Spirited Virginia Q4 2022 - 22

NOT JUST A RETURN TO NORMAL:
ONE COUPLE'S STEP UP FROM
" FAM " TO " GLAM "
F
or decades, Carol and Bobby
Mawyer have hosted a holiday
open house in their Sandston
home. It became a neighborhood
tradition in 1994, when their children
were 6, 4 and 1.
" Bobby and I were going to a lot
of holiday gatherings and wanted
to do something that included the
kids, " Carol recalls. " That first year,
our 'party' consisted of a few of our
kids' neighborhood friends and their
parents. Our gathering began at 5 p.m.
and ended at 7, in time for everyone
to get home and get the kids bathed
before bedtime.
" As the kids grew up and their circle
of friends expanded, so did the size and
hours of our gatherings, " Carol says.
" At some point we adjusted our start
time to 7 p.m., ending whenever the
last guest left. But our get-together has
always been on a Friday night in midDecember. "
Over
the past 25 years or so the
couple has enjoyed watching their
friends' families grow up, head to
college and start their adult lives.
" We've added guests over the
years-colleagues and friends from
other social circles-but some of these
same kids who were in preschool when
they first came to our gatherings still
drop in for our celebration. Attendance
at our holiday open house event has
been squeezed into winter break
schedules from college. The 'kids' have
graduated from sodas and brownies
to cocktails and charcuterie with their
parents. Instead of talking about who
had what part in a holiday pageant and
what Santa might leave under the tree,
the conversation has transitioned to
who married whom and to jobs. "
In more recent years, cocktails
have become a central theme for the
gatherings.
" One year we mixed dozens of
Cosmos and Grasshoppers, two
cocktails with a nod to holiday
SARAH RIDENHOUR
colors, " Carol says. " There was the
Goldschläger year. And the Fireball
year. The year Kenny Chesney
introduced Blue Chair Bay Key Lime
Rum Cream, we served Key Lime
Martinis. "
COVID interrupted the tradition, as
the Mawyers cancelled their holiday
open house in 2020 and 2021 for safety
reasons.
" But most everyone in our circle of
friends is ready to get together this
year, " Carol says. " They've been vaxxed
and boosted. So we're bringing back
our celebration and topping it off with
a glamorous theme. We'll break out a
bowtie for Bobby and sequins for me
and hope for a crowd. " -AT
YULE MULE
The 12-day winter festival of Yule lasts from Dec. 21 to Jan.
1, making this an appropriate celebratory cocktail. " Yule " be
glad you did.
▷ 3 OZ. UNSWEETENED CRANBERRY JUICE (OR TO TASTE)
▷ 1½ OZ. VODKA (YOU CAN ALSO SUB GIN OR BOURBON)
▷ ½ OZ. FRESH LIME JUICE
▷ 3 OZ. GINGER BEER
▷ ROSEMARY SPRIGS, FOR GARNISH
▷ CRANBERRIES, FRESH OR FROZEN, FOR GARNISH
In a copper mule mug or double rocks glass filled with ice,
add the first three ingredients. Top with ginger beer. Stir
with a cocktail spoon until combined. Garnish.
You can also make a batch in a pitcher, to ease the job of
hosting. Mix the juice, liquor, simple syrup and lime juice
ahead of time, then top with ginger beer and garnishes
when serving. Be sure to add ice to mugs to keep guests
from overindulging at the pregame party.
22 SPIRITED VIRGINIA
Spirited Virginia Q4 2022

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