Drinks and decorations
Drinks on the house
Skip that bartending course and dazzle your guests with some tasty concoctions that can be whipped up in seconds. "Most cocktails can be made in 30 seconds," says Michael Fagan, the Matchmaker for the LCBO's Food & Drink magazine. "Half the battle is presentation."
Focus on serving two cocktails throughout your party so that you don't have to spend a fortune on liquor or purchase various styles of glasses. From www.martiniclub.com, Fagan recommends a drink called the Cinnamon Supper: to a highball glass filled with ice, add 1oz Navan, 1/2 oz Goldschlager and 5 oz apple cider. Garnish with a crisp apple slice.
Ready-to-pour beverages are all the rage and can save you time. Try Mott's Clamato Caesar. Or try Party-A-Go-Go, a chocolate martini packaged in an easy-to-pour box. Most importantly, don't let guests take over your bar as "you have a social responsibility as a host to control the situation," says Fagan. Check out www.lcbo.ca for more hosting tips or www.webtender.com for more drink recipes.Trim the halls
Inspire your guests to burst out singing "Deck the Halls" by filling your home with a festive aroma via a homemade potpourri. Bib suggests boiling a pot of water with cinnamon, cloves and a sliced orange about a half hour before guests arrive.
Stay in and decorate your home the night before your party so you're not tied up with last-minute attempts to pretty up your home when company arrives. If you're planning a buffet-style spread, Bib offers this suggestion: "Use an organza overlay (or sheer material) on top of your table cloth and place a few strands of fairy lights underneath. Once lit, and the overhead lighting dimmed, these lights will look very festive." For other decorating ideas, buy plastic holly berries at a local craft store to place on napkins or buy a decorated miniature tree to set at the center of the table.
Though my mom still wakes up in a bit of a tizzy on party-hosting days, she's calmed by a set table and a well-stocked bar so solicit help to get important tasks like these done early and everything will fall into place.
Keep the festive spirit alive during party preparations by giving yourself plenty of time to finish all the tasks needed to create a holiday wonderland. When you've planned well, you'll feel relaxed and be able to enjoy the company of your guests.
Page 2 of 2
Skip that bartending course and dazzle your guests with some tasty concoctions that can be whipped up in seconds. "Most cocktails can be made in 30 seconds," says Michael Fagan, the Matchmaker for the LCBO's Food & Drink magazine. "Half the battle is presentation."
Focus on serving two cocktails throughout your party so that you don't have to spend a fortune on liquor or purchase various styles of glasses. From www.martiniclub.com, Fagan recommends a drink called the Cinnamon Supper: to a highball glass filled with ice, add 1oz Navan, 1/2 oz Goldschlager and 5 oz apple cider. Garnish with a crisp apple slice.
Ready-to-pour beverages are all the rage and can save you time. Try Mott's Clamato Caesar. Or try Party-A-Go-Go, a chocolate martini packaged in an easy-to-pour box. Most importantly, don't let guests take over your bar as "you have a social responsibility as a host to control the situation," says Fagan. Check out www.lcbo.ca for more hosting tips or www.webtender.com for more drink recipes.Trim the halls
Inspire your guests to burst out singing "Deck the Halls" by filling your home with a festive aroma via a homemade potpourri. Bib suggests boiling a pot of water with cinnamon, cloves and a sliced orange about a half hour before guests arrive.
Stay in and decorate your home the night before your party so you're not tied up with last-minute attempts to pretty up your home when company arrives. If you're planning a buffet-style spread, Bib offers this suggestion: "Use an organza overlay (or sheer material) on top of your table cloth and place a few strands of fairy lights underneath. Once lit, and the overhead lighting dimmed, these lights will look very festive." For other decorating ideas, buy plastic holly berries at a local craft store to place on napkins or buy a decorated miniature tree to set at the center of the table.
Though my mom still wakes up in a bit of a tizzy on party-hosting days, she's calmed by a set table and a well-stocked bar so solicit help to get important tasks like these done early and everything will fall into place.
Keep the festive spirit alive during party preparations by giving yourself plenty of time to finish all the tasks needed to create a holiday wonderland. When you've planned well, you'll feel relaxed and be able to enjoy the company of your guests.
Page 2 of 2
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