I do. Whatever happened to the two-hour cocktail party, during which one could pay back previous hosts and yet not spend an entire fortune and evening doing so? Nowadays, everyone has to have an elaborate dinner party that costs a fortune and accomplishes the same thing. Take it down a thousand.
My parents' generation were the standard-bearers of "The Cocktail Party". It was genius. Guests were invited from either five to seven, or six to eight, depending upon the "sophistication" of the host and hostess. Never, ever did they last more than two hours. How brilliant. No one ever got drunk because it was clear, guests left after two hours. Period. The end.
I loved those parties because my brother, cousins and I ate all the hors d-oeuvres! We were charged with being the little waiters and we excelled. We took drink orders, passed the nibbly's and collected empty glasses -- the latter of which rarely presented themselves. We also emptied the overflowing ashtrays. This was the fifties, when everyone smoked. Except my parents. I can remember passing drinks and smoked oysters to Mrs. Fahie as she stood there, pregnant, with a cigarette in one hand and a highball in the other! Feature that! Who knew that mothers who smoked and drank when pregnant had lower-weight babies? Who knew that drinking was not a great idea when pregnant? Both still not, but some stupid pregnant women continue to do both. Sad. Especially for the babies who will undoubtedly become smokers and drinkers, their brains having been programmed in-utero.
My version of "The Cocktail Party" is a tea and sherry party I give every Christmas. Having kept 12 of my mother's beautiful gold heirloom teacups, I invite people to our home between Christmas and New Year's for "Tea and Sherry". This consists of tea, sherry and little party sandwiches, crusts-cut-off, cakes and cookies. I have to tell you, people love it because it is so "English". The sandwiches are watercress, cucumber, tomato and cream-cheese-and-cherry. I serve "vegetable" sandwiches in honour of the fact that during WW II, meat was not to be had. Trust the English to invent vegetable sandwiches as a luxury! They have become the height of "English-ness". At any rate, my little tea party is always a success.
Calgary will have to get used to it.
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Dinner parties have virtually gone by the wayside in my home. We have however many happy hours. From 4 pm to 6 pm with the occasional straggler staying till 6:30 to my chagrin. Always hors d'euvres, always two drinks. Always outside on the patio if weather permits. That's it; the end. You can count on socials like this. Love them.
ReplyDeleteI hear ha. What I remember fondly, however, are those stand-up-dress-up cocktail parties of yesteryear. Crystal glasses, tinkling ice, overflowing ashtrays, laughter and fancy dresses. Here in Calgary, a party like that is unheard of! I have only given one tea-and-sherry affair for our neighbours and hesitate to give another. Ah well, tomorrow I will be able to don a gorgeous hat and go to Mass.
ReplyDeleteMeant to say "I hear ya"....duh
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