During the holiday season, hosting a party is a great way to bring your loved ones together to celebrate the happiest time of the year. Whether you’re gearing up to throw your first-ever holiday party or you’re a seasoned vet, the party-planning process can be stressful and even overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.
To continue our celebrations, we’re sharing some of our top tips for hosting the holiday party of your dreams. Prepare to pop the champagne and get into the festive spirit!
Plan the Perfect Menu
One of the most essential components of any great holiday party is the food. When planning your holiday party menu, it’s important to keep guest count in mind and incorporate a well-balanced mix of foods. For example, you wouldn’t want to plan a menu consisting of only rich, fried dishes that would leave your guests feeling groggy.
Plan out a balanced spread that includes hors d'oeuvres to kick things off (you can never go wrong with a colorful charcuterie board), cold salad, hot side dishes, an eye-catching entrée, and a mouthwatering dessert to finish off the meal. Be sure to take your guests’ dietary needs into account when planning the menu.
Looking for more holiday recipes? Find them here!
Elevate Your Holiday Decor
While you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on brand-new holiday decor and table settings, a few small additions will go a long way in elevating your event and wowing your guests. Our Mistletoe 2-Tier Porcelain Etagere is the perfect way to serve holiday cookies or hors d'oeuvres. If you plan on serving a side salad with the meal, consider serving it in our Mistletoe Porcelain Serving Bowl to make a bold statement.
By adding just a few simple elements that stand out in a beautiful way, you can easily transform your holiday party into an extravagant event to remember.
Feature a Signature Cocktail
While serving a signature cocktail (or mocktail) is not a requirement, it’s a fantastic way to impress your guests and make your holiday party stand out. Choose a holiday-inspired cocktail recipe that you love and whip it up ahead of time so guests can serve themselves throughout the evening. Need some inspiration?
We love Wynn Las Vegas mixologist Mariena Mercer Boarini’s version of a spiced hot toddy, inspired by the classic but with a refreshing twist. Here’s how to make it at home:
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Bulleit Rye
- 1 oz St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur
- ½ oz lemon juice
- 1 oz gingersnap spiced honey
- 4 oz hot water
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a Michael Aram Rock Glass. Stir and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
- To make in bulk, simply multiply the ingredient amounts by the number of guests in attendance and store the cocktail in a slow cooker on the warm setting throughout the party.
Prepare a Festive Playlist
Whether you plan on sticking to holiday tunes or want to switch things up with some moody jazz music, be sure to select the perfect playlist ahead of time. Keep in mind that the music you choose will set the tone for the evening, so make you choose accordingly based on the vibe you want at your holiday party.
We hope that these tips for hosting the perfect holiday party have provided you with the inspiration you needed to throw your best event yet this season. Happy holidays!
