⬇︎ JUMP TO INVITATION DESIGNS ⬇︎
This year, I celebrated the 20th anniversary of The Holiday Party, my annual Girls, Gays, and Theys only gathering. Over the years, it’s grown into more than just a holiday get-together; it’s become a treasured tradition with chosen family that kicks off the holiday season in a wonderfully heartfelt way. For the first time since I was a kid, I printed and mailed the invitations. I chose Moo for printing because their luxurious paper and gold foil added a touch of modern elegance to the timeless charm of old-school correspondence. There’s just something so special about receiving snail mail, especially when it comes in a gold metallic envelope! It felt like the perfect way to honor this milestone and set the tone for a night sparkling with shared laughter and joy.
I recently realized that designing the initial invitations on early 2000s desktop publishing software—experimenting with fonts and layouts—was a formative creative experience. Those early designs sparked my passion for crafting personal moments long before I ever considered a career in a creative field. Each invitation was an opportunity for me to express myself creatively, and to craft a festive experience for my friends.
Invitations are more than just an announcement—they’re the opening act of a celebration, a love letter crafted specially for my nearest and dearest. Receiving a party invitation is the first spark of delight, a way to kindle the excitement of the gathering ahead. Priya Parker’s book The Art of Gathering talks about how intentional details create a sense of belonging even before the event begins, and I couldn’t agree more.
At the party, togetherness reigned at the craft table, where new friends bonded over creating their own lip gloss charms and keychains with custom The Holiday Party charms (see pic below!). Watching everyone laugh, share stories, and create something personal reminded me why this party has lasted two decades. It’s not really about the decorations or the food (though Carly's buffalo chicken dip is legendary); it’s about cultivating a space where people feel they can be themselves... that's the best gift of all.
Take a scroll down memory lane
2024
Printed with Moo, I created physical invitations for this event for the first time in my adult life. While I've exclusively relied on Paperless Post for digital invitations over the years, I integrated the two by including a custom Paperless Post URL on the back of the printed invite. This made it easy for guests to RSVP online, and allowed me to manage the RSVPs and send out email reminders.
2023
Grief filled me with yuletide doubts in 2023, but I'm so glad I still had the annual jubilee because my friends filled me with holiday glee.
2022
Combining my love of vintage package design, spicy innuendos, alliteration, and holiday cheer.
2021
Devastatingly, a fox ate my beloved chickens, Trixie, Dixie, and Peggy, the day before the party. Yes, literally. At least Fox had a healthy, plump, organic meal... I only fed my girls the best.
2004
I can only assume this was made with Microsoft Publisher. I really leaned into that font... and those rhymes! TBH, I still absolutely love kitsch, though I'm glad I've learned about legibility and bad line breaks since then.
P.S. The Holiday Party supports small and local businesses owned by women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA entrepreneurs.
I love using the annual Grab Bag gift exchange and featured refreshments to inspire friends to support small and local businesses owned by women, BIPOC, or LGBTQIA entrepreneurs (though many of them already do!). It’s always so fun to receive texts throughout the year about friends finding the perfect Grab Bag gift during their travels or how much they love what they received last year—so much so that they’ve bought it for someone special. A few ways we supported those folx this year:
The main dishes were catered from local spots Tom's Green Grocer and Tavola Charcuterie.
I featured a variety pack of Sipwell wine; everyone loved the taste and their branding! Sipwell is a woman-owned and BIPOC-owned wine company making award-winning premium canned wine; with a single serving of zero sugar, organic wine in each infinitely recyclable can.
I thrifted glassware and collaborated with Forever Green, a small, woman-owned local business, to create custom espresso martini candles for the cocktail table centerpieces. They made the party smell delightful, and the matching candle included in the Grab Bag (along with a bag of coffee beans from Grounds & Hounds) was an absolute crowd-pleaser.
