Nollaig Chridheil - A Tartan Party
STORY BY CATHY HORTONPHOTOGRAPHY BY RIMAS ZAILSKAS
“Christmas! ‘Tis the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial fire of charity in the heart.” –Washington Irving
An old Scots tradition cautions that blaze in the hearth must not go out on Christmas Eve, lest mischievous elves slip down the chimney and run amok in the house. There is no reason for concern at the McDougal home in Hendersonville. The fires of hospitality burn bright here during the holiday season, and if the imps did make an appearance, they would no doubt be invited to join the revelry. From the minute you see the couple’s 1903 home glowing with the warmth of welcoming light in the chill December evening, the spirit of the season resonates. For the past nine years, Renita and Todd McDougal have opened their doors to family, friends and clients to ring in this most merry time of year.
“I really wanted a way to say thank you to all my clients for being so wonderful to work with and to do something festive to celebrate the holiday,” says Renita, a financial advisor and senior vice president of Wachovia Securities. “Those two things just seemed to go together well.”
The Clan MacDougall tartan — a seasonally appropriate red with green accents — is proudly displayed throughout the house. Todd and his father, James, sporting dashing MacDougall kilts, knee socks and dress sporrans (or kilt purses), welcome guests with warmth and humor.
Before entering, guests are invited to share the blessings of the season with those less fortunate. Partygoers are asked to forego the usual hostess gift and instead bring an unwrapped toy that will be delivered to Toys for Tots. A large box set on the porch brims with donations, but always has room to accept one more.
Once within, all eyes turn to the Christmas tree, ablaze in white lights and vintage Christmas ornaments. Dating back four generations, many of the ornaments carry on the Scottish theme. Each year Todd and Renita look forward to their traditional trip to the Farmers Market on the day after Thanksgiving to choose the fullest, most fragrant fir to showcase their treasures.
The entire house is bedecked in holiday finery, including many of the guests who don kilts and tartan accessories in the spirit of this Highland fling. “Everywhere you look, there’s something to cheer the soul…every corner is filled with the charm of Christmas,” says family friend Jamesa Selleck, who adds, “It’s so warm and inviting that I look forward to it each year!”
“Its one of the prettiest parties I’ve ever seen,” agrees Joyce Youngblood. “It just puts the spirit of Christmas in you!” Every room in the house is open to guests, and as the evening unfolds visitors wander up the stairs to see the “Teddy Bear” guest room, filled with over 100 bears, all dressed in Christmas ribbons, or to the master bedroom and bath, where Renita displays one of her favorite collections of all; antique Scottish valentines from the late ‘20s and ‘30s.
With Scottish carols playing in the background, the enticing aromas of the buffet by Karen Conley and her Cuisine Team invite everyone to gather round, fill their plates, sip warm, spiced cider and speak of days of Auld Lang Syne.
“Cuisine Team has been catering the party for eight years,” says Renita, “and they also provide wait staff, which is essential so you can enjoy your own party. Karen Conley keeps a record of what we did the year before. There are certain things that people ask for.” Among the favorites: stuffed mushroom caps, turkey meatballs, chicken strips, fruit, cheese and veggie trays, finger sandwiches and cheesecake bites. “I’ve decided that doing the same thing year after year isn’t boring; it’s tradition,” Renita explains. “Christmas is a time for tradition.”
As the festivities draw to a close, guests go off into the frosty winter’s night, but they carry a little spark of that Scottish hospitality; the ember that ensures that the fires of Christmas will never burn out.
“Merry Christmas,” Todd and Renita wish them at the door, and then again, in Scots Gaelic, “Nollaig Chridheil.”
