A couple of weeks ago I held my annual Holiday Party. This party is one of the highlights of the holiday season for me and tends to be a bit of an extravaganza.
When I was growing up, my parents always had a party on Christmas Eve.
The guests for that party always included a mix of our extended family and various family friends. For that party, a relative (often my Great Aunt Bill, aka Lillian) or a friend of the family would dress up as Santa and bring small gifts for the children. These sweet memories stayed with me. So, some years ago, as I established a home for myself, I brought along parts of that tradition.
For me, one part of the fun of this party is including a variety of people who don’t know each other and seeing what results. At some point in the process of inviting people, I almost always get concerned that I am inviting too many people, that my house will be too full, that I won’t have enough food and wine. And, then, I give in and invite everyone who tickles my fancy and look forward to seeing whoever shows up. This year about fifty people stopped by, at least to say hello.
I love the layers of deliciousness of the experience. Having my home filled with friends and acquaintances. Festive decorations with shiny ornaments to reflect twinkly Christmas lights. Delicious food and drink. A pianist playing my mother’s piano. Sometimes even a bit of singing. Great cheer. Lots of hugs. Oh my, it provides a perfect balance to the darkness of the season.
And, sometimes, a concern about supplies does turn out to be true. This year, we actually did run out of my stash of white wine! The party carried on nonetheless. Note to self just in case: Buy more white wine next year!
Happy Holidays everyone!