Clare de Boer, April Bloomfield, Leandra Medine Cohen, Winston Marshall, Liz Lange, John McWhorter, H. R. McMaster, and more on how to host with the most.
I still have 2 FULL days of work (working for The Man!), but this lil series has cheered me so much! I'm hosting a Party of 2, not 12, and I think it's going to be better now that I've been inspired. Heck, maybe I'll make the salad, the orange spiced duck, the ginger cake, AND open a bottle of wine in my opaque tights and t-shirt with a new playlist curated from the contributors. Thanks, The Free Press.
You GO girl!! I'm not sure what of this list I'm gong to incorporate (we're doing the duck anyway) but most likely the music-- oh more wine is always good too!
Well that was quite secular but I’m not surprised. We’ve got Advent candles and seafood for the feast of seven fishes on Chrstmas Eve. And then we go to Mass in the morning on Christmas Day, because there’s someone a little more important than just salad, wine, and ginger cake (which did sound delicious), who is the reason we have this holiday at all. Just wanted to throw that in there.
With you on that assessment, Rachael. Secular and quite 'east coast centric'. Feast of the seven fishes on Christmas Eve is awesome. We've done that also, but often times we do a traditional Polish Christmas Eve with home made Pierogis. There were a couple of good take-aways, though: I plan to follow up with Land of Promise winery and gotta love "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" by Elvis. It's a gem.
That is lovely. I saw a meme of Christmas decorations I want to share with you. It was a manger scene instead of a Christmas tree. It is done in a window with a sheer (curtain) bunched at the top and then spread around a simple cradle holding a baby with animals gathered around. A star is placed above where the sheer is bunched and of course is lit. The cradle in the pic I saw was simple wood and built like a bin where you put hay. In the display I saw it was sitting on two hay bales. I will not put hay in the house but I will find a decent work around and I am already looking for the right baby and animals.
I am not a fan of Trump, but I do grow weary that every problem under the sun is his fault. The dinner parties in Washington were not the same because of Trump. The country was just as divided under Obama, but when he was moralizing about this is not who we are, people rejected him; they were racist Neanderthals who were against the progress of America, but if you are against Trump, you are taking a stand for Democracy.
The lesson is not that people loved Trump but that Trump took on and fought the government elite. In the past, when times were more civil and holiday parties more free-flowing, there was not a group of people who were thought divinely gifted that power should be theirs as they were the most gifted and thus deference to their policy must be given, That most got rich and powerful over this pay no mind. Trump is a jackass, but these people are far worse, and I would much rather stay home and read the comments of the Free Press than hang out with any of them.
Dropping Trumps name in the midst of a Christmas Party do's and dont's article is something.. But she is a DC socialite so it makes sense. Seems exhausting. Any who - hope the drinks are strong this year for everyone!
As long as they keep offending fair-minded people with frivolous lawsuits against Trump Biden’s machine will get what they want! They’d rather run against Trump than Nikki, whom they couldn’t beat!
I am not going to argue with you about it. I just expressed my opinion. I find her delivery off-putting. But I am perfectly fine letting it play out at the polling place.
Lynne, You expressed an opinion in an open forum and I expressed mine. Where we disagree is in the characterization of that exchange as an argument. I didn't think that my comment was argumentative or disrespectful and it certainly wasn't an invitation to "argue with me about it." Jeepers...
I do not think your comments was either. I have seen your commentary and I respect your opinion. Maybe poor choice of words on my part but it was not meant disrespectfully.
I think a lot of Trump's followers really do love the guy. He did an admirable job except for listening to that little troll Fauci about COVID. In the 2020 campaign, he also failed to emphasize stopping illegal immigration as much as he did in 2016 - and now we've got open borders. My worry is that, if Trump somehow is NOT the nominee, those who love him will stay home rather than vote for someone else on the GOP ticket. Of course, if Trump is the nominee, plenty of his haters and those with TDS will turn out to vote against him. And I see a three or four way race with RFK, Jr. and possibly someone on the No Labels ticket getting into the fray.
