The Young Friends of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (or as we say, the YF of PMA) held their 2001 Holiday party at the Philadelphia Club, December 7th. The lively bunch nearly doubled their numbers from last year's party. That, combined with the music, crackling fire, and open bar made for one of the merrier holiday parties around.

Princess Grace Kelly's collection of exquisite jewels and fairytale dresses were on display at Caldwell Jeweler's luxe Philadelphia location. At a champagne reception guests milled around display cases, oohing and ahhing over the jewels, collectibles and glassware. Gene London was a most gracious host, spreading his infamous cheer throughout the crowd. At one point, yours truly was asked to slip into one of Princess Grace's dresses and walk around attempting to look regal. I managed not to trip, hiccup, or split the seams. The Princess would have been proud.

On December 1st, the Women's Board of the American Cancer Society presented the Crusader's Ball at the Hyatt Regency at Penn's Landing. After a two-hour cocktail hour, allowing ample time for everyone to mingle throughout the different rooms and look at the auction items, guests were treated to dinner and then danced to the Joseph Claffy Band.

On December 19th hordes of reindeer took over Old City for the 6th Annual Reindeer Romp. The Friends United in Need Network (FUNN) threw this party (and threw in all the antlers too). Santa's best reindeer brought canned goods for Philabundance before they set out on the 3-stop bar hop. Mansure Music provided strolling musicians to help guide the partiers from the first stop, M Restaurant and Lounge, to the second, 5 Spot, and finally, the last leg, Envy Nightclub.

By anyone's estimate, December is a heavy-hitting month on the social calendar. The weekend of December 14th and15th, The Kimmel Center of the Performing Arts opened its doors to Philadelphia royalty and loyal subjects, with celeb concerts by Elton John, singers Denyce Graves and Frederica von Stade, cellist Yo Yo Ma, pianist Emmanual Ax, violinist Itzhak Perlman and of course, our own beloved Philadelphia Orchestra. On Friday, after Elton John belted out the last song in his hour-long showcase, the Kimmel Center was open for everyone's perusal. There were scrumptious buffet stations set up all through the vast hall and circular corridors. On Saturday, post-concert and pre-dancing, we sat down to a spectacular four course dinner with wine pairings. The must-see of the weekend, other than the women's luxurious dresses, the soaring expanse of the concert hall and the rushing hither and thither of the guests, was the rooftop garden under the stars. The giant glass dome reaching over the top of it makes one feel as though they might be plucked from their table by the Man in the Moon at any moment.