Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011

Tis the season for holiday party prep

Christmas Tree Wine Charm Set ($24.95, Pier 1 Imports).

 

Throughout the holiday season gathering with friends and family is a tradition. Whether it’s throwing a cocktail party for friends, hosting an evening meal for family, or gathering around the tree with hot cocoa and cookies, entertaining and the holidays go hand-in-hand.

As the countdown to Christmas winds down, being prepared ahead of time for large and small scale parties will not only benefit your guests, but you in role of the host/hostess as well. Investing in multi-functional and stylish entertaining pieces and tools will allow for more time spent conversing than diverting as you try to hand out drinks or plate desserts.

Depending on the party or gathering you plan to host, these items and ideas will not only add effortlessness to your duties, but style, too.

Cookie Exchange

Cookies are essential during the holidays. If you love to have a collection of sweet treats on hand and spending time with fellow foodie friends, hosting a cookie exchange is a great way to celebrate the season. To host one in style and with ease for everyone involved, stock up on colorful boxes and platters, and plan the event ahead of time with a kit.

The Holiday Cookie Exchange Kit ($7.99, World Market) has everything you need to throw a stellar cookie bash. Loaded with invitations, recipe cards, bakery bags, gift tags, award stickers and I.D. tags, the kit organizes the essentials for the event. Invite friends to bake a dozen cookies in accordance to the number of people in attendance as well as a dozen to sample. At the party, display the cookies for everyone to taste test and invite friends to bring recipe cards along with their cookies to swap among attendees.

For a festive touch, display the collection of baked goods on colorful, themed platters such as the Kaleidoscope Square Platter ($9.99, World Market) and place the I.D. tags and/or recipes next to them. When it’s time to pack up the treats, enlist bakery bags, a Winter Solstice Large Gift Take Out Box ($4.99, World Market), or a few Ginger & Spice Pastry Take Out Boxes ($5.98 set of two, World Market) to make transportation easy.

Cocktail Parties

A fun way to gather with friends and family is to host a cocktail party - it doesn’t require a full meal and is a enjoyable way to spread some holiday cheer. To throw one in style, create a list of colorful cocktails to feature during the party and prepare a small menu of finger foods and appetizers for guests to munch on.

It’s easy to get caught behind the bar making drinks during a party, to cut down on too much time spent with the shaker, enlist a punch bowl instead. A classic design such as the Glass Punch Bowl ($49.99, Pottery Barn) not only looks modern but can hold more than a gallon of liquid. By making a large batch of one spirited concoction, such as Candy Cane Martinis or Jingle Juice, attendees can serve themselves with ease and you can spend more time circulating.

Another time-saving entertaining essential during a cocktail party is an automatic wine opener. Instead of fighting with stubborn corks, the Brookstone Automatic Wine Opener ($19.99, Bed, Bath & Beyond) is a battery operated device that makes uncorking easy, and with one charge it can open approximately 150 bottles.

And, if you want a festive way to dress up stemware, invest in a Christmas Tree Wine Charm Set ($24.95, Pier 1 Imports). Guests can pick a colorful ornament ball from the glass Christmas tree and place it around the stem of their glass, allowing them to keep track of their glass throughout the evening.

Family Gatherings

If having the entire family over for dinner and gift swapping is how you celebrate the season, entertain the entire crew using festive serve ware. Plan a menu in advance and utilize multi-tasking tools to make hosting a holiday gathering a breeze.

Prep food in advance and employ a buffet system if you’ve invited a lot of guests. Stock up on the Two-Tier Serving Platter ($24.95, Pier 1 Imports) and Tasting Party Starter Set ($24.95, Pier 1 Imports) which allows guests to sample finger foods fast and keep the line flowing. Combine the sets to display food at multiple levels and to keep sauces or seasonings from intermixing. The simple white stoneware will also pair well with festive platters like the Christmas Tree Rectangular Platter ($24.95, Pier 1 Imports) or Kaleidoscope Square Platter ($9.99, World Market).

To create a cheerful tabletop, add a set of Jingle Bell Canapé Knives ($12.95, Pier 1 Imports) to the mix and enlist the Golden Tree Place Card Holders ($19.95 for set of four, Pier 1 Imports). Use the card holders to highlight the names of traditional dishes, or as a seating suggestion for guests around the dinner table.

These items can be found at the following local retailers:Bed, Bath & Beyond, 2400 Coastal Grand Circle, Myrtle Beach. For more information, call 839-2915, or visit www.bedbathandbeyond.com. Pier 1 Imports, 1101 Seaboard Street, Myrtle Beach. For more information, call 448-7883, or visit www.pier1.com. World Market, 1144 Seaboard Street, Myrtle Beach. For more information, call 448-6064, or visit www.worldmarket.com.