You are spot on with that. When people never talk about is the Colorado Senate race last year. Joe odea attacked Trump and did all of the things the media wanted him to do, and got smoked worse than any of the Trump candidates. You need the Trump voters to win, and pissing them off isn't going to win. So if it's not Trump who is it? That is the big question
My idea of a Christmas party is a quiet house, a bottle of Irish Cream for my wife, a bottle of expensive rum for me, and two comfy chairs facing the fireplace while gazing at the Christmas tree. Quiet conversation, and reminiscence of Christmases past. Merry Christmas, y'all, from Middle Georgia!
As long as the rum isn't overloaded with vanilla I'll try it. Pirat rum is pretty good and only about $20 for a small bottle. This year I'm willing to go up to $50, so I'll take your suggestion under advisement.
A friend stopped by with a bottle of Bumbu. He loves it. I almost gagged. It was so sweet.. My better half liked it though. Did you mean Pyrat? If so the Pyrat Reserve is a fine neat sipping Rum. I'll admit to being a sucker for anything labelled "Reserve" so take that into account.
“H. R. McMaster served as the 25th United States national security adviser under President Donald Trump and is a retired U.S. army lieutenant. He is also a wine connoisseur.”
————————————————-
Do you think he can get Admiral Rachel Levine’s autograph for me?
I was in suspense waiting for what you would have for the most boring article to ever appear on the Internet. As TFP is getting the award for everything else, it might as well have that one, too.
“Our guests come from all walks of life and every strata of the political oligarchy. It’s a punchbowl of personalities, from young Hill aides to seasoned journalists, authors and academics to ambassadors and dissidents.”
Hate to break it to you but all the groups described are from the same “walk of life” generally. Oligarchy is right, however.
Right, and my second reaction was along the lines of 'that crowd sounds insufferable', and my third was that Danielle Crittenden really needs to get outside of the D.C. bubble.
I believe that phrasing to be original but the content is an observable fact. Regardless it is set free into the wild and may it proliferate with the advance in causes of liberty seekers.
Ordinary socks--the kind that come 6 pairs to a package--are a downer. But I adore unique socks. If they came out with some TFP socks, I would buy them!
We bought a house recently that had the following quote etched on the dining room wall- If you accept a dinner invitation, you have the moral obligation to be amusing.
May we all remember this quote as we embark on our holiday parties! Merry Christmas to you all!
It looks really good EXCEPT I'm not sure the amounts are correct--could somebody check? I think the conversion of grams to cups (or the other way) is problematic. For one thing, four cups of flour and FIVE CUPS of molasses will never fit in a 9x13 pan . . .
Oh no!!! If you did not throw it out yet, I bet you could blend the slurry and bake into another version, or use a topping for sherbet or mixed into plain pancake mix or something. So sorry.
We're handling all our family obligations on Christmas Eve. This year, I'm setting foot in a church for the first time in at least 15 years because my niece is singing in the choir.
If I don't burst into flames, on Christmas Day we're getting up at 6 AM and driving to NYC to walk around and see the Christmas decorations while most people are hopefully sleeping or opening their gifts and before the crowds start to form. We'll leave before 10 AM, take a nap, then work on making homemade tamales, Spanish rice and black beans and exchanging gifts.
Christmas night I have a volunteer shift for a suicide crisis hotline. The good news is that, despite what people think, suicides DON'T spike around Christmas.
My church is, on Christmas morning, caroling at a senior care facility to bring joy, community and Christ into their lives and that of their families. That is how we celebrate Christmas.
The comment about the Trump years. ... I wonder if Clinton and Obama and the DOJ had not made up a Russia story to spy on and frame Trump in attempt to overthrow the election results. If the left and media had not been belligerent liars to deny him his accomplishments with the Abraham accords, Border security, ending wars in Syria and Iraq, and thriving economy; that he might have actually been unifying. Now the conservatives have a president that calls us white supremacist and the biggest threat to the nation. Yeah, that the guy who claims a Christian faith and ran on promises to unify. I really hope the savior is watching over us and that good Christian people unite around our Judaeo-Christian founding and restore our constitutional republic. The Godless are ignoring honesty, truth, and our founding principles in a quest to retain power and control the loves of others in the delusion that they know best. I hope that Christmastime reminds us who we are as a people and those in power get reacquainted with the savior. It is hard to imagine Joe Biden being awake in church. His behavior sure suggest he has for 8 decade missed the message of Jesus and how we might live a life serving God.
