Planning a Holiday Party
Just as with any other event, planning a holiday party at your home, or at arestaurant or banquet hall is an exercise of creativity and organization.
Like all events, your holiday party can be as simple or as lavish as youwish.
Holding a party at your home can be a little easier on the wallet than arestaurant or banquet hall party.
When to hold the party depends largely on your guests schedules and need tobe taken into consideration when planning the time and day of your holidayparty.
Events welcoming spouses and significant others are best held on eveningsand weekends.
Events on a Saturday night tend to be more formal andlavish.
Planning a Home Holiday Party A Holiday party at your house can be a lot of fun.
It can also be prettystressful.
At-home holidays parties have a "warm and cozy" feel to them, and can makesocializing more comfortable and enjoyable.
Whether you serve brunch, lunch, dinner or cocktails, be sure the quality andtaste of the food and drink is superior; this will add considerably to the partyexperience.
When deciding who to invite, take into account the size of your place and thefact that some guests will probably bring a friend or two without asking you.
Doall your inviting at once so no one feels like they were an afterthought.
Try to make provisions for parking in advance.
If you will be allowing gueststo park on the lawn or in the back yard, let them know in your invitation.
Choose your finger snacks carefully.
Choose foods that complement each other.
Try setting a theme for the food in each room or on each table.
Allow 4 to 6 hothors d'oeurves per person.
Don't serve gooey, drippy sauces near expensive rugsor furniture.
Create items you can prepare in advance.
Select what you can make fromscratch, but don't be afraid to use takeout.
Also, a restaurant may be willingto fill your casserole dish with your favorite choice from their place.
Use shortcuts, like bagged lettuces for salads and bottled dressings.
Peoplefeel that they have to be the ones to make everything; it's not important whodoes, just that it's done.
Create a festive party atmosphere with decorations, scents and music.
Usescented candles or fill the house with a delightful aroma.
However, don't usescented candles at the dinner table.
No matter how pretty they are, you do notwant to mix the smell of one thing with what you're eating; it can throw off thewhole taste.
Choose your favorite music and have it playing softly in the background whenguests arrive.
Consider unplugging or removing your television if it's locatedin the party area.
Nothing spoils the interaction of guests quicker than a groupof people huddled around a television set.
A scented candle in the bathroom is a nice touch.
Leave an extra roll oftoilet tissue in easy view.
Consider removing all the chairs from the party area.
This will create moreroom for people to mingle.
Be sure to have plenty of hot coffee andsnacks on hand for late in the evening.
A coffee bar is a simple but eleganttouch.
Along with hot coffee, offer a bowl of whipped cream and an assortment ofliqueurs (Kahlua, brandy, rum) so guests can create their own coffee drinks.
If you choose to have alcohol served at your home holiday party, don't offera full bar.
Serve one specialty cocktail, and then offer wine and water.
Makefood available when the alcohol is served.
Hire a professional bartender toserve drinks.
Consider putting the alcohol away an hour or two before theconclusion of your party.
Have a back up plan for people unable to drive homesafely.
Note: The social host law, passed bythe New Jersey legislature in 1987, says that if one of your guests consumes toomuch alcohol and injures someone in a car accident after the party, the injuredperson can recover damages from you.
In some ways, the social host law runscounter to our natural impulse to please our guests.
As hosts, we want to begenerous; we want to have more than enough food and drink on hand, so that ourfriends will want for nothing.
But it is through this natural generosity ofspirit--and of spirits--that we might expose ourselves to lawsuits.
Whichever way you choose to go, -- keep in mind that if you do servealcoholic beverages, this could lead to some unpleasant, unsafe or litigiousconsequences: embarrassing or inappropriate behavior, unsafe driving, accidentsor claims of sexual harassment.
Avoid liability and keep workers safe by keepinga watchful eye for any over-indulgers and having designated drivers on hand ifneeded.
Be sure to serve non-alcoholic drinks as well Be sure to give yourself enough time to get ready.
You want to be able toshower, do your hair and put on a nice dress.
If you're working right up untilwhen your guests come, you're going to look as frazzled as you feel Restaurant and banquet hall parties A benefitwith the holiday season is that Christmas and holiday decorations are availablealmost everywhere you look, and if your event is being held at a restaurant, thefacility may already be decorated for the holidays.
Another benefit in hosting a holiday party at a restaurant or banquet halllicensed to serve alcohol is the availability of professional bartenders andwaiters that can monitor alcohol intake and politely cut off anyone theyperceive has had enough to drink.
Luncheons are typically less expensive than dinners.
Many restaurants offer anumber of party menus to choose from; i.
e.
, lower priced menus featuring lessexpensive foods such as chicken and pastas, or higher priced menus featuringentrees such as steak and shrimp.
Those plans including unlimited wine and beer are also considerably moreexpensive.
Because holiday parties are so popular, December is one of the busiest monthsof the year for the special events industry.
That means hotels, restaurants,caterers, D.
J.
s, entertainers, are running at peak capacity.
They book upquickly.
So if you are planning your holiday party during this time of year,extend your time-line.
Hint: Consider moving your Holiday party to January or February.
Facilitiesare in less demand and providers are able to be more flexible.
Plus, during themiddle of winter, people will welcome a chance to celebrate.
