The Hostess with the Mostest

Anthony Borgo December 2022

The tradition of Christmas parties dates back to the early days of the holiday itself. In the past, people would gather together in their homes or in community spaces to celebrate the Christmas season with food, drink, and entertainment. As the holiday has evolved, the tradition of Christmas parties has continued to thrive. Today, people still gather together to celebrate the season with their loved ones, enjoying the traditions of the past while also incorporating new elements to keep the celebrations fresh and exciting. Despite the many changes that have taken place over the years, the tradition of Christmas parties remains a beloved part of the holiday season.

Mildred Ahlgren was the first women from the State of Indiana selected to serve as President of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. During her term, Mildred Ahlgren was an advocate for citizenship and community affairs. Ahlgren received numerous awards, including the Royal Order of the Vasa from the King of Sweden and the Sagamore of the Wabash Award from the State of Indiana. She was also a wife, a mother, and journalist for the Hammond Times. However, she was also known to throw one heck of a holiday party.

According to a Times article, “The very idea of inviting 800 guests to your home to celebrate Christmas probably would make you shrug and say, ‘That’s for people with money, mansions and servants’.” But, every year Mildred Ahlgren and her husband Oscar did exactly that. The Ahlgrens would host approximately 25 parties from Thanksgiving until New Years Day.

The Ahlgrens’ home was not a mansion, but instead a two-bedroom bungalow located at 1735 Stanton Avenue. The Ahlgrens did not employ a house full of servants, just one part-time housekeeper, Ann Zivich. Mildred also did not have a state-of-the-art kitchen. “Her kitchen isn’t gleaming modern - it’s equipped with a middle-aged gas stove, big refrigerator, small sink, and not too convenient counter space. There’s no dish washer, no home freezer, and no other time-and-step-saving gadgets for entertaining.”

The Ahlgrens began this holiday tradition in 1942. She said that both her and her husband loved to entertain. However, Mildred and Oscar both lived busy lives. Their days were spent in meetings, doing club work, and traveling for business. Although they would have loved to open up their home throughout the year it was hard to find the time.

According to the Times, “The secret of success, she believes is to do things just once.” Mildred would get the house ready around Thanksgiving and she kept it that way for the next month. For example, she would set out her special party dishes, silverware, and serving equipment and not put them away until the party season was over. “So, you see there’s nothing to it but running the vacuum cleaner between parties.”

The Ahlgrens loved to decorate their home for the holidays. A Christmas tree strung with lights and ornaments greeted guests on the front porch. Meanwhile, a fire roared in the fireplace waiting to warm up frosted toes. Likewise, a snowman was seen front and center on the buffet table in the dining room. The Times reported that every corner seemed to blaze with Christmas cheer.

“A tiny Yule log stands on the mantelpiece, thickets of miniature Christmas trees and red candles festoon the tops of bookcases, gaily wrapped packages are piled on cabinets in the living and dining rooms. Below a formal portrait of the Swedish royal family stands a papa snowman and three little snowmen. Every doorway is draped with tinsel held in place on the doorjambs with stripped candy canes.”

Although food was often served it was never anything too fancy. Usually it was just coffee and pastries and occasionally open-faced cheese sandwiches topped with curly pink shrimp. According to the Times, “The food for her parties is no more elaborate than that sold in any corner bakery during the holiday season. What makes it taste good is the way it is served with coffee that’s always strong and hot in an atmosphere that is warmly festive.”

The parties were held for members of the various clubs to which the Ahlgrens belonged. Sometimes the Ahlgrens threw a party for a group in which they were no longer affiliated. However, members of different organizations often overlapped and the same people visited the home on Stanton Avenue several times. “It’s a tribute to the Ahlgren’s hospitality that the guests keep coming back.”

The Ahlgren’s membership in clubs was as varied as their guest list. The scope of parties ranged from Congregational church groups to the Topsy Club. The Topsy Club was a group of five couples who found delight in doing crazy things. On a given night the home could be filled with an engineer, a minister, a newspaper editor, a high school principal, a University of Indiana lecturer, and a teacher.

On one evening Phil Maxwell, director of the Chicagoland music festival, and his wife treated guests to an old-fashioned Christmas carol session. However, at one point Mr. Maxwell took over the entertainment and sang some of his own songs. The Times reported, “He soon had the dignified guests - parents of boys in the service and girls in college - hop-hop-hopping and bang-bang-banging with Hopalong Cassidy in the chorus of a song dedicated to the cowboy hero.”

The Ahlgrens took one night off from their hosting duties. On Christmas Eve, the Ahlgrens, their daughter and son-in-law went to the home of Edwin J. Carlson, Mildred’s brother. According to the Times it was here that a Sweedish family tradition was carried out. “Mrs. Ahlgren’s 92-year-old father, August Carlson, will excuse himself after dinner to ‘fix the furnace.’ While he is gone Santa Claus will arrive and distribute gifts to the Algrens, Carlsons and Haeusers. Then grandfather Carlson would return and be told that he missed Santa’s visit again!”

On Christmas day, festivities returned to the Ahlgren residence. A traditional Christmas dinner was shared with just their immediate family members. The following day however preparations for more parties began. Together, the Ahlgrens celebrated the season of giving and good will toward men. This season as the stress of the holidays catches up with you just think you could be welcoming 800 guests into your home.