Ah, December, the season of dropping temperatures, mad-dash shopping and, of course, holiday get-togethers.

This week, HP hosted a small gathering of its own with 50 or so journalists at a holiday event that featured food, drink, music and a look back at some of the top products of 2016.

That's nice, of course -but the real lure for the members of the media who attended the Joy From HP party in San Francisco was a peek at the products that the company plans to announce next month at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The open space of the event featured displays and demos of products that made a splash this year -from PCs that redefined the premium category for their high-end design, to Millennial-friendly printers that can fit in a pocket. If they haven't seen them already, it was a chance for attendees to see them in action or take them for a spin.

For those still curious about the world of virtual reality, the team showcasing the OMEN X gaming desktop offered up a set of goggles for same VR game play.

Likewise, those who have yet to see the portable Sprocket printer in action, here was that chance.

But it was the small room over in a corner that filed with people eager to see what's coming next from HP. Once the journalists entered the special access Sneak Peek room, they were provided with executive interviews, photo opportunities and hands-on demos of some really great products, such as the... 
Whoa! I almost gave up the surprise...
There was definitely some cool stuff to see in that back room -but the details are under wraps until CES.
Like the anticipation building toward the big days of this holiday season, last night was all about building excitement around unveiling what HP will exhibit at next month's mega tech trade show.
We're less than one month away to CES. Let the countdown begin.