Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
LEFT: KSA Engineering Consultants Limited Annual Christmas Party, held on Norbrook Drive, Norbrook on December 6.
RIGHT: Steve Ashley (right) of KSA Engineering Consultants Limited welcomes former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson (left) and Vincent Chang of Tastee.

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

When the history of December 2007 shall have been written, it will have been recorded that it was a great month for partying.

As there was more than cause for concern on the political and security fronts, those who could, just threw one of those 'just because' parties. And, my dears, there were many of those!

Luvs, there is nothing like the Christmas party season here in Jamaica, especially in Kingston. It is an unending feast of parties of royal proportions in which tradition plays the major role.

We are talking open houses; family brunches and dinners; office parties and 'breaking-ups'; the sorrel, the eggnog; the Christmas cakes and puddings, the ham, duck and lamb; the outings to the country, and oh, the gift-giving! Thinking of it all is enough to add a few inches of girth and send a stable soul into party overdrive. And party overdrive it has been since mid-November.

Well, one of those traditions that adds colour, life and many festivities to the social scene in Kingston, is the annual KSA Engineering Consultants Christmas party, hosted by its principal, the affable Steve Ashley and his very charming and lovely wife Betty-May Ashley, at their fabulously appointed upper St. Andrew home.

Fine family-style outing

Luvs, this is an annual festivity that embraces Jamaican family and business traditions all rolled into one and produces one fine family-style outing that is indeed a joy and beauty to share!

The Ashleys are quite the charming couple. He, the engineering consultant and political power player, and she, the former high-powered insurance agent, whose green thumb has seen her making a career operating one of the city's most successful speciality nurseries, her orchid collection and offering easily one of the beauties of Kingston. Together, they make for a very charming couple and excellent hosts.

Not only has their annual KSA Christmas to-do emerged as a social staple on the annual party calendar, their soirées and garden parties are also a must.

On Thursday, December 6, it was time for the KSA annual Christmas do. From as early as 7:00 p.m., the Ashleys' driveway and the pavement on either side of their home were crowded.

The evening began in the orchid garden with a prelude that saw guests sipping premium cocktails and exchanging smooches in the spirit of the season. With Steve, his dapper self in shirt sleeves, and Betty resplendent in red, the fetching couple greeted their guests with their accustomed warmth and ushered them into the inner sanctum, where it was definitely prime time, and nothing but!

An evening of high style

With cocktails flowing and a buffet of finger delicacies to choose from, the stage was set for an evening of high style and 'eleganza'. As it ensued, the transformation from cocktails was complete as guests were ushered into the inner courtyard where the gardens and poolside needed no accessorising. There was an abundance of colour, occasioned by one of the most fabulous collections of orchids eyes have ever had the pleasure of seeing!

Guests were treated to traditional Christmas fare, courtesy of Stephen Jones of Boon Hall fame, accompanied by appropriately soothing dinner music, that segued into party. And children, party they all did!

Oh honeys - no turtle doves here - and forget the leaping lords and maids a-milking, but this was all about the 12 days of Christmas, as it was the kind of celebration to which, if you did not invite your neighbours, they would have called the police to report the merriment out of pure and malicious spite, as it was that good!

Among the notables spotted were: former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson; Tourism Shadow Minister Dr. Wykeham McNeill; the enterprising Vincent Chang; Kenny Benjamin; Dr. Vin Lawrence; Dr. Guyan Arscott; Dr. Winty Davidson; Lance and Barbara Johnson; Howard Aris; broadcaster and elocutionist Fae Ellington; James Samuels; Raymond Reece and wife Mary-Ellen Reece; Eunice Morrison; Steve and Karishma Khemlani; Tanny Shirley; Ian Garbutt and his companion the lovely Sonia Kahn; Ray Campbell; Dr. Lennox and Katie Francis; Peter Thomas; Rajiv Bakshi and companion Dorothea Gordon-Smith; Richard and Herminie Harrison; Karelle Ashley and Dr. André Foote.

We saw the voluptuous Terry Campbell; international financial consultant and venture capitalist Mark Jones and fab wife Julie Jones; the elegant Sonja Sutherland Dumetz; JB and Lola Gordon; Sybil Harvey; Robbie and Odette Epstein; Morris and Claudette Chin; designer Les Campbell; Evon Coke and wife Jacqueline Coke-Lloyd; Robert Haughton; Yvonne Wilks; Liz Levy; Yuval and Vered Moaz, Mr. and Mrs. Tal Sadeh, Yoah and Sylvia Cohen; Jimmy, Jamie and Erica McNeil; Tamara Taylor; Neil Lawrence; John Cluer and the fabulous Sheryn Hylton-Parker in from Frankfurt.