Food, mistletoe, cake, gifts, and of course, Santa! What’s not to love about Christmas parties? If you are prone to stressing out in the lead up to these get-togethers, these holiday entertaining tips will ensure smooth sailing:
- Decide on a colour palette before you shop for your Christmas décor. Red and green is your safest bet.
- Gold is an integral part of the magic of this season. You can use gold candles, glasses, plates, napkins and paper décor.
- Skip the flowers and work with leaves instead. Simple palm leaves or fern in transparent vases with some jute twine will give your décor a rustic feel.
- Aromatic candles in fragrances such as cinnamon, pine and berries are just ideal for the season.
- What is prettier than a Christmas tree with twinkling fairy lights? You can deck your tree with ribbons, ornaments, message cards -there’s no single style of decorating it.
- Deck the halls with some paper décor. Add some extra sparkle with hanging paper decorations like silver foil stars and globes.
- Who wants to wash the dishes after the party? No one. A smart way to entertain is to address the aftermath in advance. Use disposable tableware for easy clean-up. Use statement making pieces like Santa-shaped plates and reindeer-shaped cups along with paper napkins with festive patterns to bring the Christmas spirit to the dining table.
- You can dress up your tables with simple centrepieces such as pinecones in a trough or a wreath with a stout candle in the centre.
- Mix real glassware and ceramic pieces like trays, platters, and ice buckets with disposable plates to cut down on the cleaning while keeping the look elevated.
- Mix and match homemade food with store bought or take away items to ensure you are not stressing too much in the lead up to the party.
- Cheeseboards are a great option. You can use different kinds of crackers and exotic fruit preserves to make it more interesting.
- Hot chocolate is the perfect drink for winters. Serve them in thematic (reindeer) cups. This is sure to be a hit with kids and adults too.
- Make a s’mores snack mix by mixing some marshmallows, chocolate chips and cereal. It’s a perfect snack to munch on and goes well with the hot chocolate too.
- Plan a group activity for the kids such as making Christmas cards, or elaborate ones like decorating cookies and gingerbread houses.
- A self-service bar is a great idea. Make batches of cocktails in advance that guests can just pour over ice. This way the drink tastes as you intended, and guests aren’t required to play bartender.
- Make fun ice cubes with cranberries, pomegranate seeds and rosemary for special cocktails.
- A good Christmas playlist will keep the party going and will add to that holiday cheer. So be sure to make a Christmas playlist in advance. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” by Andy Williams, “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande “Last Christmas” by Wham! are definite crowd pleasers.
- You can create your own version of Christmas-themed Pictionary or Taboo to play as the drinks get passed around.
- Have some favours for the guests to take away as a reminder of the wonderful time everyone had. You can have crackers for the kids filled with stickers. For the adults you can have hot cocoa jars with handwritten notes.
- Plan a Secret Santa. You can let the guests know about it when you send them the invite. Have a large basket for guests to put their presents in as soon as they arrive. You can enjoy the gift exchange later in the evening.