If this is what “host with the most” means I’m glad I don’t have to attend any of these events. Everything staged for effect and appearance. Even the salad greens carefully arranged. As for McMaster being a wine connoisseur, my ten best wine drinking buddies and I collectively have about 75,000 bottles of wine in our cellars, but no California Pinot Noir. Christmas Eve dinner includes vintage champagne, Burgundy and Bordeaux at my house with a whole roast pig, while listening to sounds of the 1960s. The guest list includes the most important people I know; our grown kids, our grandkids, family friends, and a few people who have nowhere to go. People who know and love each other and are happy to be together. We don’t serve salad, but if we did we would not arrange the individual leaves.
Well, I'll stick my neck out and say that I make fruitcake for an extended Christmas holiday. It's really a shame that fruitcake has taken on such a negative connotation but I can understand why, given the lack of good examples. It's like the Christmas sweater, someone's best effort turned into a joke.
I use an old family recipe that is baked before Thanksgiving. Each small loaf is wrapped in unbleached linen that has been soaked in brandy. About once a week leading up to Christmas the brandy is refreshed, creating a really good soak into the crust - not soggy but softened. The fruitcake is first served at Christmas breakfast and a single thin slice suffices. For the next week or two the loaf seems to disappear, even though everyone hates fruitcake.
I've always hated store-bought fruitcake, but you've made me curious. I'd love to try a slice of "good" fruitcake. Would you be willing to share your recipe?
I would gladly share it but I haven't been able to find a way to attach a file here. I don't see any way to send you a private message either. If I am wrong, someone please educate me.
Where is the editor?!? Winston Marshall was best known as the banjoist for Mumford & Sons, not the guitarist. I can understand the impulse to retcon this particular fact, being a banjoist myself. If intersectionality had any validity, we would be near the top of the oppression pile, surpassed only by accordionists.
I still have 2 FULL days of work (working for The Man!), but this lil series has cheered me so much! I'm hosting a Party of 2, not 12, and I think it's going to be better now that I've been inspired. Heck, maybe I'll make the salad, the orange spiced duck, the ginger cake, AND open a bottle of wine in my opaque tights and t-shirt with a new playlist curated from the contributors. Thanks, The Free Press.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
(But first, back to the grind...)
You GO girl!! I'm not sure what of this list I'm gong to incorporate (we're doing the duck anyway) but most likely the music-- oh more wine is always good too!
Merry Christmas to you- and everyone!!
I'm looking into that blueberry buckle recipe ... competing with a WSJ recipe that's more work ....
Good luck and Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas HB.
Well that was quite secular but I’m not surprised. We’ve got Advent candles and seafood for the feast of seven fishes on Chrstmas Eve. And then we go to Mass in the morning on Christmas Day, because there’s someone a little more important than just salad, wine, and ginger cake (which did sound delicious), who is the reason we have this holiday at all. Just wanted to throw that in there.
With you on that assessment, Rachael. Secular and quite 'east coast centric'. Feast of the seven fishes on Christmas Eve is awesome. We've done that also, but often times we do a traditional Polish Christmas Eve with home made Pierogis. There were a couple of good take-aways, though: I plan to follow up with Land of Promise winery and gotta love "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" by Elvis. It's a gem.
w/ you on the Elvis!
Are you celebrating Wiglia? A polish friend told me about it yesterday and in her family its a longstanding tradition. Also, pierogi. So good.
Not this year. Something to plan for next year when it's our turn for having all the family over on Christmas. Thanks for the idea!!
That is lovely. I saw a meme of Christmas decorations I want to share with you. It was a manger scene instead of a Christmas tree. It is done in a window with a sheer (curtain) bunched at the top and then spread around a simple cradle holding a baby with animals gathered around. A star is placed above where the sheer is bunched and of course is lit. The cradle in the pic I saw was simple wood and built like a bin where you put hay. In the display I saw it was sitting on two hay bales. I will not put hay in the house but I will find a decent work around and I am already looking for the right baby and animals.
