WV Executive

The holiday season is fast approach­ing and you’re planning an event at the office and a holiday cocktail party at home. Are you ready? It’s never too early to start planning a fantastic holiday get-together with family and friends.

The Budget

Before planning the event of the century or a low key evening with family and friends, you need to determine how much you can or want to spend. An entertaining party can be put together on a shoestring budget or the sky can be the limit. A suc­cessful event is not based on the amount you spend, but what kind of thought and detail go into the planning.

You're Invited!

As the holidays draw closer, the mail carrier’s bag becomes heavier with invita­tions and cards. It’s important to set your invitation apart from the rest, so that it will pop out from all the other mail. The invitation is the first thing your guest will see. “The invitation sets the tone for the event,” says Alex Franklin, of Alex Franklin LTD. “It gives people a pre-con­ceived notion of the event.” According to Franklin, you should allow at least three weeks when ordering specialized invita­tions. With quality laser printers, one can produce their own invitations for a fraction of the cost in little time—but the quality might not be perfect.

It is always best to list a RSVP on the invite. It allows the host to plan accord­ingly with the amount of food and drink that need to be purchased. As the invitee, it is always polite to call if there is a RSVP. Nothing is worse than not knowing who or how many people are coming to the party. Bringing a nice hostess gift is always an appropriate gesture, such as a gourmet food item that your host and family can enjoy during the holiday season. A thank you note sent to the host after the party is also a nice thought to show how much you enjoyed the gathering. A party host always likes to hear that their guests had a memorable time.

Getting Into the Spirit

The holidays are a perfect time to host a fabulous get-together. Your house is already decorated for the holiday season,, so other than a few extras you’re all ready on your way to a festive party! About two weeks out is an excellent time to do an inventory of what you already have and what what still needs to be purchased. Keep decorations simple whether they are elegant or whimsical.. Candles of different shapes and sizes go a long way when decorating. Using in-season foliage such as poinsettias can also produce a festive setting as well. Beautiful pine around door frames or up a railing is an easy way to accent your home and it gives off a wonderful holiday scent. Bright colored ornaments in different shapes and sizes in glass bowls or hanging from the mantle or windows with wide ribbon also make for a colorful display. Light music in the background is a wonderful way to add ambiance to any party. A great holiday CD to add to your musical collection is Now That’s What I Call Christmas! The Signature Collection, by various artists such as Jimmy Buffet, Elton John, Mariah Carey, Tom Jones and many more. Another wonderful CD that will bring you back to yesteryear is Christmas with the Rat Pack featuring Christmas favorites from Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.

The Menu

The biggest question when hosting an event is: how much food and drink do I need? A good rule of thumb is to have seven to nine hor d’ourves options with 2–3 pieces per person. If serving a ham or turkey plan on a half a pound per person. Keep your food simple and stick to things you’ve made previously. The day of the party is not a good time to start trying out an elaborate new recipe from a gourmet magazine. Any dish or prep-work that can be done a day ahead of time should be done. The day of the party is always hectic, so go ahead and cut up the vegetables or make a dish that can be stored in the refrigerator until the party begins. When planning the bar, purchase alcohol according to the length of the party. It is safe to plan three drinks per person for the first hour and one drink for each hour after. Serving a fun signature drink, such as an apple martini can only add to the festivities. It is always a good rule to plan heavy appetizers when serving hard alcohol. Make sure to have plenty of alternative drinks for those designated drivers in the crowd.

Let the Party Begin

The guests have arrived, now try to relax and enjoy the evening. Your friends and family have come to spend time with you, not watch you work from the kitchen. Save the cleaning of the dishes until after guests have gone home. Make sure you do a periodic check of the bar and food table to refresh items if necessary. And finally, mingle! It will keep the party moving and will make your guest feel welcome. At the end of each event—most will re-member the details, not how much you spent. Music playing in the background, a creative invitation or a special toast given at the party are the moments and memories everyone will remember.