Hollywood kicked off its award season this January with the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards. The ceremony, which is usually con­sidered the precursor and predictor of its slightly more exclusive cousin, The Academy Awards, was nonetheless filled with jaw-drop­ping dresses, famous faces and heartfelt congratulation for the film and television industries’ best and brightest.

As anyone who has ever listened to a thank you speech at the cer­emony can attest, the Golden Globes are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The HFPA was founded in the wake of Pearl Harbor, when the desire for war-time distractions was at an all-time high. A group of Hollywood journalists reporting from over­seas decided to unite for the purposes of communication and information shar­ing. The group held many formal events and luncheons, but eventually decided they should sponsor an award ceremony to acknowledge the talent of the time. Thus, the first Golden Globes ceremony was held in 1944 at 20th Century Fox. The tradition has continued, and now the show is one of the most anticipated events in Hollywood. But the Golden Globes are not just pure glitz and glam­our: revenues from the event are donated to several entertainment-based charities, programs and scholarships.

This year’s ceremony has been pulled apart and put back together by entertainment programs and maga­zines alike, so even if you didn’t get a chance to catch it live, you probably already know exactly what everyone was wearing, who they brought, what they won and how they felt about it. Just in case you missed it though, here are a few highlights.

Some might argue that the show peaks before it even begins: on the red carpet. Speaking of red, the color was everywhere, from Angelina Jolie’s scarlet-trimmed Atelier Versace dress to Reese Witherspoon’s crimson curve-hugging Zac Posen gown (the most impressive part be­ing her ability to walk in it). As usual (and much more exciting), there were also some style misses. Sarah Michelle Gellar’s tie-dyed gown looked like a bunch of camp counselors got a hold of a wedding dress, and Mary J. Blige’s tight-fitting frock turned into beloved Sesame Street character Mr. Snuffleupagus about halfway down.

As for the ceremony itself, comedian Ricky Gervais hosted, pok­ing fun at everyone, even Colin Firth. (“What you don’t know about him is that he’s racist. I also once saw him punch a blind kitten.”) However, some of the stars jabbed right back. After Gervais teased her for being “just like a virgin,” Madonna responded, “If I’m just like a virgin, Ricky, then why don’t you do something about it. I haven’t kissed a girl in a few years.”

Best Motion Picture Drama went to The Descendants, and George Cloo­ney snagged the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture for his leading role in the film. The Artist also took home a handful of awards, with the film snagging Best Score and lead­ing man Jean Dujardin taking home Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musi­cal. As for the ladies, Meryl Streep was awarded Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady and Michelle Williams took home Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Mu­sical for her role as Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn. For a full list of all the winners, you can go to the official Golden Globes website. If the Golden Globes left you hungering for more Hollywood, don’t despair. The 84th annual Academy Awards nominations were just released this Tuesday, January 24.

Contact Betsy Bloom at [email protected].