I am not a fan of Trump, but I do grow weary that every problem under the sun is his fault. The dinner parties in Washington were not the same because of Trump. The country was just as divided under Obama, but when he was moralizing about this is not who we are, people rejected him; they were racist Neanderthals who were against the progress of America, but if you are against Trump, you are taking a stand for Democracy.
The lesson is not that people loved Trump but that Trump took on and fought the government elite. In the past, when times were more civil and holiday parties more free-flowing, there was not a group of people who were thought divinely gifted that power should be theirs as they were the most gifted and thus deference to their policy must be given, That most got rich and powerful over this pay no mind. Trump is a jackass, but these people are far worse, and I would much rather stay home and read the comments of the Free Press than hang out with any of them.
There just had to be a dig at Trump in there somewhere.
Just stating obvious facts
Trump has grown so large in their minds that a giant balloon should be constructed to enter the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! Can you imagine it?
I would have that balloon kick off his inaugural parade. That would make more than one head explode.
Dropping Trumps name in the midst of a Christmas Party do's and dont's article is something.. But she is a DC socialite so it makes sense. Seems exhausting. Any who - hope the drinks are strong this year for everyone!
As long as they keep offending fair-minded people with frivolous lawsuits against Trump Biden’s machine will get what they want! They’d rather run against Trump than Nikki, whom they couldn’t beat!
Haley... The same oligarchs who control her recently gave a communist pig(Xi) a standing ovation in vermin infested SanFran a few weeks ago.
It would not matter if they could not beat Haley. She is one of them. A Hillary with an R by her name.
I like her. Have you read her book? I think she's a patriot and seems like an all around good person.
I am not going to argue with you about it. I just expressed my opinion. I find her delivery off-putting. But I am perfectly fine letting it play out at the polling place.
Lynne, You expressed an opinion in an open forum and I expressed mine. Where we disagree is in the characterization of that exchange as an argument. I didn't think that my comment was argumentative or disrespectful and it certainly wasn't an invitation to "argue with me about it." Jeepers...
I do not think your comments was either. I have seen your commentary and I respect your opinion. Maybe poor choice of words on my part but it was not meant disrespectfully.
A Hildebeast striker if there ever was one.
The 2024 election will be tainted. The leftists will not relinquish their grip on power.
vote!
A complete waste of time. The national elections are farcical exercises in futility.
I think a lot of Trump's followers really do love the guy. He did an admirable job except for listening to that little troll Fauci about COVID. In the 2020 campaign, he also failed to emphasize stopping illegal immigration as much as he did in 2016 - and now we've got open borders. My worry is that, if Trump somehow is NOT the nominee, those who love him will stay home rather than vote for someone else on the GOP ticket. Of course, if Trump is the nominee, plenty of his haters and those with TDS will turn out to vote against him. And I see a three or four way race with RFK, Jr. and possibly someone on the No Labels ticket getting into the fray.
You are spot on with that. When people never talk about is the Colorado Senate race last year. Joe odea attacked Trump and did all of the things the media wanted him to do, and got smoked worse than any of the Trump candidates. You need the Trump voters to win, and pissing them off isn't going to win. So if it's not Trump who is it? That is the big question
I just hope it's not Nikki Haley or Chris Christie. I'm fine with Ron or Vivek. But DJT leads by a mile.
I loathe Donald Trump personally but he was effective as the CEO of uhmurrocuh. That he melts leftists down with a post or three is icing.
👏👏👏
Absolutely correct. Thanks for this post.
My idea of a Christmas party is a quiet house, a bottle of Irish Cream for my wife, a bottle of expensive rum for me, and two comfy chairs facing the fireplace while gazing at the Christmas tree. Quiet conversation, and reminiscence of Christmases past. Merry Christmas, y'all, from Middle Georgia!
Merry Christmas to you RM and to the missus. Peace be with you.
And with you as well!
Name that Rum. I like Pampero Aniversario.
As long as the rum isn't overloaded with vanilla I'll try it. Pirat rum is pretty good and only about $20 for a small bottle. This year I'm willing to go up to $50, so I'll take your suggestion under advisement.
