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.

Vampires are back—but in 2025, they aren't sleeping in coffins. They're chairing the board, running the estate, and freezing you out of the conversation with a polite smile.

In this episode of Awkward Etiquette, Kiki Astor dissects the ultimate social archetype: The Old Money Villain. Drawing from her novel Scarlet Fever and the terrifying "Sangren" family, Kiki explores why we are culturally obsessed with wealthy monsters (think Succession, The White Lotus, and The Perfect Couple) and why the scariest people aren't loud—they're just insulated.

If you've ever felt frozen out by high society, intimidated by a boss's silence, or exhausted by the "Eat the Rich" discourse, this episode is your survival guide.

Tune in to learn:

• The Anatomy of the Monster: Why Old Money villains don't use force, but "continuity," to maintain power.
• The "Eat the Rich" Trap: Why shame doesn't work on the ultra-wealthy, and how to replace outrage with structural literacy.
• Etiquette as Risk Management: Why exclusion isn't usually about snobbery—it's about equilibrium (and how to make yourself "legible" to the elite).
• The Economics of Emotion: How to use "The Power of the Pause" and manage your emotional labor like a currency.
• The Outsider's Mistake: Why trying to mimic the "Ice Queen" backfires, and the difference between powerful silence and petty contempt.
• BONUS SEGMENT: Dressing the Part. How to adopt the Old Money Villain aesthetic—using clothing as armor without looking like a costume.

Whether you are navigating a difficult dinner party or just want to understand the psychology behind the "Quiet Luxury" villain, this episode will teach you how to borrow their composure without losing your soul.

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Scarlet Fever by Kiki Astor
• The psychology of Succession & The White Lotus
• Navigating toxic social hierarchies
• Strategic silence and emotional boundaries

Subscribe to Awkward Etiquette for your weekly dose of old money secrets and new world manners.

Step into the holidays with old-money elegance, unbothered poise, and a velvet-lined sense of humor in this special episode of Awkward Etiquette with Kiki Astor. In this Holiday Social Survival Guide, Kiki shares the discreet, never-spoken-aloud strategies that generational families use to glide through December gracefully—even when surrounded by chaos, questions, poorly behaved relatives, and peppermint bark they did not ask for.

This episode covers 30 old-money-coded micro-manners, including:
• Holiday dressing secrets (two uniforms, heritage prints, effortless grooming)
• How to look polished even when you're unraveling internally
• Family boundary scripts that deflect intrusive questions with elegance
• Hosting shortcuts that create the illusion of serenity without actually cleaning
• Old-money entertaining tricks (lighting, cocktails, atmosphere over effort)
• Emotional etiquette, including the Sacred Exit, the 20-Minute Rule, and choosing your "holiday alter ego"
• Crisis fixes for bad hair, bad moods, and bad conversations

Perfect for listeners searching for holiday etiquette tips, hosting hacks, family gathering survival guides, old money lifestyle advice, quiet luxury holiday ideas, and anyone who wants to enter the season looking chic, sounding calm, and preserving their dignity at all costs.

If you want the holidays to feel easier, prettier, and significantly more glamorous—this is your essential December listening.