On the longest night of the year, event planner Jessie Gillham and her mother host a warm, welcoming affair to toast the winter solstice

Hosting is a tradition for Jessie Gillham and her mother, Cindy Edwards. “My love of entertaining came from her, and her love came from her mother,” Jessie says. This shared passion is an extension of all their holiday celebrations, but there’s one they have become especially fond of planning and enjoying with friends and family. “The winter solstice party is a Christmas party, but it’s not all about Santa,” Cindy explains. As the seasons round the corner, the party honors the longest night on the calendar and the return of light the following day, while also allowing time to give gratitude for the past year—a chance for guests to find calm, joy, and connection within the hustle and bustle of the season. “I went to a similar party years ago at our former neighbors’ house,” Cindy says. “When my husband, Bill, and I moved here, we wanted to do something different to host an open house. I remembered that party and wanted to put my own spin on it and for it to be our new tradition,” she says.
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