I love all the parties people have in their homes during the holidays. It feels so much more intimate than just meeting at a restaurant (although the clean up is easier that way).
I photographed a simply amazing Christmas gathering and dinner at a home right on the Strand in Manhattan Beach. They invited a small gathering of friends for a formal dinner in honor of the season. The home was decked with all forms of merriment and the family was delightful.
Maybe when I get a house large enough to hold a table I will host my own formal party complete with Santa flying overhead.