Hi, Come on In!

Takes coat of newly arrived guest, who stamps feet to get snow off boots.

How good to see you, glad you could make it! Come on into our loft-like living room -  Beth, Roger, Andrew, Rafa, Tari, Novak, Rosia, Tari, Kolya and others are already here. Some of them are in the kitchen. We've got plenty of food and drink, Tina did a great job catering and Tim is mixing Gringo Especiales, for those of you who don't like egg nog (spiked or virgin), red or white wine, or mineral water.

Why thank you, it is a nice party space, we love it, too. It's great to have a dance area - in fact, look at Radek and Nicole make quite a couple, eh? I hear they're engaged. Never knew you could tango to The Litle Drummer Boy!

Pardon? Yes, I did say Roger came by - that's him with his back to you, by the tree, examining one of the exquisite porcelain ornaments. He certainly is a man of good taste. He mentioned that he was really looking forward to meeting you. I think he's looking for a little input on his coaching situation. Oh, don't let me forget, I have a message for Tim, from MIrka. She slipped out to get the limo and pick up Anna. Should be back in an hour, but with that midtown traffic, who knows?

Oh, no, that's not a real tree. It's pretty good for a fake, isn't it? We stopped putting up real Christmas trees a few years ago. I don't know, when I started to chop them down off a neighbor's farm near our place in game-rich Andes, I realized that I didn't really want to kill a handsome young tree, just to have two weeks of Christmas pleasure. I know it sounds kind of hippy-dippy, but I'm not all self-righteous about this. To each his own.  Besides, almost all the trees these days come from tree farms, and if we can raise beef cattle and chickens purely to slaughter and use them, why not trees?

Excuse me, I need to check this message on the Blackberry. It might be Venus, she said she'd be needing directions. What? Oh, you didn't know that Maria's hobby was a clogging? She's pretty good, huh?

Anyway, I'd better run. Make yourself at home, see you back here in a bit. . . Mingle, eat, drink, enjoy!