Dear Gala Guru

Taco ’bout something important.  February 24th is National Tortilla Chip Day, and if that’s not worth celebrating, I don’t know what is. These crispy triangles of joy have been the unsung heroes of our snack drawers and party spreads for generations, faithfully showing up at every game day, movie night, and impromptu snack attack. What […]

Dear Gala Guru, My job does not make me happy. It is a dead end.  I hate turning off the alarm and going back to the office.  It is toxic where I work.  Office gossip runs rampant, and no one is happy.  The boss is not a leader. I do not feel as though I […]

There’s a particular kind of courage in loving someone. Not in the grand gestures or the Valentine’s cards or the carefully selected flowers and chocolates – though these have their place. The real bravery lies in the everyday choice to keep loving, even when love isn’t feeling particularly magical. Love lives in the small moments […]

Dear Gala Guru, I have a problem. I have done nothing but eat since Thanksgiving, celebrating all the parties and holidays. I recently stepped on the scales and am horrified to find I have gained 15 pounds. I realize I did this to myself, but now I am panicked. I need to get back to […]

Dear Gala Guru, Every year, I volunteer to plan our Paradise community’s annual party, “Summer Serenade. ” It is a black-tie dinner and dance. We are all retired and over the age of 70.  I am responsible for selling the tickets, collecting and sending the meal choices to the catering team, and paying for the […]

Dear Gala Guru, I am a grandmother of six, and every year for Christmas, I send each grandchild a card for Christmas along with a check for $100. I have been doing this for 15 years now. In the beginning, I would get a sweet thank you note.  But the notes have dwindled as they […]

Dear Gala Guru, Now that the holidays are over, I am taking inventory of some of my presents. There are several that I will never use and just don’t like. What are your thoughts on returning the gifts to the store or re-gifting them next year? Sandie Relax—you’re not alone. We’ve all unwrapped a gift […]

As we pack up the Christmas decorations, I think it’s only natural to feel a twinge of melancholia as the season’s excitement is over for another year. The parties have subsided, the relatives and guests have returned home, and it’s time to consider the year ahead. Starting with all those dreaded New Year’s resolutions, especially […]

A Shoebox Christmas My 88-year-old Mama’s eyes take on that far-away look when she tells this story from her childhood Christmases in Georgia. Her words transport me to a time when love and simple joys meant everything, especially for a sharecropper’s daughter whose family knew the meaning of “making do.” Every October, after the cotton […]

‘Tis the Week Before Christmas Ah, Christmas – that magical time of year where our credit cards get more exercise than we do, and the neighbor’s inflatable Santa stares menacingly into our bedroom window at 3 AM.  It’s when we all pretend fruit cake is an acceptable gift and convince ourselves that catalogs of matching […]

This month, we will be sharing your favorite Christmas stories.  Dear Gala Guru, Many Christmases past, our Grandparents came for Christmas dinner, and the entire family was up early getting the preparations underway. Our Grandfather wanted to help with the turkey, so we let him. We had the turkey stuffed and let him put it […]

Dear Gala Guru, My cousin’s wedding is turning into quite the scene, with kids under 12 reluctantly allowed but under strict conditions—one child per adult, max supervision, and absolutely no outside food, because her catering “aesthetic” must remain undisturbed.Here’s the kid’s menu: frozen mini pizzas, sugary drink pouches, crunchy cheese-flavored puffs, and generic soda, for […]