The spam-topped, pink Christmas tree and a true trailer-park spread: casseroles of all kinds, cheetos, and cans of Easy Cheese

Sure, I raised a glass of Champagne last week at a holiday fete at Prada, and followed it up with a ladies luncheon hosted by Amanda Puck at Le Colonial. But I wasn’t quite in the seasonal spirit until this weekend, when writer/m.henry pastry chef Michael Bowen threw his annual White Trash/White Christmas party in Edgewater. Here’s how it works: you dress up like a hillbilly, prepare a funny food item, and bring along an obscene “white elephant” gift. My crowd’s offering: Cheetos, a beef stick, a bottle of Pinot from the 7-Eleven, and an oversized garden gnome carrying a pail of crystals. The gnome got snapped up quickly in the gift exchange. That’s because it’s classy!

Photography: Cassie Walker