Elf Movie Party 2023

(Press play, then read.)

Congratulations! If you received this link directly from me, then you are on my 2023 Nice List! It’s been a crazy year for me: leaving Dell Technologies after 8 years to study quantum computing and more AI, building Vizias with my friend Luke, growing the Austin Forum on Technology & Society, speaking in and emceeing conferences, building an Austin AI consortium, buying a bar, and much more… I’m ready for Santa and I’m ready to see Elf with my friends who helped me survive and thrive this year!

For the newbies: every year I treat some people in Austin who made my Nice List to an event involving the movie “Elf” that encourages reminds us of the Christmas spirit (in a very human, non-denominational way): to be nice and spread cheer to everyone. To all of you: I say thank you for being wonderful people, and I look forward to sharing this event with you. This event is all about the big picture of Christmas (giving, being nice, family/love, etc.) so it’s especially fun with friends. And there will be a few little surprises in addition to the movie… I hope this event will help you share and spread even more Christmas cheer to the people in your lives throughout December!

This year’s event will be on Thursday, December 14 at Violet Crown Cinema at 7:30pm. I’ve paid for the theater, so it’s just us for some fun and games. I do hope you will join us earlier in the lobby bar though (I’ll be there by 6pm!) for some conversation and cocktails before the movie events begins.

While Buddy reminds us of the three rules of Christmas and we will adhere to those, we also have three additional event-specific requests for sustaining maximum Christmas cheer. Please:

1. Arrive before movie start time, not after it has started (7:30). Meet in the lobby bar. I know a few of you have to be late due to other obligations, but everyone else please try to join us early.
2. Do not have conversations during the movie that lessen the experience for others around you! Quoting and singing along in the Elf Movie Party are encouraged, but don’t be a cotton-headed ninnymuggins. Don’t make me transfer you to my 2023 Naughty List. Don’t make make me send you to stay with the South Pole elves.
3. Let me know if you have to cancel for any reason. There are more people who are on the Nice List than I could fit into the theater, so we’ll miss you but we’ll make sure someone else gets a hug!

A few more details:

• Please wear something Christmasy if you can
• There is parking in the garage above the movie theater! You can park on the second level and walk easily to the movie theater entrance without using stairs or elevators
• There are no props that the staff have to clean up afterwards, unlike past years at Alamo. But there is quoting and singing as much as you would like, and a littel pregame quiz to kick things off…
• Afterwards, we are having a having Christmas Pops Video Bingo at Trifecta on 3rd, led by the master of entertainment himself, Henri Mazza (who actually started the Elf movie parties at Alamo!). There is no obligation to join, but it’ll be very Christmasy and the boozy eggnog is amazing.

To help us all get into the spirit in advance, please share your favorite “Elf” quote in the comments and/or share another Christmas movie that gets you into the Christmas spirit!

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