Long awaited, the Ware River Circle of The King’s Daughters and Sons annual Christmas Open House will again be in operation on Tuesday, held at Holly Knoll on the banks of the York River in Cappahosic.

It has been three years since open house visitors have had the pleasure of touring an outstanding host dwelling, enjoying the music, and savoring culinary treats.

For 32 years the Ware River Circle has hosted this event, a fundraiser to support the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters in Norfolk, and other worthy causes.

As it has always been in the past and for this 33rd affair, proceeds will benefit the Circle’s “long held commitment to children’s health care in the region.”

The Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters is a help. In the fiscal year July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022, many Gloucester children received treatment. During this period, 60 children from the county were admitted, 7,086 made outpatient visits, 140 visited the emergency room, 17 children received transport service, and the list goes on.

The Ware River Circle is one of the oldest organizations in our community. It was founded in 1896 and in its 126 years has reached out in numerous ways to individuals, families and the community in need. It’s truly a group that has kept true to its motto: “Look up not down, look forward not back, look out not in, lend a hand.”

For 2022, circle members have polished their silver, pulled out their aprons, gathered their recipes, displayed their artistic ability in decorating and just got busy, busy, busy preparing for Christmas Open House 2022.

Here are the facts: The open house will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at Holly Knoll, home of The Gloucester Institute. The sessions are noon-1 p.m.; 1:30-2:30 p.m.; 3-4 p.m.; and 4:30-5:30 p.m. You can buy a ticket either at The Silver Box, Ticketleap.com or by calling 804-815-1915.

Holly Knoll, home of The Gloucester Institute, is a retreat and training center for community leaders with a history of being a think tank for African-American issues of the 1950s and ’60s. The United Negro College Fund was conceived in this home and many great leaders visited often, including Martin Luther King Jr. It was built by Robert Russa Moton and bore his name for many years as the Moton Center. Moton succeeded his friend Booker T. Washington as the second president of Tuskegee Institute.

Select your hour, buy your ticket and the co-chairmen Jane Worthington and Jane Smith invite you to “enjoy the fresh greenery in all of the decorations, the mouth-watering culinary delights, various musical offering of the season and historical interpretations of the house and property.” Take a look at these recipes and remember the Circle’s famous ham biscuits. You will understand why you must attend.

BLACK OLIVE SPREAD

8 oz. softened cream cheese
½ c. mayonnaise
½ c. chopped pecans
1 c. black olives, chopped well
2 Tbs. olive juice
Dash of pepper

Mix all together and refrigerate. Spread may be runny at first but sets up in the refrigerator. Two recipes will make 1 quart.

CREAM OLIVE SPREAD

8 oz. softened cream cheese
½ c. Hellmann’s mayonnaise
1 heaping c. chopped green olives (5.75-oz. jar)
Mix together with 2 Tbs. olive juice and a dash of pepper. Let set for 24 hours.

THE KING’S DAUGHTERS CHICKEN SALAD

2 cans Costco chicken (12.5-oz.)
1 c. chopped celery
½ c. chopped onion
½ c. dried cranberries
1 c. mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
½ to ¼ c. slivered almonds

Gently break up chicken with a fork. Add celery, onions and cranberries. Add mayonnaise and mix well. Taste before adding salt and pepper. Add slivered almonds just before serving. Refrigerate. Yields 4 c.

CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

1 egg yolk
1 c. margarine
1 c. sugar
3 oz. cream cheese
½ tsp. vanilla
2½ c. flour
Raspberry preserves, not jelly

Cream margarine with cream cheese and sugar; add egg yolk, vanilla and flour. Chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight. Roll in small balls, a little smaller than a walnut; flatten slightly making an indentation in the center with thumb or finger. Place about ½ tsp. raspberry preserves in each. Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes at 325°F.