Holiday Hosting

Tis the season for Holiday parties. If you’re new to the game, we’ll let you in on a little secret… It’s not that hard.

No, really. Use this handy hosting guide, and you’ll be decking the halls in no time. We’ll help you plan the perfect Holiday party, one step at a time.

STEP ONE: Don’t invite the whole damn neighborhood.

Find out how many people your house can hold, and don’t invite more than that number. A fatal flaw of any party usually involves running out of food, places to sit, oxygen in the room, etc. Everything you plan for your get-together will coincide with the number of people you invite. So whether that number is big or small, just make sure it’s right for you.

STEP TWO: Figure out the food.

Even if everyone ends up arguing about politics or the Kardashians the entire night, as long as the food and drinks are delicious, your party will be considered a hit. When you plan your food menu, stick to the basics, and just turn them up a notch. If you plan on impressing your guests with fancy wines, you might want to take a look at our food pairings guide.

To save yourself some stress, work in a few appetizers that can be taken care of ahead of time, like dips and charcuterie plates. This way you can greet your guests from your front door, and not from an overcrowded stovetop.

STEP THREE: Drinks are of utmost importance.

We suggest creating one signature cocktail for the night. Make it something festive, and ideally, something you can prep the day before. This delicious Holiday Sangria should do the trick. Also, plan to have an assortment of beer and wine on hand, as well as soft beverages. Need help figuring out how much to buy? Give our handy dandy drink calculator a whirl.

One huge time saver that will make you feel like the King or Queen of Holiday Hosting is Drizly. With this super simple app, you can schedule all of your beer, wine, liquor and soft drinks to be delivered right to your door, eliminating the need for any last minute trips to the liquor store. And you can use all the time you save to do some pre-party cleaning or cooking, or maybe just kick back and relax. You’ve certainly earned it!   

STEP FOUR: Decorate & celebrate!

The great thing about the Holiday season is chances are your house is already decorated. Checkmark! And when it comes to table decorations, you can find everything you need right on the tree in your living room. Lay a couple strands of garland along the center of your serving table, and place a festive ornament in the garland every 6 inches or so. Nobody will notice your tree is any more bare, but your table will look merry and bright! In the hours before the party, make sure all of your glassware is out and polished. Once you finish prepping your food and cocktails, throw on some Mariah Carey Christmas music, because it’s time to party!

Cheers!