Ease into Holiday Entertaining

Make party planning easier during the most wonderful time of the year.
By Kimberly Cambra

Ah, the holidays. Nothing like them to make you feel more pressure than usual, spend more money than you need to and overindulge the feedbag to emotionally offset that pressure and spending. When it comes to holiday entertaining, play it smart, get yourself a game plan and a budget that you can stick to. It’s been a turbulent year and you deserve to enjoy the special things that are meaningful to you like your family, friends and home. Entertaining allows us to celebrate those things that are important in our lives and make special memories in the process. If you find yourself hosting a holiday gathering you may want to consider some of the following suggestions to make your own holiday home more enjoyable to you, because you deserve it!

Here’s a little secret—plan a gathering on a Sunday afternoon—it is the most cost effective way to go, especially if you are hosting an open house because you really don’t have to serve a dinner to your guests. Open house gatherings are typically from 1 to 4 pm, so most guests will be home in time for dinner. Another pro with Sunday afternoon get-togethers is that you can offer a lighter menu such as appetizers and sweets. You can make the task of cooking even easier if you know where to buy well made prepared food items like a specialty deli, gourmet shop or Wegmans, which offer a plethora of items on their catering menu. Appetizer trends right now are black and bleu meatballs, Asian lettuce wraps, mini crab cakes and chicken satay. For desserts, cupcakes are still rule when considering an easy to bite treat. Devil’s food cupcakes with a peppermint bark frosting will leave a good taste in your guest’s mouth before heading home. Fork-free foods allow the guests to enjoy the sampling without having to sit down to eat. How many times have you gone to a reception where the hors d’oeuvres were free flowing but you never thought twice about the need for flatware as you stood still and trays of food were being butlered? The devil can be in the details and should be in the cupcakes…so keep it simple.

In the spirit of spirits for your bar, keep that simple too. Create a signature sparkler for all ages and punch it up with a flirty adult beverage you can make by the batch. Home entertaining does not require a full “Mad Man” stocked bar.

Here’s a recipe to add the perfect sparkle to your menu:

Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail
5 oz sparking wine or champagne
½ ounce of pomegranate liqueur
Orange twist

To add glitz and glamour to this cocktail, freeze cubes of pomegranate seeds and ginger ale in a tray. Make cubes a day ahead of time.
This beverage can be prepared individually or by the pitcher for the ease of allowing your guest to serve themselves. Use two bottles of champagne to ½ cup of pomegranate liqueur. For younger partygoers just use ginger ale and pomegranate juice.

As for decorating, you’ll find evergreens are the easiest way to bring the outdoor season indoors and the piney fragrance is a plus too. Simply cut long and short branches from your yard or stop by a nursery that sells Christmas trees and ask for the tree trimmings. Purchase a couple bouquets of white or red flowers like carnations and some metallic branches from a craft store. If you’re uncertain about color for florals and candles, you can never go wrong with tea lights. Poinsettias strategically placed are great for impact in front of the fireplace. But the best aspect of hosting an afternoon soiree is you get your house back by Sunday night with plenty of time to vacuum, wrap and toss the remnants of the party. Wishing our readers of Bucks & Montgomery Living the very best of the season for your home, your community and your life!

Forkfully yours, Kimberly.