It is hard for many of us to believe that the holiday season is right around the corner. I think it is because we have had such amazing weather this fall.

But time to face winter – the North Shore mountains are sprinkled with snow, the rain is falling in buckets and the temperature has definitely dropped. As much as we might miss long summer evening’s barbequing and dining outdoors, there is something magical about “party season.” We dress up a little more than usual, make a greater effort to see friends and family, and, of course, decorate our homes in anticipation of all the fun we are going to have between now and New Year’s Day!

Here are a few ideas to make your life a little smoother when planning your holiday get-together:

•    A successful party is all about the planning. When creating your menu consider the dishes and serving pieces you will need. Consider how this food will be presented and the tables you will be placing it on. Use serving pieces of varying heights and create height by placing dishes on top of boxes either beautifully wrapped to complement your décor or hidden beneath draped fabric. By planning the presentation in advance you will have time to improvise or go shopping to find what you are missing.

•    Get help. If you’re having a large dinner party or cocktail party, taking on the full job yourself could be overwhelming and detrimental to your enjoyment of the evening. Assign tasks like bartending or coat check to people you can rely on or hire staff for the evening. Remember, if you are tense your guests will be too!

•    When planning your menu for a cocktail party, pick a combination of hot and cold food items. Always keep in mind the food should taste good cold as inevitably it will be. Don’t try to make everything yourself – there are some great ready-made appetizers available and it really is all about the presentation. One of the best Christmas parties I was at last year was hosted by a woman who truly understood this concept. She readily admits she doesn’t cook and every time I complimented her on an appetizer she leaned over and whispered, “Costco – freezer section.” It is also a nice idea to have some of your hors d’oeuvres served to guests – try to keep these to bite size!

•    Instead of serving cocktails all evening, set up a self-serve bar with ingredients for a couple of signature drinks, recipes printed out on cards and the appropriate glasses already garnished. Always have a plan to ensure guests get home safely.

•    Décor. It is easy to transform any home into a beautiful party location with correct lighting, fresh flowers and lots of candles. Start by dimming the lights – I like to put all lights in my home on dimmer switches including the bathrooms, front hall closet and exterior lighting. For all others, replace bulbs for the evening with a 25 watt bulb. Place candles inside crystal or cut glass for extra sparkle. Use large bouquets of single colour flowers combined with greenery for impact and fresh scent.

•    Plan your music – use an MP3 player or run the music thru your computer so you can create a special play list for the entire evening. Keep in mind your guests’ likes and dislikes. Increase the volume of the music as more guests arrive and voice levels rise.

Above all else, remember to have fun – greet your guests warmly and sincerely and don’t worry about the mess until the last person has left!

Have a great holiday season and a Happy New Year.

Copyright North Shore Magazine Issue Dec 06 - Jan 07