Merry Christmas and Happy Festivus to the rest of us! Our friend, Matt, hosted a lovely dinner party for 9 on the eve of Christmas Eve. We feasted on a delicious "All Around The World" themed dinner and we are excited to share the details with you.

The evening started with a choice of Chardonnet & Fils champagne or a cranberry lime vodka tonic.

Kanchana created a festive tabletop with Williams Sonoma's nutcracker napkin rings, crisp white napkins and Bed, Bath and Beyond ornament place card holders. Assigned seating might seem stiff and formal, but we think it is an effective way to minimize the confusion for your guests. As an added bonus, place cards can serve as decorative pieces.

We created an "All Around the World" Holiday Dinner Menu that was as diverse as our guest list.

The meal started in the United States with a deliciously seasoned butternut squash soup. The second course took us to Russia with a traditional New Year's Eve dish, herring under the fur coat. The third course transported us to France with a classical Southern France dish, a bouillabaisse. The meal concluded in England with figgy pudding with homemade vanilla ice cream. We paired each course with a wine or cocktail that complemented the flavor of the dish.

Matt, thanks again for hosting another wonderful holiday dinner AND letting us add some TWINSPIRATION! Of course the night couldn't be complete without some goofy pictures. Merry Christmas and Happy Festivus everyone!

"Festivus is in your heritage. It's part of who you are"–-Frank Costanza

Happy Festivus!