Felicity Cloake's Quick-Fire Party Strategy: Simple Entertaining for Spontaneous Visitors
In the busy season, while there's plenty going on that the most vivacious individuals may sometimes anticipate the quiet break of the new year, it is all too simple to overlook details. I expect I'm not the only one who has ever been startled back to reality at work because of a message by a friend asking, "What time should we come us tonight?" Don't worry; whether you're absent minded, and simply prone to spontaneous gatherings, I have your back.
The Secret to Great Get-Togethers
Firstly, though I cannot emphasize this sufficiently, if you have organized for a year or just a short while, the greatest events tend to be the most straightforward. All everyone expects is a good chat, something to enjoy, and sufficient nibbles that guests don't feel like gnawing something during the ride back. Unless you're Jay Gatsby, nobody anticipates professional bartending, Michelin-starred catering or a live band.
The most successful gatherings are the simplest. Still, a theme is useful to cover up the fact you've only thrown the party on while coming after a long day.
Choosing a Theme to Focus Your Shopping
That said, a theme works well to conceal the fact you have only put the party on while returning home from work. By concept, I mean something like Christmas. Getting slightly more specific (Scandinavian Christmas, say, featuring mulled wine, aromatic cocktail, fish snacks and flatbreads, Nordic beats playlist; or Latin American celebration, with ponche navideño, cold beers and margaritas, and plenty of tortilla chips, spicy sauce & avocado dip, and Luis Miguel on the stereo) will focus your options during the necessary shopping trip.
Smart Shopping to Support The Event
While shopping, pick a couple of drinks (one alcoholic if you drink, one not for others avoid alcohol) and a few nibbles that fit the style, then buy as many as possible, instead of stressing over offering guests a wide selection. Nothing looks more abundant and as festive than a bounty – I would always rather to enter by a sink full of chilled bottles of reasonably priced bubbly than a small serving with expensive champagne. (Include some bags of ice, as well; there is never enough ice.)
Beverages & Large-Batch Drinks Simplified
If you feel the need to show off and serve a cocktail, make sure to mix in advance a large batch in a jug so that you're not stuck messing about with preparation when you should be enjoying yourself. Once the party begins, ask a close friend or volunteer to monitor it then refill when needed until it's gone. Follow suit for the alcohol-free option; people love to have a task while socializing allowing them to enjoy the positive vibes.
On the punch front, whichever mix you pick (you can find plenty via search), avoid anything overly sugary – children there need kid-friendly options – and if you have one, plonk flavor enhancers nearby (don't add any into the punch since they're inappropriate for people abstaining from alcohol altogether). Make an effort with how it looks so that the alcohol-free drink doesn't seem neglected; it only takes a short time to add several pieces of fruit to the punch.
Snacks That Shine Without Fuss
For me, I'd skip the pre-made assortments with "party foods" that pop up in supermarkets during the holidays; they come across as overly complicated, and often involve using the oven (if you choose to do this, be aware that all guests secretly favors garlic bread and/or mini sausages anyway). It's my firm opinion you can't beat two large dishes of tasty crisps (simple is universally liked), plus, provided there are no dietary restrictions, one of those great-value containers with nuts typically found in the South Asian section in stores, along with a few olives without stones for colour (you don't want to still be finding pits in odd places next Easter).
In case, like my mum, you don't consider snacks real food, a single sizeable chunk of tasty cheese on a board with crackers and some elegantly arranged fruit often appears painterly. A serving dish featuring salted or prepared meats or fish displayed on it (a single variety, unless money is no object), alternatively a nice ready-made pie, of the type that appear at delis during festivities, is even more substantial, and you truly won't fail by serving rustic chunks of Italian bread, since they don't need spreading butter.
