The Sycamore Hot Hat Shakers met at the Elizabethton Church of Christ Thursday for their annual Christmas party, celebrating not just the holidays, but their reason for congregating: to have a good time.

Vice Queen Barbara Sams said the international organization meets once a month and primarily features women over 50.

“This has been organized for years,” Sams said.

Members in attendance wore Christmas attire, including Santa hats, and spent time with each other while eating food and playing games.

“We love each other,” Judy Donley said. “Through the good times or bad.”

The group does a variety of different activities together throughout the year, from simple ventures to the movie theater to planning a beach getaway. It does not matter if a member has to have a wheelchair or crutches to get around. They just plan with those physical ailments in mind.

Donley said the group gives older women a chance to be social and have a good time.

“It gives them the chance to be young at heart,” she said. “They are going back to their childhood again.”

Queen of the local branch Kay Millsaps said the bonds they have formed with each other the years has made the events they put on more meaningful.

“You continue friendships over the years.”

When a group got married recently, the group made plans to attend the celebrations. She also said many widows are members of the group, and they support each other through those hard times.

“There is only one rule,” Donley said. “They are to come out and have fun.”

Sams said technically women under 50 can join as well, though they have to wear pink hats  instead of red ones.

She said the attire is part of what makes the group so festive and special, holiday or not.

“You just see the red hats everywhere, and you want to have a good time,” she said.

Donley also said the group has health benefits for its members, as well, thanks to the social interaction.

“It keeps your mind active,” she said. “We all have smiles on our faces.”