A real party (1)

It’s been years that I have been harping that people in Bacolod have lost the knack in throwing a party and enjoying one. “Parties” have gone down the social ladder where guests are obliged to go through photo albums of the hosts and watch their families give programs where only their families seem to enjoy.

People have been going to these social functions only to eat, watch these tedious veladas and go home immediately shortly, tired from watching the intimate stories of their hosts which are really hard to appreciate all the time, and enduring amateur productions that only family members seem to enjoy. This has been happening through weddings, anniversaries, jubilee celebrations down to children’s birthday parties. Ho, hum, indeed! I don’t know about you, darlings, but I grew up in an environment where parties were given in order to make the guests have the time of their lives and hosts would kill themselves making sure that everyone got the pleasure of meeting everybody, and ending up dancing the night away.

Programs were made for civic clubs or school activities and prayers and testimonials were limited to the Church! People seem to have forgotten that socials were just that—social activities to make guests enjoy themselves, meet other people and be seen by other people. Meaningful lives are analyzed and appreciated when you’re dead, honey… not when you give a party!!!

At long last, I was proven wrong when I attended the golden wedding anniversary of party couple Rudy and Janette Remitio. Well, 50 years of wedded bliss had to be emphasized, of course, but it was done through a beautiful slideshow while guests ate the bountiful buffet. The golden couple’s children and grandchildren paid homage with a couple of songs and dances, just to prove that the dancing and entertaining genes went down the line. The rest of the evening was devoted to endless libations at the bar and spirited dancing that had octogenarians and teeny boppers taking to the dance floor like there was no tomorrow. Oh, how I enjoyed meeting new people especially the rich ones, renewing acquaintances with those I haven’t seen for a long time—it’s nice to know you’re still around, dahlinks and avoiding the obvious social climbers in their glaring discard or utter ignorance of the dress code requested by the hosts.

Dressing up for the occasion is the only way for a guest to reciprocate for one’s host efforts in entertaining them. How one can ignore such basic social etiquette escapes me, completely, knowing how well-travelled and cultured Negrenses are supposed to be…

MY PRAYER

Descend, O Holy Spirit, with the abundance of graces.*

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