Here to soothe all your holiday anxieties

Hello and welcome to Solicited Advice: Holiday Edition! For the next few weeks, I’ll be answering all of your most pressing holiday-related questions, dilemmas and queries.

First, a heartfelt and genuine thank you to everyone who cooked the turkey, made the stuffing, baked the pie, asked a question, waited for an answer, watched a TWO-PART episode of Home Movies (Part 1 and Part 2) and used these recipes, this advice and this lil community to get through yet another holiday. I am so pleased and proud at what a huge part of my life this meal has become, and it’s a true understatement to say I couldn’t do it without you. You making the things means I get to keep making the things, so truly: Thank you. For being there year after year, I am so, so grateful for you all.

Okay, now that we’ve moved past our first holiday hurdle of 2024, please join me and comedian Jake Cornell to navigate the chaos of holiday parties, hosting challenges, gift dilemmas, and general December stressors. Jake and I bonded over many things: being children of divorce, our pathological need to BYOB (bring your own bulbs) to Airbnbs, and our love for two very specific non-alcoholic beveraginos to keep the night going while avoiding hangovers (or, if you’re simply not drinking).

As mentioned in the episode, Jake is single and looking for a partner, so feel free to slide into those DMs so I can claim yet another matchmaking victory. But please, if you do, make sure your account is NOT private so he can see as much as you see. And, if you’re in New York on February 4th, go see Jake’s show at Joe’s Pub - I’ll be there in spirit, but not trying to go into labor at Joe’s Pub.

On this week's episode of Solicited Advice:

• AITA? How do I gracefully tell a friend in their much too small with not enough seats apartment (...in Murray Hill) they should let other people host once in a while?

• HOSTING AND DRINKING = BAD? I love drinking while hosting, but I struggle with finding my limit. How do I avoid hangovers while also enjoying myself *in the moment*?

• WHAT TO DRINK WHEN YOU’RE NOT DRINKING: Favorite non-alcoholic drinks this