When I first heard of this Holiday Formal party, I have to admit I didn’t think much of it, especially for a Wednesday night. I actually thought it was going to be one of those events you see in Austin Monthly with all these rich folks get together for to raise money, stand around wearing clothes you see celebrities wear at the Oscars, sip on cocktails and talk about business, work and the weather. You know what I’m talking about. Aw man, was I wrong!! Well, partly wrong, because this Holiday Formal was also a fundraiser benefiting the Austin Children’s Shelter. Charging $10 at the door for a good cause in the jolly spirit of the holidays was not a bad at all. Actually, it was a great idea! The party was at the American Legion Travis Post off Mopac and Lake Austin Blvd. I had totally forgotten about that spot. A huge mansion right by the river, home of an organization serving and honoring veterans.

First of all, the venue was a great choice. That house on top of a small hill overlooking the river and the downtown skyline is certainly a great look. Plus historical landmark is a Civil War Era two-story mansion with the six big round pillars. The organizers had those pillars covered in Christmas lights so it really looked awesome as you walked up to the party. Me So Hungry, an Asian cuisine trailer was parked by the entrance. There were benches on the front lawn, which gives you a great view of the downtown skyline. As I worked my way through the mansion, I observed that each room had something different to offer. One had a photo booth courtesy of Devaki Knowles. Another had a bar serving free drinks including Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, 360 Vodka Martinis, and many more. A chocolate fountain was set up upstairs with candy canes and other sweets to dip in. But most of all, the upstairs dancefloor was a buge ballroom with DJ Digg (Table Manners Crew) and Pagame (Peligrosa) on the turntables. So overall, the set up was great!

As I walked in, I was happy to see that everybody at that party was dressed up. And by everybody, I mean everybody. Suits, ties, bowties, corsets, sequin dresses, tuxedos, tailcoats, evening gowns, high heels and way more. People really got into the theme. Maybe they should have had a contest because I could tell that some people really went all out in regards to their formal attire. It’s for the holidays so why not pull out that suit that’s been sitting in the back of your closet all year long. In terms of entertainment, they also had an acoustic gypsy jazz band named Freak Stomp to smooth things out and keep things classy. Also bossa nova and jazz artist Corrina Rachel performed downstairs (which I missed). But for the most part, the DJs were up on the decks. As Digg and Pagame dropped dope track after dope track ranging from Tribe Called Quest to Aretha Franklin through some Cumbia and 80’s pop music, I saw people dance their jolly asses off. Dance circles were formed every once in a while. It’s always pleasing to see a crowd get into the music that much while wearing the most uncomfortable clothes ever.

Then I got curious and wondered what it was that made this party such a success. “Well, it’s the holidays; people are jolly” I was told. To me, jolly was synonym with putting your hands on your stomach (preferably big) and saying “ho ho ho!” with a big smile on your face like Santa Claus does. But apparently there’s more to it. So I asked around. One said “feeling joyful“. This girl simply defined it as “happy“. The third person added “fat happy” (which kinda went along with my definition). So I looked it up on my phone. According to Webster, jolly means “full of high spirits“. It turns out jolly is a noun, an adjective, an adverb and a verb! Well, looking at the people around me, they sure were all in “full of high spirits“, as in drunk. For girls in tight dresses to get down on the dancefloor like the ones I saw, ignoring the cries of their feet stuck in 6inch heels, they had be really jolly! I saw a few being escorted out because they couldn’t stand anymore. On a side note, after 2 or 3 of the double chocolate/orange and double chocolate/jalapeno martinis, jolly comes very quickly! Towards the end of the night, a very jolly Santa came out on stage to give out prizes from the raffle and he seemed very jolly too!

The party went until 2am and by the time we left, most people had jollied their asses out of there (and there was still 1 full keg left). I thought jolly was reserved for the holidays (and fat people). But apparently, you can jolly all year round. You just have to load up on spirits which you already know how to do. Overall, the party was dope and I’m sure they raised a lot of money since the mansion was packed. Actually, I realized that had gone to another party benefiting the shelter couple of years ago in the Hyatt hotel downtown. It was a 80’s party and I was dressed like I was straight from Breakin’ The Movie. Anyway, if you see another event benefiting the Austin Children’s Shelter, go check it out. I can guarantee you a great time! Also it’s never too late to get involved and donate.

In the meantime, JOLLY AWAY, MY FRIENDS…and Happy Holidays!

A big thanks to Jason Darling & Maria Russo for putting this event together!

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