The 2025 Hillman Family Christmas Party arrangements have been finalized!

As most know, the NK Community Center is not available to us this year due to building refurbishments. A location in East Greenwich has been secured for this year’s gathering.

Rocky Hill Grange – 1340 S County Trl, East Greenwich, RI 02818

DATE/TIME:

Saturday, December 20 – 1:30 – 7:30 pm

THE FACILITY:

Rocky Hill Grange – 1340 S County Trl, East Greenwich, RI 02818

We have the space from 1 – 8 pm. The extended time window has allowances built in for set up and clean up.

Please arrive early if you are available to assist with set-up. Likewise, if your schedule allows, stay a little later to assist getting things cleaned-up and back in order.  The space has one main hall with tables and seating. There is NO COOKING allowed.  There is a kitchen with a sink. Crock pots should be okay, we might need to spread them out a little bit.  This space will NOT be decorated for the season.

FACILITY COST:

The space is not free. Please remember to bring some cash with you for our collection bin.

PARKING:

There is a fairly large lot in front and to the side of the building.  Some double parking might need to be done.  Hopefully all plowing will be completed if required.

FOOD/BEVERAGE:

As always, bring something to share. For planning purposes, my quick headcount from memory says that about 45 – 50 attended last year. There is NO COOKING allowed at the facility.

SANTA/NO SANTA?

A discussion needs to take place regarding Santa. If a Santa is desired we need to collect funds to hire one up front. The siblings talked about this the other day and wondered if the kids really NEED Santa or if they’d be just as happy to learn that Santa dropped off a bag of gifts. If the latter is true we thought it might be a good idea to set things up so the kids do a chain of gift getting/gift delivering from Santa’s bag (see below).

An adult (Uncle Louie?) “finds” the bag, makes the announcement. The kids gather. Adult pulls a gift from the bag. It’s for Emmy. Gift is given to Emmy and Emmy is instructed to put her gift aside for a few minutes and pick the next present from the bag. This gift is for Jericho. Emmy passes the gift for Jericho and the bag to Jericho. He sets his gift aside and picks a gift from the bag. It’s for Cecil. Jericho gives the gift and bag to Cecil. Cecil sets his gift aside and pulls the next gift. NO ONE opens their gift until everyone has gotten their gift from the bag.

NO TRADING, just trying to engage them in the overall process. We don’t need to watch each kid open their present individually. The idea is for all of them to be together and to WAIT until everyone has a present from the bag.

YANKEE SWAP:

This ain’t your first rodeo – you all know how this works by now. If you want to participate, bring a (wrapped) gift.

Avoid things like alcohol, lottery tickets and livestock, please.

And remember, there ain’t no cryin’ in the Yankee Swap. If you’re not mentally equipped to leave with a present that’s NOT the present you wanted, don’t participate.

FOOD SIGN-UPS