Continuing a tradition begun nearly 60 years ago by his parents, Baltimore designer Stiles T. Colwill, along with Jonathan Gargiulo, a partner at New York’s John Rosselli Antiques, invites friends and family to gather for a Christmas party at Halcyon Farm, the horse farm Colwill inherited from his parents. “Mother always decorated a tree in the living room on December 17 to remember the birthdate of her brother, whom I was named after,” the designer recalls of the start of his holiday seasons.
For him and Gargiulo, party planning is a year-round indulgence. “Christmas is never far from our minds,” Gargiulo says. “A holly tree we almost cut down in August was saved until December so we could use fresh greenery for the party.”
At the heart of their party is the spirit of remembering and gifting the special people in their lives. Preparations that formally begin with decorating the house and grounds the week after Thanksgiving are preceded by hours of time and travel devoted to selecting gifts.
“We never know what a trip to Europe will yield,” says Gargiulo. “One year an antique porcelain tankard with a friend’s initials turned up for a pricey sum in London, and we bought it because we never turn down a piece with someone’s name on it. A thoughtful gift is an opportunity to become even closer with friends.”
The same consideration is given to the party’s presentation. “September is when we start loading our greenhouse with plants we’ll use for the party,” says Gargiulo. Poinsettias are massed in fireplaces that aren’t burning logs. Room focal points get extra attention. Colwill arranges the hallway entry table with roses in a favorite silver urn.
For the buffet on the dining room table, he fills the glass baskets of a 19th-century Anglo-Irish epergne with colorful candy. Silver that Colwill collects is displayed for holiday sparkle. The tree, which has a place of honor in the sunroom he built onto the house, holds ornaments from every Christmas of his life. As dusk fades to night, a tree garbed in dozens more he and Gargiulo have collected or received from friends draws guests into its dazzling light.