A friend stopped by with a bottle of Bumbu. He loves it. I almost gagged. It was so sweet.. My better half liked it though. Did you mean Pyrat? If so the Pyrat Reserve is a fine neat sipping Rum. I'll admit to being a sucker for anything labelled "Reserve" so take that into account.
Yes, I DID get the spelling wrong! The reserve is better than the less expensive version, which I found to be a bit harsh.
“H. R. McMaster served as the 25th United States national security adviser under President Donald Trump and is a retired U.S. army lieutenant. He is also a wine connoisseur.”
————————————————-
Do you think he can get Admiral Rachel Levine’s autograph for me?
I was in suspense waiting for what you would have for the most boring article to ever appear on the Internet. As TFP is getting the award for everything else, it might as well have that one, too.
He is actually a retired Lieutenant General - quite the demotion from TFP :-(
Yes but Rachel Levine is a Lieutenant Genital, which outranks him.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🍆🍆
🤣🤣
more cracking up! Thank you for the early christmas present!
I thought the same thing!
😂
LoL. I wonder hiw nany others caught the faux pas.
I had to look twice.
Everyone who read the bio bit at the end caught it. At least I hope so. It is so glaring you have to wonder how it got past the copy editor.
There are no more copy editors. There are no more proofreaders.
And if there are, they do not know the difference between a lieutenant and a general.
cracking up!!!
“Our guests come from all walks of life and every strata of the political oligarchy. It’s a punchbowl of personalities, from young Hill aides to seasoned journalists, authors and academics to ambassadors and dissidents.”
Hate to break it to you but all the groups described are from the same “walk of life” generally. Oligarchy is right, however.
Yeah, that was my reaction. No plumbers, no teachers, no farmers, no SAHM. Not much variety.
Right, and my second reaction was along the lines of 'that crowd sounds insufferable', and my third was that Danielle Crittenden really needs to get outside of the D.C. bubble.
I disagree. She should stay there.
Indeed. May she be forever away. Shoo from out of the free states.
Bj I generally like this reply except for setting it loose and potentially into the free states.
Why would there be. Lock steppers in an echo chamber.
Enough with those already.
I’m gonna steal “lock steppers in an echo chamber”! Love it.
I believe that phrasing to be original but the content is an observable fact. Regardless it is set free into the wild and may it proliferate with the advance in causes of liberty seekers.
exactly! Do they invite the neighbors? Their children's teachers, the (gasp) janitor from work!? I think not
I actually love socks! Used to groan as a kid, but a nice pair of wool socks? Forget about it.
A nice pair of *Merino* Wool socks and im ecstatic!
Ordinary socks--the kind that come 6 pairs to a package--are a downer. But I adore unique socks. If they came out with some TFP socks, I would buy them!
My wife knits them
The heel is a bugger
Apparently
I buy those 6pack socks. I wear them once and toss them. Now fine woolen socks hmmmm.
I can’t think of many things I’d rather have than a decent pair of socks.
Living in Thailand, I haven't worn a pair of socks in 10 yrs.
I’m with you Dave.
FITS are the bomb
We bought a house recently that had the following quote etched on the dining room wall- If you accept a dinner invitation, you have the moral obligation to be amusing.
May we all remember this quote as we embark on our holiday parties! Merry Christmas to you all!
The ginger cake recipe from The Shire is the best piece TFP has published all year.
I am YUGELY here for any and all Middle Earth-inspired (but specifically, Hobbit) recipes. Keep 'em coming.
It looks really good EXCEPT I'm not sure the amounts are correct--could somebody check? I think the conversion of grams to cups (or the other way) is problematic. For one thing, four cups of flour and FIVE CUPS of molasses will never fit in a 9x13 pan . . .
Glad to see they fixed it between my reading it an hour ago and reloading the page to examine the recipe again. ;-)
And now I can testify that the finished product is amazing! Haven't had more than a crumb yet--waiting to share with the Christmas guests!
I baked it as originally published and my wife can’t stop laughing.
