take it home with you. You may also share their snacks.

So, to start the party off, I'm going to bring a barrel of Old Timer bitter (Wadsworths brewery only bring it out at Christmas, and it's wonderful), pork scratchings, and for the gift, a beige candle in a tin. The candle smells strongly of dirty feet, so it might appeal to fetishists? Also, some liquorice-flavoured Thorntons Special Toffee.

Come on. Don't be shy.

25 comments:

  1. Ooh, thank you for the invite, Frances. What a lovely idea. I'm bringing a box of mince pies (they need eating! Sell by date fast approaching.. er, well it was last week actually but I'm sure they'll be OK). My drink of choice is Bottle Green sparkling apple drink (I'm driving - boring, I know). My unwanted present is...a book of funny dog cartoons. Mildly amusing the first time you flick through it but then what? I can't even 're-gift' it because the kind 'giver' put a dedication on the inside cover. Anyway, we can put a line through it if anyone fancies it. I was tempted by your feet-smelling candle but I'm sure they'll be someone who wants it more than me...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. should say 'there'll be someone who wants it more than me...' (it's late!)

      Delete
    2. Oh, those "funny" books which are wheeled out for Christmas, and which everyone dreads....we had one, bit it's already gone to Oxfam.

      Delete
  2. How kind. Can I bring a couple of miniature bottles of Prince Charles Edward's Liqueur Drambuie that have been lurking at the back of a cupboard. Can't see a sell by date, but the screw caps are still sealed, I think. We can have fun making pop corn, if you have a large saucepan handy. My unwanted gift is a crochet toilet roll cover. It's peach with a ribbon threaded round the base. At a push it could be used as a tea cosy. As I don't fancy your gift, I'll wait to see what else is on offer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, a crochet loo roll cover! How wonderful. But not for me. I think a spade (or loo roll) should look like a spade.

      Delete
  3. Yesterday I visited my favourite nearby vineyard, so I'll bring a few litres of their recent (2014) brew. Just for comparison I'll also bring some local Duck Scratchings; delicious at 200 calories a bite. As for my unwanted present, I didn't really have one; even the oversize boxers will come in useful somewhere.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cro, I'd no idea there were such things as duck scratching s! Bring them along as a talking point. They're sure to break the ice.

      Delete
  4. Most of my gifts are beautiful and/or useful, but there is one scarf with a black-and-cream animal print pattern which I don't like and will never wear, so I'll put that in.
    For drinks, I'll bring a bottle of vodka to be mixed with ginger ale, and for snacks, my home-made tiramisu.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All sounds great, Meike, but I'll let someone else have the scarf.

      Delete
  5. What a lovely idea. I'll bring a bottle of Pinot Grigio rose which is my favourite at the moment and I'll make a good old strawberry and butterscotch trifle.
    I didn't get any unwanted gifts - even the opened packet of three bookmarks with one missing will come in handy xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That trifle sounds wonderful, Teresa. How kind of you to go to all that trouble.

      Delete
  6. Hello! Haven't been around for a while but am reacquainting! All my gifts are treasured (aren't I lucky?) so I will bring along the cheeseboard that I bought for someone else but due to circumstances beyond our control, we didn't get to see each other. It is sealed and comes with three variety of cheeses, a pate and a dressing in a small jar. It's American so the cheeses are spiced with peppers. And it comes with a cheese knife. A bottle of Chilean Walnut Crest will go well with that. Oh and the snack if the cheeses are not opened? My daughter's boyfriend's Red Velvet mini cupcakes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bee, I think well eat the cupcakes and offer the cheese as a gift. It sounds too good to open.

      Delete
  7. I'll bring that flowery long sausage thing you put plastic bags in... ok? As for the food - it's long ago been eaten but I'm happy to share Cro Magnon's duck scratchings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I really want the sausage thing as ours is worn out! I hope nobody else gets to it first.

      Delete
  8. Frances you always manage to chose a post that provokes comment and interest. That's why you are one of my favourite bloggers. Of course you shouldn't really be blogging. You should be getting on with that eagerly-awaited next novel.

    I'll bring the rest of the Christmas Cake I made. Visitors have made inroads but at Christmas there are just too many things to eat and I've at least half left. I rarely eat cake. It's not suitable for teetotallers by the way. I'll bring some 1994 Fonseca (one of my very much appreciated gifts) to drink. Most of my gifts involved red liquid or were enjoyable or useful. I shall, however, bring a book of paper aeroplanes: not because I didn't appreciate it nor that I don't want it but because we could all have such fun making them (as some of my young - and not so young - visitors did).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I lovCristmas cake, but none of my family seem to,eat it, so that will be lovely. And we can all play with that paper aeroplanes. How thoughtful of you, Graham. (Excuse typose. iPad refuses to correct them.

      Delete
    2. And it refused to close the bracket or spell typos correctly. Modern machinery....

      Delete
  9. Thanks for the invite. I'm bringing Twiglets (you can't have a party without Wiglets) and a pot of tea.

    I didn't receive any terrible gifts this year so don't have anything to swap. Probably just as well, I do like scented candles, but prefer a floral fragrance to a sweaty feet aroma, I already have loads of scarfs and am allergic to toilet roll covers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Patsy, I have a feeling that the toilet roll cover will be forever homeless.

      Delete
  10. I'll bring along a jar of pickled beets and some frozen strawberries if anyone wants to make a daiquiri. I also have a few bottles of Mexican beer that are quite good. The gift I don't want is a Christmas ornament dated 2013 that someone bought at the after-Christmas sales LAST year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yvonne, what's a daiquiri?? Will we like it

      Delete
    2. There's an old joke about a mouse with the punchline "Hickory daiquiri, Doc". Can anyone remember it?

      Delete
    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    4. I don't know the joke but, Frances, you will love the daiquiri, basically rum, limes and strawberries, umm and maybe triple sec.

      Delete