Euphemistically Speaking

(Top Left: Eric Klotch, Sheila Erimez, Anthony Gregario and Kate Motter; Top Middle: Megan Tillmann DiBattista and Matthew DiBattista; Top Right: Tyler Hart and Lauren Krzynowek; Bottom Left: Marguerite Beiser and TJ Connelly; Bottom Middle: Wilfred Hirst, Megan Howard, Cornelius Peterson, Emily Bulger, Lauren Roslanowick, Brian Duffy, Elizabeth Chang, Jonathan Bulger, Meghan Sullivan and Sean Sullivan; Bottom Right: Jae Young Cosmos Lee, Megumi Stohs Lewis, Diane Cataldo, Sarah Darling, Annie Rabbat and Robyn Bollinger) 

The Winter Ball began 70 years ago as a debutante party for Boston Brahmins, but it’s since evolved into a more inclusive holiday hoedown for ragers of all ages, although the demographic does skew toward young’uns home for vacation and looking to reconnect with their prep school friends.

Held at the Park Plaza, the evening raised money for Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and self-conducted orchestra A Far Cry. It also attracted bon vivants and bright young things such as the literarily named Kyle and Greg Hemingway Dickinson, newlyweds Juan Uribe Rubio and Jill Krupp de Uribe, her equally gorgeous sister, Liz Fish, with the absurdly handsome Mike, Beacon Hillion Miguel de Braganca and the magnificent Ty Sinnett, theatrical impresario Steve Maler and his smoldering other half, Tony Liquori, the ever-delightful Eleanor Riley, ubiquitous do-gooder Camilo Gutierrez and his gorgeous bride, Gabriela Santos, the elusive Joseph Gordon Cleveland, fashionista extraordinaire Chynna Pope, handsome shutterbug Pierce Harman, North Shore nabob John Rando, the statuesque Christina Townsend, Haitian hipster Jean-Marc Nelson, the aptly named Jason McCool and one guest who said, “If that girl’s dress was any shorter, it’d be a scarf.”

Alex Donner and his orchestra kept things hopping on the dance floor, while the bartenders tried to keep up with the thirsty hordes and everyone compared plans for the holidays. (Not surprisingly, Palm Beach was mentioned repeatedly.)

The evening’s funniest remark: When asked why he wasn’t dancing, one man responded, “I only like to waltz horizontally.”

Right Next to the Gulag of Wayland

(Left: Joyce Duvall and Chris Evans ; Right: Ann Murphy, Chris Evans and Molly Dolan) 

A snowstorm couldn’t stop Captain America from making it to Fenway Park for the Celebrity Hometown Team Night benefiting Christopher’s Haven, a charity that provides housing for families visiting Boston for cancer treatment.

Held at the EMC Club, the event attracted Sudbury-bred Hollywood heartthrob Chris Evans, along with co-host and Red Sox manager John Farrell and his gorgeous wife, Sue, comedian Tony V and Mix master “Fast” Freddy Murphy (who emceed), Bruins legend Cam Neely, the organization’s founder, Dan Olsen, America’s Got Talent contender Micah Christian, Shanghai import Ben Duvall, blond bombshell Nancy Eckersley, Faneuil Hall honcho Carol Troxell, yoga goddess Mary George, financial bigwig Diana Knightly, brunette babe Sheri Rosenberg, diehard Red Sox fan Brita Meng Outzen and one woman who lamented the rise of the lumbersexual, saying, “My boyfriend’s beard is so out of control that when he comes home, I can see what he ate for lunch.”

In addition to the surreal scene of snow piling up on the infield, there was a Q&A and a sumptuous dinner buffet, and guests were welcome to take selfies with their favorite celebrity. The most popular seemed to be beloved Red Sox mascot Wally, who worked the crowd like a politician from Southie and prompted one man to comment, “Dude, Wally’s hitting on your wife.”

However, the funniest remark came from a woman who lives in the western suburbs and said, “Sudbury? I call it Sudberia.”