The Youthful Hostess
Despite having given birth to our firstborn son only three months earlier, I decided to throw a party to celebrate the Atlanta Olympics. Living in the metro Atlanta area, everyone was caught up with Olympic fever and of course, Southerners love any excuse to throw a party even if they have a new baby on their hip.
My best and worst trait is I oversimplify everything and was positive a party for 30 or 40 women would be a breeze.
I served an array of international foods representing 20 or so countries. Some homemade, like the Irish potato poppers, USA star-shaped cookies, and little cups of Italian tortellini with porcini sauce. I justified using store-bought items, “just this once” because of . . . well, the new baby.
Here I am, hostess from 1996.
International flags on toothpicks identified the country while glass bottles of hometown Coca-Cola were iced in a tub with bags of salty peanuts to pour in the fizzy drink – the cocktail of the South.
I was giddy with excitement.
The guests bounced the baby, dressed in a “Team USA” onesie, on their knees.
So, here I am, all these years later, reflecting on that glorious party that earned a mention in the society column, and I think, “What in #@!* Sam Hill was I thinking?”” How did I ever have that much energy?” “Did everyone know I was crazy except for me?” I had a three-month-old, for crying out loud. Why didn’t someone grab me by the shoulders and shake the beejibbers out of me and say, “stop it!”
I even made an Olympic wreath for the front door.
And there were daisies tied with red, white and blue ribbons on the mailbox.
Friends Michelle, Judy, Jean and Kitty.
Where there’s crazy southern smoke, there’s crazy Southern fire. We earn our reputations one party at a time.
The hostess rite of passage is real. We grow up watching ladies throw fabulous events and can’t wait to get there ourselves. I actually started early and threw theme parties for my friends and all the children in the neighborhood when I was still in high school. I wallow in my sickness and want no cure.
But now I’ve graduated to a new level.
The hostess ritual is now being replayed by my young friends. As the guest, they serve me using their new wedding gifts. It’s precious how they’ve mastered the air fryer like I handled the crock pot, and my mother rocked her fondue pot.
I remember to notice their details because it truly does matter. “I love your pumpkin soap in the powder room” or “Your flowers are an exact match to the napkins. How pretty!”
A week after my gold medal party performance, we carried our baby through Olympic Park. Eerily, I remarked on the lack of security. “If anything bad happens, it will be here.” Sure enough, later that night when we were thankfully back home, a pipe bomb exploded, killing two people and injuring over 100.
Parties with tiny paper flags and cookies seemed meaningless. Ladies in sundresses sipping cold Coca-Colas seemed like years ago. The baby seemed more precious, and the world darker.
As long as there are brides, there will be parties. Newlyweds will celebrate football games, new houses, the Olympics, and babies. They’ll break a few pieces of wedding crystal and burn a few burgers on the grill until they get it just right. Older couples will take their turns as grateful guests and bounce the baby on their knees while the newly crowned hostess runs around like a wild woman fretting about everything being just right.
The wicked world will try to spoil things with bombs, protests, and threats of war, but the youthful spirit of celebration will continue, even if they’re stirring a porcini sauce with a baby on their hip.
You are still the hostess with the mostest.
ha! But I know how to order take-out now!
You are still the hostess with the mostest.
ha! But I know how to order take-out now!
Somehow it is very comforting to know that in this very crazy world, young hostesses will still be whipping up pimento cheese and serving it in grandmother’s crystal bowl. Tradition matters. My big hostessing moment was cooking dinner for 70 people to celebrate my darling sister’s 50th birthday. She woke me up at 6 am and announced she needed to go to the ER! Yes, she missed her very own party, and we had to carry on without her while she spent a week in the hospital.
Oh no! But that is a wonderful story! I hope she was okay and I”m sure you saved her a slice of cake. Yes, there are still great hostesses going up through the ranks. I should write about my young friend who just threw a her 2 year old a “school bus” party because he loves them so much. Yes, there was a real school bus ride involved! Thanks to the moms who still do that sort of thing!
Leslie Ann, what were you thinking? The party sounds like it was fabulous and definitely a hit. I used to throw parties for no reason, but now there MUST be a reason!
Yes, I think as we mature we learn to be selective in our celebrations.Although, I have given a party for my dog, but that’s a good reason, right?
I remember having babies and toddlers and throwing fabulous parties! I planned the party, designed the invitation, cooked the food, decorated perfectly, dressed the children to match the theme and was the hostess with the mostest!
Now that I have an empty nest, I can barely set the table!😳
What has happened?
Truth! I think we just be a little smarter. But it really was fun, wasn’t it?
Somehow it is very comforting to know that in this very crazy world, young hostesses will still be whipping up pimento cheese and serving it in grandmother’s crystal bowl. Tradition matters. My big hostessing moment was cooking dinner for 70 people to celebrate my darling sister’s 50th birthday. She woke me up at 6 am and announced she needed to go to the ER! Yes, she missed her very own party, and we had to carry on without her while she spent a week in the hospital.
Oh no! But that is a wonderful story! I hope she was okay and I”m sure you saved her a slice of cake. Yes, there are still great hostesses going up through the ranks. I should write about my young friend who just threw a her 2 year old a “school bus” party because he loves them so much. Yes, there was a real school bus ride involved! Thanks to the moms who still do that sort of thing!
Leslie Ann, what were you thinking? The party sounds like it was fabulous and definitely a hit. I used to throw parties for no reason, but now there MUST be a reason!
Yes, I think as we mature we learn to be selective in our celebrations.Although, I have given a party for my dog, but that’s a good reason, right?
I remember having babies and toddlers and throwing fabulous parties! I planned the party, designed the invitation, cooked the food, decorated perfectly, dressed the children to match the theme and was the hostess with the mostest!
Now that I have an empty nest, I can barely set the table!😳
What has happened?
Truth! I think we just be a little smarter. But it really was fun, wasn’t it?
I loved this Leslie Anne, it was fun to hear about your parties…oh how I wish I had the energy I used to! We used to have fancy dinner parties all the time, using our wedding gifts. As time went by and children grew up and started to marry my daughter and I hosted a gazillion showers and pre wedding parties so much fun! These days I still love to entertain, but on a small scale and guests often bring part of the food…
I can imagine the detail you gave your parties. When I attended a humble meeting at your house, I remember how beautiful everything was. We are kindred party-planning spirits!
I loved this Leslie Anne, it was fun to hear about your parties…oh how I wish I had the energy I used to! We used to have fancy dinner parties all the time, using our wedding gifts. As time went by and children grew up and started to marry my daughter and I hosted a gazillion showers and pre wedding parties so much fun! These days I still love to entertain, but on a small scale and guests often bring part of the food…
I can imagine the detail you gave your parties. When I attended a humble meeting at your house, I remember how beautiful everything was. We are kindred party-planning spirits!