Traditionally, our society organizes a festive gathering on the first Tuesday in December, in lieu of a general meeting with a guest speaker. Since we are an all-volunteer organization, the structure of this event is largely dependent on the creativity, time and energy contributed by the organizing committee, which changes from year-to-year.  As a result, and discounting the influence of the pandemic, some years our society hosts lavish, gala dinner events; other years we host cocktail receptions with hors d' oeuvres; and even modified general meetings with a light meal, festive music, and a holiday-themed presentation.