Final Up to date: Dec. 24, 2025 at 1:11 p.m. ET
First Printed: Dec. 24, 2025 at 8:54 a.m. ET
Pricey Quentin,
I attended a Christmas social gathering in my neighborhood final evening. I’m going to this social gathering yearly, and it’s often a small group of individuals (20 most, plus their youngsters) from our college and faculty days, and a few individuals from the humanities (our shared occupation) and the neighborhood. The hostess often places on a pleasant unfold: dips, recent bread, cuts of ham and beef, Christmas tree-shaped chips with hummus and salsa cruda, mince pies, chocolate squares, and many others. There was an countless provide of wine and beer. If one went lacking, they’d hardly miss it.
She lives in a big four-story dwelling together with her husband and two kids. Mainly, the social gathering is your typical glamorous Hallmark Christmas Film of the Week, with numerous well-heeled company milling round, however with costlier furnishings and higher inside design. It’s often held on Dec. 23, so it’s nice after vacation purchasing. This yr, I noticed a good friend of a good friend, somebody I knew from college, snatching a bottle of wine on the way in which out the door. I assume he thought nobody would discover. It got here in a present bag, and it appeared costly. A lot for vacation cheer.
