Holiday & Entertaining

• Entertaining

• Party Themes

Entertaining

• Make fresh berry ice cubes to keep your drinks cold. Fill a standard ice cube tray half full with distilled water and allow it to freeze. Remove tray from freezer and place a single berry on each cube. Fill top half of tray with more distilled water and freeze.
   
• Garnish your beverages with colorful drink umbrellas.
   
• Garnish the table with an edible centerpiece. Slice a cantaloupe or honeydew in half. Cut a small piece off the bottom to give it stability. Insert fresh fruit kabobs into the melon.
   
• Use fun, inexpensive sheets of fabric for a tablecloth.
   
• Purchase a disposable camera to capture special moments throughout the day.
   

Party Themes

• Casual Wine Tasting Party (For Beginners)
  
  
• Limit the number of guests to 8-10 people, so everyone can sample each bottle of wine.
• Select 3 white wines and 3 red wines. Choose wines to compare different varieties of grapes.
• Chill white wine for 30-60 minutes before serving. Red wine should be served at room temperature.
• Have at least 3 clear crystal wine glasses per person. Serve red wine in glasses with large bowls. Serve white wine in smaller glass. Keep variety of hors d'oeuvres and beverages.
• While sampling the wines, have water, crackers, and bread available to clear the palate.
• Use The 5 S's of Wine Tasting
      Sight - Judge the appearance of the wine.
      Swirl - Stimulate the release of the bouquet.
      Smell - Notice the aroma of the wine.
      Sip - Allow the wine to linger on your taste buds for a moment.
      Savor - Combine the previous steps and evaluate the wine.
• After the wines have been sampled, serve a variety of hors d'oeuvres and beverages.
  
  
• International Cuisine Party
  
  
• Ask guests to bring their favorite cuisine. Choose from Chinese, Italian, Thai, Greek or whatever cuisine they like.
• Guests can prepare the food themselves or purchase it from a restaurant.
• Discuss what everyone is bringing beforehand, so there is a variety of food.
• Serve dinner buffet-style
  
   
• Dessert Party
  
  
  • Cover the table with an elegant tablecloth.
  • Decorate the room with fresh flowers and candles.
  • Use china, crystal, and silver. Set the table with dessert plates, platters, cake pedestals of varying heights, champagne glasses, silverware, and napkins.
  • Prepare your own desserts or place an order with your local bakery. Choose desserts with varying texures, flavors, and colors.
  • Label each dessert on the buffet table with the name of the dessert and a brief description.
  • Arrange trays of fresh fruit between the desserts.
  • Serve champagne, light wine, coffee, tea, and sparkling water.