This past year, I've made a remarkable number of new gay nudist friends through this man that I started dating on Valentine's Day. That's right, our first date was dinner on February 14. But I'll share more about that later. These new buddies that I've met because of the man I'm with are a great bunch of guys that have a history together.
A part of this history is a holiday tradition that dates back four years. This couple, who live in the Tidewater (eastern) region of Virginia, host a holiday nudist social in December that benefits needy children. Every guest at this party must bring at least one new, unwrapped toy as a contribution. After all the men have arrived, they take off their clothes and then set about wrapping their donation in colorful paper, labelling the gender and appropriate age on the gift card instead of the recipient's name. A cool icebreaker idea: the dudes strip and then cover-up the toys!
My boyfriend and I drove the one-hundred (plus) miles from our home city of Richmond, Virginia to eastern Virginia last Sunday morning to attend this afternoon event. I was somewhat nervous about meeting all these men, most of them for the first time. As a nudist, the naked part didn't bother me in the least. I'm basically a shy and withdrawn dude, socially, so that side of my personality stepped forward to cause my concern.
However, once we'd stripped off our clothes, my stress was likewise relieved. It felt good to be in the company of about three dozen gay men, all naked, and everyone having fun. We worked in teams for the gift-wrapping project and by the time we'd finished, I felt relaxed and at ease. It really brought on the holiday spirit knowing that I was a part of a project of same gender loving naturists who were contributing to Christmas joy for youth that none of us even knew. The true reason for the season!
I did make it a point to mention this blog when I was introduced to men. It helped to ease my awkwardness to have at least one topic on my plate to add to the conversation. That crutch aided my hobble from one introduction to another. Just knowing that I had one topic to offer was soothing.
After a couple of hours, due to the distance, my boyfriend and I had to leave. Reluctantly, we dressed and mad our goodbyes. Despite our early departure, the good feeling of the party stayed with us on the trip home. It felt great to know that we'd been part of bringing happiness to others and at the same time, enjoyed the fellowship of gay nudists. The sense of goodwill is basic to the meaning of Christmas and this social had given to us the best gift of all: a reminder of the essence of the holiday.
Naked hugs.