Planning Creative Holiday Parties
By Lillian Vernon
(ARA) - You're invited . . .are always
popular and welcome words around the holidays. If
you're like me, you love to host a party. But
if you're a hostess with the leastest
amount of time, a party is a lot of work.
Entertaining requires considerable planning and
preparation because there are so many things to do.
Think about the parties you've attended and
what made them special. Was it the food, guests,
laughs, decorations, ambience? The parties I liked
best were the ones that touched me in a personal
way. A special party creates lasting memories
for you and your guests. No matter who is on the
guest list, the basics of organizing a party are
almost always the same. What's different is how
you customize the details. Here are my tips to
get you started:
* Make a master list of what must be done a
month, week and day in advance and don't forget the
day-after cleanup.
* Decide what kind of menu you want as far ahead
as possible and whether you want a sit-down
dinner or a buffet. Think about every course from
hors d'oeuvres, to appetizers, salads and
dressings, breads, entrees, vegetables, desserts and
beverages. Always include some healthy and
low-calorie selections. Prepare and freeze whatever you
can, so you don't have to do it all in one day.
Home baked cookies and brownies can be stored in
tins; roasts, cooked the day before, can be
served cold. Nibbles like crudits can be chopped
and stored in plastic bags in the refrigerator.
Order specialty items from the florist, butcher and
bakery, and extra chairs and tables in advance.
* Buffets are usually easier than sit-down
dinners. Avoid anything that can spoil when left out
for hours. Utensils and napkins should be
available everywhere there is food and drink. Tie
silverware and napkins together with festive ribbons
and a candy cane. Buy paper napkins with fun and
witty sayings or personalized with your name or
initials on them. Decorate tabletops with
spray-painted gold pinecones, holiday ornaments and
candles.
* Make or buy plenty of ice cubes and place them
in a large galvanized tin bucket decorated with a
big red ribbon. Using food coloring, make
festive red and green ice cubes. To cut down on
misplaced glasses and wasted beverages, buy holiday
wine charms for every glass. For coffee or tea, use
colored sugars or rock sugar stirrers instead of
regular sugar.
* Before the party starts, place cloves, cinnamon
and orange peels on a baking sheet in the oven.
Set on a low temperature for an hour; the
heavenly aroma will fill your house for hours. Mull
spiced cider in a large pot on your stove for a warm
winter drink with a holiday fragrance.
* Make your guests feel welcome from the instant
they arrive. Line the driveway with luminarias
and decorate the front of your house and lawn to
set a celebratory mood. Place a guest book at the
front door for expressing sentiments.
Family Parties
Ask guests to bring a family photo to make a
personalized ornament for your tree. Childhood
photos make great place cards for a sit-down dinner.
Begin a family album, highlighting favorite
recipes, anecdotes, pictures, and memorabilia.
Include a family tree with small pictures.
Parties For Neighbors
Enlist at least two outgoing guests to help you
make introductions. Instead of gifts, organize a
future neighborhood activity where everyone can
pitch in such as a spring planting, a summer block
party, an Easter egg hunt, or autumn leaf raking.
Give gift certificates of time to each other,
offering to shovel snow in the winter, take care of
pets while someone is vacationing, or baby-sit a
newborn so parents can have a night out.
Parties For Co-workers
Organize a "Secret Santa" giveaway or ask
your guests to bring funny gifts for a grab bag.
Holidays are a good opportunity to meet the
families of co-workers. Plan activities that allow
everyone to mingle and learn more about each other.
Ask guests with special talents to entertain. An
aspiring magician can perform magic, someone who
has a great voice can read "A Christmas
Carol", and someone who likes to sing can lead the
caroling.
The goal of a holiday party is to put everyone in
a festive mood and set the tone for the coming
year. With advance planning and preparation, the
host will be relaxed and everyone will have a good
time!
For more festive party ideas, visit
www.lillianvernonproducts.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
EDITOR'S NOTE: Lillian Vernon is the founder of
the Lillian Vernon catalogs and
www.lillianvernonproducts.com.
