Oh what fun it always is to party at Paige and Tilman Fertitta's River Oaks home. The surroundings are stunning, the food stellar and the cause always a worthy one. Case in point was Thursday night's Santa's Elves cocktail fete benefiting the M.D. Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital.

The weather was perfect for outdoor partying on the vast terrace and there we found Santa's Elves founders and the evening's honorary chairs Patsy and Greg Fourticq, Gregory Fourticq Jr., Diane and John Connally III and Courtney Hill Fertitta and Jason Fertitta. This marked the fifth year that the event has raised funds for the children's center.

More than 150 cocktail-attired guests mingled throughout the house that was totally decked out in Christmas splendor, thank you Richard Flowers and The Events Co., which draped the fireplace mantels, the banisters and several Christmas trees with glittering holiday decor. Guests also filled their plates at the cocktail buffet table where samplings from Landry's premier restaurants were offered.

Helping raise more than $30,000 were evening co-chairs that included Kelli and Eddy Blanton, Nell Frances Connally and her brother John B. Connally, Kristen and Lee Nix, Ashley and Lance Loeffler and Soraya and Scott McClelland.

Even though it was a busy night with at least three other fundraisers scheduled and the party saints only know how many private parties, the turnout was impressive. Add Anne Mendelsohn, Dr. Raymond DuBois, Frann Lichtenstein, Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff, Sheridan and John Eddie Williams, Rose Cullen, Liz and Tom Glanville, Melissa and Michael Mithoff and Nicole and Greg Eidman to the mix.