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By Katie Wigginton
THE BATTALION
^sch, a senior animal science major, gobbles up his pile
nd stuffing while soaking in the happiness of his extend-
ly|sitting around him. After enjoying his favorite dishes
andmother, he realizes that just around the corner he will
ollege Station to face finals and return to work during the
Ration, Brooke McElroy, a senior theatre major, heads to
|topick up more Christmas decorations. As she scans the
iwflakes to hang, snowmen plates to serve and ingredients
write holiday cookies, her exam blues are zapped by that
ment and spark of preparing for her Christmas party,
jrkey day is done and the horns have been sawed off once
returning to College Station face good and bad news,
s: Christmas break is just around the corner. The bad
Jobs and other responsibilities have to be completed first,
lis, students throw holiday Christmas parties as a way to
[about the stress of pulling the all-nighter, get together
sand catch the of familiar Christmas spirit.
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people and the atmosphere are important to having a
fijparty,” McElroy said. “The least important is your watch
ut the time and stay ’til you feel content.”
ie atmosphere cozy, McElroy suggests that parties are
ithey are at friends’ houses rather than the upscale com-
nce friends can provide a less stressful, more decorated
! feeling to the season.
lend my holiday party sitting with friends, drinking wine
avorite Christmas movies,” McElroy said.
:holiday parties are being around people I care about and
old times,” Gabrysch said.
aid he prefers to spend his holiday gatherings hunting
at their ranch and meeting up with old friends who are
; colleges.
orations are not as important because I would rather
spent on good presents or the food and beverages,”
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While the wine is being sipped and
the good times are rolling, there are
occasions when the uninvited guest or
even worse, an uninvited guest with
rude behavior, pops in. Etiquette
expert Peggy Post of the Emily
Post Institute, a service organiza
tion providing etiquette lessons
and advice for all occasions,
offered some answers to pesky
guest questions in “Oprah” maga
zine.
For instance, when people do not
RSVP and time is running out, Post recom
mends that it is acceptable for the host to make
a follow-up call to the guest. That is, as long as
the request is made “in a non-naggy, oh-so-gracious
way,” Post said. This way, the host does not appear too
pushy.
While the party is hopping, the host spots a guest
| who is a double dipper. Post advises that the host, “dis
creetly, politely - and firmly - ask the person to stop.”
If the host catches it in time, “remove the dip and spoon out the offen
sive part,” Post said.
Being invited to a holiday gathering often means arriving with a
gift. Before stressing over what to bring, Post said that not every
event requires the guest to bring more than an empty stomach and
Christmas spirit.
“Cocktail parties and causal events such as brunches are optional for
gifts. You can offer a bottle of wine, a side dish or an ornament for the
Christmas season,” Post said.
When it comes to sit-down dinners or overnight stays, though, Post
says gifts are a mandatory.
“Anything such as a small potted plant, candles or an item they could
keep are perfect gifts for the host,” Post said.
Can’t afford a gift? Post has the answer.
“Everyone likes a thank you. Even the simplest token can have an
impact,” Post said.
To send a specific question about etiquette for various occasions,
visit to www.emilypost.com
“Amidst all the stress of finals, I love to get friends I have made all
semester together at my place and enjoy some down time to eat, drink
and be merry for the holidays,” McElroy said.
Every year when the last tests, research papers and graduation fees
come around, McElroy throws a stress-free Christmas party at her
apartment.
“It’s a way for everyone to bring their favorite appetizer, forget about
finals for a night and try to enjoy the Christmas season,” McElroy said.
“Plus, it’s a way for the friends I have made throughout the semester to
meet each other and make new friends.”
For the party to be a success, McElroy tries to make every square
inch of her place as comfortable and Christmasy as possible.
“I put out lights, a tree, candles and mistletoe. I make all the food
from scratch - cookies, wassail, brownies, everything. I love to serve
them on Christmas dishes too,” McElroy said.
After the party is through, McElroy extends the courtesy for the
guests who cannot make it.
“I’ll bring some of the leftover food to classes or to my neighbor’s
house,” she said. “It just brightens their day when they’re worried about
finals.”
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“The only day I’m going to get off work is Christmas Day and a cou
ple of days off for a wedding that I am in,” Gabrysch said.
Gabrysch is one of the many students who will not get all Christmas
break off to go to holiday parties with friends or rest up for the upcom
ing spring semester on the family couch. Instead, he will spend the
majority of his break working.
“I would rather be at home for the holidays with my family. I think
you can make money anytime but holidays only happen once,”
Gabrysch said.
To compensate for the time lost working, Gabrysch plans his events
as close together as possible when he is at home.
“I’ll plan to hunt and open presents with family and friends so I can
try to cover everything with as many people as possible,” Gabrysch said.
For others who are spending the Christmas season in College Station,
Gabrysch said people should make the most of the situation and be
thankful you have a family to miss.
McElroy points to benefits of her own.
“Enjoy the peace of no traffic, clean out your closets and donate to a
shelter,” McElroy said. “Helping someone have a merry Christmas will
brighten yours as well.”
