EDITOR’S NOTE

“I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate,” Julia Child once said. I think it’s safe to say that most people are partygoers, not planners. Letting guests into your home and entertaining them entail weeks of preparation and a lot of courage. “Put up the tree. Choose a holiday theme. Create a holiday menu…” and your Christmas to-do list could go on and on. Thinking about it is already exhausting. But there is a certain rush, contentment, and pleasure in going through all the fuss just to throw a good party. Some say it takes particular skills to pull off; others even call it an art.

In this issue, we feature four ladies who have mastered the art of entertaining. Read on Margette Sarmiento’s memorable holiday stories, the rules of good hosting according to Julie Alegrado, Kate Anzani’s reverence for food, and Agel Go’s sacrifices to ensure every Cebuano will have a good time during the holidays. Pick up some tips as well to pull off stress-free holiday gatherings and make the rest of the year beautiful and bright.