It’s getting to be Wellesley Cotillion time, and all junior and senior high school students in Wellesley should have received their invitations to the December 13th event via snail mail by now. A tradition since the 1940s, Cotillion is a winter formal dance and possibly the first black-tie event these young people will attend.

For the next month, all the talk is sure to be little more than endless permutations of Cotillion. I remember my own days of high school dances when a young lady’s hoped-for date would simply mumble a “wanna go” in the cafeteria line while you were both waiting for pizza. You were seriously impressed by the way he somehow managed to get right next to you in line. Amazing. How could you say no?

Nowadays, the date requests can be as elaborate as one-act plays with the young men seemingly trying to out-do one another. There’s plotting and scheming and timing and a support staff of friends to help coordinate it all. Seems like there is hope for the new generation. Or they are teaching us. Or “kids today!” Pick your cliche. Just don’t look to them for the ordinary, this tribe of originals.

There’s even a Facebook group where the girls post pictures of the dresses they’ve bought, are thinking about buying, or have bought and decided to return, but don’t even think of trying to spy on the sartorial doings. It’s on serious lockdown with privacy settings even Mark Zuckerberg can’t crack.

If you didn’t receive your invitation, don’t worry, you’re not the neglected prince or princess in some cruel fairy tale. Just go to your fairy godmother (which in this case means the Cotillion website), and your invitation wishes shall be granted.

Have fond memories of your own Cotillion days, or just want to support the event with a donation? Send contributions to Wellesley Cotillion, Attn: Lana Peta, 30 Park Avenue, Wellesley, MA 02481