Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners

Elegant Chaos: Why Old Money Never Has a Perfect Christmas


Listen Later

For the final episode of the season of Awkward Etiquette Old Money and New Manners, Auntie Kiki invites you into the most intimate setting of all: the floor by the Christmas tree, wrapping gifts imperfectly and talking you down from the holiday panic spiral. This conversational season finale explores why old money traditions never revolve around a perfect Christmas and why elegance, confidence, and connection matter far more than flawless décor or curated aesthetics.

In this holiday etiquette episode, Kiki breaks down the modern obsession with getting Christmas "right," from symmetrical trees and pristine tables to carefully chosen outfits that are technically appropriate but completely forgettable. She explains why old money has always rejected perfection, not out of rebellion, but out of wisdom. Perfection is fragile, exhausting, and one spilled drink away from collapse, while confidence thrives in imperfection.

Listeners are guided through old money holiday style, including why wearing the wrong thing to a Christmas party is often the most elegant choice. From hunting jackets over velvet dresses to pearls paired with dog walking boots, these outfit choices create narrative, signal inherited confidence, and eliminate the anxiety of trying to impress. Old money fashion, Kiki reminds us, is about story over spectacle and presence over performance.

The episode also dives into old money Christmas parties and entertaining etiquette, where chaos is not a failure but a feature. Real candles, questionable wiring, overcrowded guest lists, and unpredictable moments are what transform gatherings into lasting memories. These imperfect holiday parties work because they allow people to relax, laugh, and connect without fear of things falling apart.

Gift giving etiquette takes center stage as well, with Kiki unpacking why old money never suffers from gift anxiety. Instead of branded, over explained presents, old money gifts reflect continuity and life in progress. Think homemade jam in reused jars, books no one asked for, mysterious brass objects, and stockings filled with oranges, loose sweets, and forgotten pocket treasures. These gifts aren't curated. They are contextual, personal, and quietly confident.

This season finale of Awkward Etiquette is a warm, witty reminder that true elegance during the holidays comes from resilience, shared stories, and emotional ease. Old money Christmas isn't about perfection. It's about connection, memory, and allowing imperfection to do its most important work.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New MannersBy Kiki Astor

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

65 ratings


More shows like Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners

View all
The Wellness Mama Podcast by Katie Wells

The Wellness Mama Podcast

3,942 Listeners

The Sporkful by Dan Pashman

The Sporkful

3,952 Listeners

How to Decorate by Ballard Designs

How to Decorate

837 Listeners

Awesome Etiquette by The Emily Post Institute

Awesome Etiquette

662 Listeners

Business of Home Podcast by Business of Home, Dennis Scully

Business of Home Podcast

439 Listeners

Were You Raised By Wolves? by Nick Leighton & Leah Bonnema

Were You Raised By Wolves?

1,740 Listeners

Dear Alice | Interior Design by Alice Lane

Dear Alice | Interior Design

1,511 Listeners

Bendy Bodies with Dr. Linda Bluestein by Dr. Linda Bluestein

Bendy Bodies with Dr. Linda Bluestein

226 Listeners

The Jen Fulwiler Show by Jen Fulwiler

The Jen Fulwiler Show

1,620 Listeners

Lipstick on the Rim by Sony Music Entertainment

Lipstick on the Rim

1,046 Listeners

Be My Guest with Ina Garten by Food Network

Be My Guest with Ina Garten

964 Listeners

The Martha Stewart Podcast by iHeartPodcasts

The Martha Stewart Podcast

478 Listeners

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus by Lemonada Media

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

11,416 Listeners

Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production by Ariel Okin

Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production

44 Listeners