#
DECORATIONS
*
Decorations:
Decorate your
home in your own
personal naughty
or nice lists.
Invite all those fellow college
students who are getting coal in
their stockings this Christmas to
this cocktail party with a twist.
Have your guests dress up as
North Pole characters on their
worst behavior. If you’re looking
for a Christmas party that is a bit
more adult-rated, this theme is
the one for you!
Decorations: None
With finals looming ahead,
who has time to decorate
and prepare for' a
Christmas party?
Don’t fret though,
we have a party
that is fun and
quick with no
added stress. In the invitation,
tell all your friends to bring a
variety of Christmas tree decora
tions. Gather your friends to
meet at your home and then pile
into cars. Travel around town
and choose trees outside to deco
rate. With the cool weather and
Christmas carols playing on the
car radio there is nothing better
to get everyone in the
Christmas spirit.
Decorations:
Paper and ribbons
in blue, white and
silver. Snowflake
cut outs. Icicle
lights.
Take a break from the Texas
heat and transform your apart
ment into an arctic Christmas.
Hang icicle lights inside and
outside your home will add the
perfect lighting to your party.
Take paper and ribbons and
cover anything that will stand
still in these wintery colors.
Snowflake cut outs and snow
men will disguise your home
into this winter get away.
Decorations: None
One of the hardest things
about Christmas is deciding
which presents to buy for peo
ple. Who would be more help
ful than your closest friends?
Have your friends meet at your
house and then compose a list
of all the shops everyone
wants to go to. Then drive to
join in with the mad rush of
Christmas shoppers. After
shopping everyone can meet at
a coffee shop to relax and
enjoy a hot cup of cocoa.
—Compiled by Tori Foster
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Christmas is the time for giving. Every year, families
gather around the tree to give and receive presents of joy
and happiness. Not to be outdone, the almost omni-pres
ent electronic talking box that is the family television set
joins the festivities and, like a beloved aunt, gives view
ers many Christmas presents in its seasonal showings of
holiday classics. And, like Aunt Mildred, the television
set is notorious for giving questionable presents. From
holiday specials to obscure escapees from holiday waste
lands, a lot of what comes on the television this season
would make Frosty the Snowman cringe. With the sheer
mass of holiday movies out there, what should people
watch this year as they deck their halls? Put down that
copy of “Santa Conquers the Martians” and “The Santa
Clause 2” and look at this handy dandy list of modern
holiday classics:
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Warner Brothers
This definitive holiday classic has wormed itself into
public consciousness, but with good reason. The touch
ing and hilarious story of one all-
American family’s quest for a per
fect Christmas has
managed to
become a slice
of Americana.
Little Ralphie’s
l quest for an
Official Red
Ryder Carbine-
Action 200-Shot
Range Model Air
Rifle marks a zany
series of misadventures and
observations of suburban life in
the 1940s. This movie contains a pletho
ra of memorable scenes and lines of dialogue that have
become a staple of pop culture.
With an annual 24-hour marathon on TNT and almost
weekly showings in the upcoming month, viewers will
have plenty of chances to catch bits and pieces of this hol
iday neo-classic. Before the holiday is over, though, any
body who has yet to have a chance to glimpse the movie
in all its glory should watch a complete showing of this
wonderful piece of cinema.
Touchstone
A brilliantly animated film using stop-motion anima
tion that is a treat to the eyes, the movie features top-
notch music from modern music genius Danny Elfman.
Answering the long asked question of what would happen
if the ghost and ghoulies of Halloween were to run
Christmas, this movie is a sensory delight of epic propor
tions.
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” has managed to
develop a huge fan following of ironic teenagers and ani
mation enthusiasts. The bizarre brainchild of
“Beetlejuice” director Tim Burton, “The Nightmare
Before Christmas” may have flopped at the box office,
but it has managed to develop a sizable market in video.
Holiday video renters looking for something a little
different from the claymation Christmas cartoons of yes
teryear should not miss a chance to check out this ambi
tious musical monster smash.
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“It’s Turbo Time!”
One of the most underappreciated seasonal movies
around, “Jingle All The Way” has Arnold
Schwarzenegger stumbling around for an hour-and-a-half
spouting out amazingly accented bits of unintentionally
hilarious dialogue.
Arnold’s quest to procure a Turbo Man doll for his son
leads him deeper and deeper into trouble as he battles an
irate postal man played by Sinbad; the comedian. While
the movie will not be championed as the best seasonal
movie anytime soon, it is a pleasant surprise that even
Schwarzenegger himself is susceptible to pratfalls and
bad comedic timing.
When a movie gets so bad that it becomes funny, audi
ences are in for a night of guffaws and snickers at the
sheer absurdity of this movie’s half-baked attempt at a
life lesson about materialism and holiday greed.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to take any movie seriously
that preaches anti-materialism while marketing a line of
action figures at the same time.
But ignoring all that, if you’re looking for a night of
laughing at movies instead of with them, “Jingle All The
Way” is your holiday pick.
—Reviews by Robert Saucedo