An Expert's Quick-Fire Party Strategy: Stress-Free Hosting for Spontaneous Guests
During the holiday season, when there's plenty going on that the most vivacious individuals may sometimes long for a quiet respite of the new year, it is very simple to forget details. I expect I cannot be the only person who's ever been startled back to reality at work because of a message from a friend asking, "What time should we come over tonight?" Don't worry; whether you are distracted, or just prone to impromptu plans, I've got some solutions.
The Golden Rule to Great Parties
Firstly, though I cannot emphasize this enough, if you've been planning for months or only a short while, the best parties are the easiest. All everyone expects are engaging talks, a drink to enjoy, and enough food that guests do not end up gnawing their arm during the ride home. If you're not you're throwing a lavish ball, no one anticipates a full bar, gourmet catering or entertainers.
The most successful parties tend to be the easiest. Still, a concept is useful to mask the reality you've only thrown the party together on the way home from work.
Picking a Style to Focus Your Shopping
Nevertheless, an overarching idea can be useful to hide that you have only put the party together while returning after work. And by theme, think of something like a seasonal celebration. Going a bit focused (Swedish-style festivities, for instance, with glögg, warm beverage, cured seafood plus crispbreads, Scandinavian music selection; alternatively Latin American celebration, including ponche navideño, chilled brews and margaritas, and heaps of tortilla chips, spicy sauce & guacamole, and festive music on the stereo) helps direct the selection during the necessary supermarket sweep.
Strategic Shopping for Your Party
In the store, pick one or two beverages (an alcoholic option for drinkers, one not in case others avoid alcohol) and a few appetizers suited to the theme, and buy as much of them as you can afford, rather than worrying about providing a wide selection. No thing looks as generous and cheerful as plenty – I would consistently rather to be welcomed with a container filled with chilled bottles with affordable bubbly than a small serving of swanky champagne. (Chuck in some bags of ice, too; you'll find seldom enough ice.)
Cocktails and Punch Simplified
If you feel the need to show off and provide a mixed drink, then mix in advance a sizable amount in a container so you're not left messing about with preparation when you should be socializing. Once underway, ask a significant other or friend to watch the drinks then replenish as necessary until it's finished. Apply the same with the alcohol-free option; people love to be given a role during gatherings so they may experience a share of goodwill.
On the punch front, whichever recipe you go for (there are many via search), avoid any recipe excessively sweet – children present need separate beverages – and should you have one, put a bottle of bitters within reach (don't add them in the mix since they're inappropriate for individuals who do not consume drinks altogether). Take care with how it looks so that the non-alcoholic option isn't perceived unimportant; it only takes a short time to cut some slices of fruit for garnish.
Snacks That Work With Minimal Preparation
Personally, I recommend passing on the readymade trays with "party foods" that appear in supermarkets seasonally; they seem overly complicated, and usually involve turning the oven on (if you must do this, know that all guests quietly favors herb bread or mini sausages regardless). I'm convinced nothing beats two really big bowls with good-quality snacks (plain salted pleases everyone), plus, provided there are no dietary restrictions, some of those large and economical packets of mixed nuts available in the international aisle at the market, and maybe a few pitted olives as a garnish (you don't want to discover pits in your pot plants next Easter).
If, like my mum, you think chips real food, a single big slab of tasty cheese on a board with crackers plus beautifully placed fruit often appears visually appealing. A platter with some salted or prepared salami or salmon laid out there (just one sort, except if you have a large budget), alternatively an attractive pre-made pie, of the type that appear on deli counters seasonally, is more filling, while you truly can't go wrong by serving rustic slices of focaccia, since they don't need additional preparation.
