Dear Eric: I have an etiquette question. For background, I went through a very difficult period in my life where my friends really showed me what a chosen family is, they saved me when I was completely on my own.

For Christmas I always have a Christmas dinner, where I make everything on my own, and make dinner for my close group of friends. For me this is my family dinner.

Given that, I make dinner, and it’s fully by my own hands. How do I politely tell people when they ask if they can bring a friend that no, they cannot?

I understand it sounds rude for me to say this family dinner is because my friends saved me, but I am making dinner for everyone, and it isn’t a party, it’s for my family. I know the holidays can be hard and sometimes people don’t have family to be around, but I also d

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