Me: So when people bring a bottle of wine to a dinner party, it's a way of showing gratitude but still bringing something that costs less in money and effort than their share of the dinner, so that the people throwing the party can still be seen as offering a gift to the guests.
My mother: When Russians throw a dinner party at a restaurant, everyone is expected to bring a check for the cost of the meal, plus some extra for the hosts. It's like a fundraiser.
Me: So basically, throwing parties could be a for-profit enterprise? You could make a living by just inviting people out to restaurants?
My mother: Yes, I think it was a Soviet idea.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
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4 comments:
"So when people bring a bottle of wine to a dinner party, it's a way of showing gratitude but still bringing something that costs less in money and effort than their share of the dinner, so that the people throwing the party can still be seen as offering a gift to the guests."
I thought that was just for the entry-level-job/grad-school set, and that as you get older/richer, the wine is supposed to be something other than what was $7 (or, should a Trader Joe's be nearby...) at the liquor store. Since wine prices leap more quickly than food ones as quality (real or as marketed) increases, it would be easy enough, bringing even a slightly 'nice' bottle, to pay more than what was spent on a slightly 'nice' dinner, just as a wine bill can easily exceed a food one at a posh restaurant.
The ultimate irony of this situation was that the Soviet Union was supposed to be the first step towards communism, a moneyless society. Soviet socialism (sovsoc) was meant to gradually wean people from the evil influence of money and other capitalistic vices while imparting to them lofty spiritual ideals of the bright communist future.
I'm not sure, but I think Chinese might have a tradition similar to that of Russians. There's a character in one of Wong Kar Wai's movies (either 2046 or In the Mood for Love) who supports himself by hosting dinner parties at restaurants.
Phoebe: I've never seen people bring wine more expensive than the dinner to any party, and I would feel uncomfortable if someone brought such wine to mine. Maybe in some higher sphere of social life that I will never inhabit, but I imagine the food in that sphere goes up in price accordingly as well.
Alpheus: Maybe. I didn't even know Russians had it. But now I will invite more Russians to my parties.
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