The holidays should be a festive and fun time, a time of good will and asmuch generosity as one can muster.
Like all events, your holiday party can be as simple or as lavish as youwish.
Holding a party at your home can be a little easier on the wallet than arestaurant or banquet hall party.
When to hold the party depends largely on your guests schedules and need tobe taken into consideration when planning the time and day of your holidayparty.
Events welcoming spouses and significant others are best held on eveningsand weekends.
Events on a Saturday night tend to be more formal andlavish.
Planning a Home Holiday Party A Holiday party at your house can be a lot of fun.
It can also be prettystressful.
At-home holidays parties have a "warm and cozy" feel to them, and can makesocializing more comfortable and enjoyable.
Whether you serve brunch, lunch, dinner or cocktails, be sure the quality andtaste of the food and drink is superior; this will add considerably to the partyexperience.
When deciding who to invite, take into account the size of your place and thefact that some guests will probably bring a friend or two without asking you.
Doall your inviting at once so no one feels like they were an afterthought.
Try to make provisions for parking in advance.
If you will be allowing gueststo park on the lawn or in the back yard, let them know in your invitation.
Choose your finger snacks carefully.
Choose foods that complement each other.
Try setting a theme for the food in each room or on each table.
Allow 4 to 6 hothors d'oeurves per person.
Don't serve gooey, drippy sauces near expensive rugsor furniture.
Create items you can prepare in advance.
Select what you can make fromscratch, but don't be afraid to use takeout.
Also, a restaurant may be willingto fill your casserole dish with your favorite choice from their place.
Use shortcuts, like bagged lettuces for salads and bottled dressings.
Peoplefeel that they have to be the ones to make everything; it's not important whodoes, just that it's done.
Create a festive party atmosphere with decorations, scents and music.
Usescented candles or fill the house with a delightful aroma.
However, don't usescented candles at the dinner table.
No matter how pretty they are, you do notwant to mix the smell of one thing with what you're eating; it can throw off thewhole taste.
Choose your favorite music and have it playing softly in the background whenguests arrive.
Consider unplugging or removing your television if it's locatedin the party area.
Nothing spoils the interaction of guests quicker than a groupof people huddled around a television set.
A scented candle in the bathroom is a nice touch.
Leave an extra roll oftoilet tissue in easy view.
Consider removing all the chairs from the party area.
This will create moreroom for people to mingle.
Be sure to have plenty of hot coffee andsnacks on hand for late in the evening.
A coffee bar is a simple but eleganttouch.
Along with hot coffee, offer a bowl of whipped cream and an assortment ofliqueurs (Kahlua, brandy, rum) so guests can create their own coffee drinks.
If you choose to have alcohol served at your home holiday party, don't offera full bar.
Serve one specialty cocktail, and then offer wine and water.
Makefood available when the alcohol is served.
Hire a professional bartender toserve drinks.
Consider putting the alcohol away an hour or two before theconclusion of your party.
Have a back up plan for people unable to drive homesafely.
Note: The social host law, passed bythe New Jersey legislature in 1987, says that if one of your guests consumes toomuch alcohol and injures someone in a car accident after the party, the injuredperson can recover damages from you.
In some ways, the social host law runscounter to our natural impulse to please our guests.
As hosts, we want to begenerous; we want to have more than enough food and drink on hand, so that ourfriends will want for nothing.
But it is through this natural generosity ofspirit--and of spirits--that we might expose ourselves to lawsuits.
Whichever way you choose to go, -- keep in mind that if you do servealcoholic beverages, this could lead to some unpleasant, unsafe or litigiousconsequences: embarrassing or inappropriate behavior, unsafe driving, accidentsor claims of sexual harassment.
Avoid liability and keep workers safe by keepinga watchful eye for any over-indulgers and having designated drivers on hand ifneeded.
Be sure to serve non-alcoholic drinks as well Be sure to give yourself enough time to get ready.
You want to be able toshower, do your hair and put on a nice dress.
If you're working right up untilwhen your guests come, you're going to look as frazzled as you feel Restaurant and banquet hall parties A benefitwith the holiday season is that Christmas and holiday decorations are availablealmost everywhere you look, and if your event is being held at a restaurant, thefacility may already be decorated for the holidays.
Another benefit in hosting a holiday party at a restaurant or banquet halllicensed to serve alcohol is the availability of professional bartenders andwaiters that can monitor alcohol intake and politely cut off anyone theyperceive has had enough to drink.
Luncheons are typically less expensive than dinners.
Many restaurants offer anumber of party menus to choose from; i.
e.
, lower priced menus featuring lessexpensive foods such as chicken and pastas, or higher priced menus featuringentrees such as steak and shrimp.
Those plans including unlimited wine and beer are also considerably moreexpensive.
Because holiday parties are so popular, December is one of the busiest monthsof the year for the special events industry.
That means hotels, restaurants,caterers, D.
J.
s, entertainers, are running at peak capacity.
They book upquickly.
So if you are planning your holiday party during this time of year,extend your time-line.
Hint: Consider moving your Holiday party to January or February.
Facilitiesare in less demand and providers are able to be more flexible.
Plus, during themiddle of winter, people will welcome a chance to celebrate.
The holidays should be a festive and fun time, a time of good will and asmuch generosity as one can muster.
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