‘Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the house, not an undressed guest partied with this rapper’s spouse.
Jewelry designer and wife of rapper LL Cool J, Simone I. Smith, is the host of ‘Sismas,’ a holiday tradition that she has thrown for herself and her friends for over a decade.
According to The New York Times, Ms. Smith named the celebration after Christmas, but with a little twist. “Sis” represents her initials as well as the sisterhood between all the female guests who have been invited to her party over the years.
After skipping her party in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the pandemic, Ms. Smith resumed the tradition last Friday night with 56 of her loved ones at the Lake Success home of Revital and Ronny Seliktar, a partner of her jewelry company.
This year’s theme was “Regency Meets ‘Around the Way Girl,’” a concept surrounding Shonda Rhimes‘ Emmy-nominated drama Bridgerton, and her husband’s 1990 hit about girls from his Queens hometown.
View this post on Instagram
“Something about ‘Bridgerton’ mixed with hip-hop fashion is so timely,” said the 49-year-old stylist, Misa Hylton.
“As soon as I heard the theme, I called up my tailor MJ in Brooklyn,” Ms. Richardson, 60, said.
The attendees shared grace before dining from a menu that included oxtail, sweet potato casserole, garlic mashed potatoes, and collard greens.
Later that night, guests were met with a performance by Grammy-winning violinist Miri Ben-Ari, before enjoying a talent show that featured a rendition of the hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” a performance of the song “I’ll Take You There” and a three-person dance act that combined a waltz of sorts and a hip-hop routine.
View this post on Instagram
The guests brought in the next morning dancing to music played by D.J. Mary Mac, before participating in the Sismas white elephant gift exchange, passing around their wrapped gifts of about $150 in value.
The celebration continued for some of the guests at an after party at Ms. Smith‘s house.
The 56 guests of Sismas 2022 included Love & Hip Hop producer Mona Scott-Young and Justine Simmons, an author and the wife of Joseph Simmons (Rev. Run of Run-D.M.C.).