Oh no!!! If you did not throw it out yet, I bet you could blend the slurry and bake into another version, or use a topping for sherbet or mixed into plain pancake mix or something. So sorry.
We're handling all our family obligations on Christmas Eve. This year, I'm setting foot in a church for the first time in at least 15 years because my niece is singing in the choir.
If I don't burst into flames, on Christmas Day we're getting up at 6 AM and driving to NYC to walk around and see the Christmas decorations while most people are hopefully sleeping or opening their gifts and before the crowds start to form. We'll leave before 10 AM, take a nap, then work on making homemade tamales, Spanish rice and black beans and exchanging gifts.
Christmas night I have a volunteer shift for a suicide crisis hotline. The good news is that, despite what people think, suicides DON'T spike around Christmas.
My church is, on Christmas morning, caroling at a senior care facility to bring joy, community and Christ into their lives and that of their families. That is how we celebrate Christmas.
The comment about the Trump years. ... I wonder if Clinton and Obama and the DOJ had not made up a Russia story to spy on and frame Trump in attempt to overthrow the election results. If the left and media had not been belligerent liars to deny him his accomplishments with the Abraham accords, Border security, ending wars in Syria and Iraq, and thriving economy; that he might have actually been unifying. Now the conservatives have a president that calls us white supremacist and the biggest threat to the nation. Yeah, that the guy who claims a Christian faith and ran on promises to unify. I really hope the savior is watching over us and that good Christian people unite around our Judaeo-Christian founding and restore our constitutional republic. The Godless are ignoring honesty, truth, and our founding principles in a quest to retain power and control the loves of others in the delusion that they know best. I hope that Christmastime reminds us who we are as a people and those in power get reacquainted with the savior. It is hard to imagine Joe Biden being awake in church. His behavior sure suggest he has for 8 decade missed the message of Jesus and how we might live a life serving God.
Well said. Somber but accurate.
If this is what “host with the most” means I’m glad I don’t have to attend any of these events. Everything staged for effect and appearance. Even the salad greens carefully arranged. As for McMaster being a wine connoisseur, my ten best wine drinking buddies and I collectively have about 75,000 bottles of wine in our cellars, but no California Pinot Noir. Christmas Eve dinner includes vintage champagne, Burgundy and Bordeaux at my house with a whole roast pig, while listening to sounds of the 1960s. The guest list includes the most important people I know; our grown kids, our grandkids, family friends, and a few people who have nowhere to go. People who know and love each other and are happy to be together. We don’t serve salad, but if we did we would not arrange the individual leaves.
Kudos
Perfection!! Please invite me for next year!!!
Well, I'll stick my neck out and say that I make fruitcake for an extended Christmas holiday. It's really a shame that fruitcake has taken on such a negative connotation but I can understand why, given the lack of good examples. It's like the Christmas sweater, someone's best effort turned into a joke.
I use an old family recipe that is baked before Thanksgiving. Each small loaf is wrapped in unbleached linen that has been soaked in brandy. About once a week leading up to Christmas the brandy is refreshed, creating a really good soak into the crust - not soggy but softened. The fruitcake is first served at Christmas breakfast and a single thin slice suffices. For the next week or two the loaf seems to disappear, even though everyone hates fruitcake.
Rumor has it that there is only one fruitcake in existence. It is continuously regifted because no one really likes fruitcake.
For a minute, I thought you were referring to Rachel Levine.
The only good fruitcake in the world comes from the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Texas.
I've always hated store-bought fruitcake, but you've made me curious. I'd love to try a slice of "good" fruitcake. Would you be willing to share your recipe?
Mary Berry has a simple recipe she even sets it on fire as all good fruitcakes deserve. a nice hot fire. LOL
I would gladly share it but I haven't been able to find a way to attach a file here. I don't see any way to send you a private message either. If I am wrong, someone please educate me.
Where is the editor?!? Winston Marshall was best known as the banjoist for Mumford & Sons, not the guitarist. I can understand the impulse to retcon this particular fact, being a banjoist myself. If intersectionality had any validity, we would be near the top of the oppression pile, surpassed only by accordionists.
The best meal and party is found very far away from Sodom on Potomac.