Planning a stress-free party
 During the hectic holiday season, one thing most people look forward to is attending parties.
Getting together with others to relax, let loose, and enjoy good food and drink can be rejuvenating -- but when you’re hosting a holiday event, you often end up missing out because you’re running around.
Being a good host is a tough balancing act, but there are things you can do beforehand to make sure you spend less time fretting and more time enjoying the party. Eva Ingvarson, Resident Party Expert at Evite, a website featuring free interactive invitations, event planning tools and party tips, shared five tips with CTV.ca for hosting a get-together you can enjoy -- and your guests won’t forget.
Do the dirty work the day before
“Seasoned party planners will tell you that one key to party success is to do as much as you can the day before,” Ingvarson says. “That way, you can spend more time at the party with guests and less time in the kitchen sweating and swearing.”
Specifically, Ingvarson recommends you:
- Chop, mix and assemble ingredients in advance so you don’t risk mis-measuring or forgetting something. Store the ingredients in small bowls.
- For a dinner party, set your table the day before -- this can take longer than you’d think, and it’s one less thing to do right before guests arrive; and
- If you have room on your kitchen counter, line up the serving pieces and corresponding utensils in the order food needs to be served in advance. That way, you can get food from the kitchen to the table with minimal stress.
Be festive without breaking the bank
“Christmas parties tend to be fancier affairs than the usual house party, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy a lot of expensive serving platters and other party supplies to dress up your holiday treats,” Ingvarson says. "Get creative by repurposing kitchen items you already have -- your guests will applaud your ingenuity, as well as the fact that you’re spending your money on the food instead of what you’re serving it on.”
Ingvarson’s quick tricks for fanciful plating:
- A cutting board makes a clever substitute for a cheese tray. Add a knife and small note cards to indicate the cheeses you’re serving;
- Fill a large salad bowl with ice, and use it to serve chilled beer, soda and bottled water. Place a decorative tray under the bowl to catch any condensation drips; and
- Dress up dessert by serving individual portions in martini glasses. Chocolate mousse, tiramisu, ice cream, even small cookies or truffles have never looked more sophisticated.
Christen a cocktail
“Choosing one signature drink before the party not only saves you from having to stock a full bar, it helps your holiday party stand out from the rest,” Ingvarson said. “For added flavour, give your drink a festive moniker, (such as) Christmas cooler, holiday hooch or mistletoe-tini.”
Get into the giving groove
“In the spirit of the season, encourage guests to make a donation to a charity (or charities) of your choice by putting a donation table in a low-traffic area, says Ingvarson. “On the table, place a bowl or covered box for donations, pamphlets about the charity, and pens and small envelopes so guests can contribute discreetly.”
Deck the halls with holiday detox
“Since holiday music starts blaring the day after Thanksgiving, come Christmas-party time your guests may have overdosed on good cheer and bad cookies,” Ingvarson says. “Give them a mini vacation from all that holly, jolly stuff with a tropical-theme fantasy vacation party -- deck your halls with floral leis, travel posters and holiday lights in flashy colors like orange, pink or purple; pop fruit chunks and paper umbrellas in colorful fruity drinks; and blast poppy, beachy music.”
www.evite.com
- Nicole Tomlinson
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