You may not want to think about it just yet. You are probably in denial that it is only three months away. But one thing is certain – Christmas is lurking just around the corner.
The festive season brings with it a myriad of parties which is great when a pile of invitations appear on your doorstep, but a nightmare when you are the one that has to organise them. Therefore, in association with Penniblack catering, we have come up with 12 top tips to help take the stress out of organising your Christmas party.
1. Start to plan your event in September or October to avoid disappointment. Book your chosen caterer and venue in advance as Christmas is a very busy time for everyone and before you know it your event is right round the corner.
2. If you are making a lovely winter hot pot for your party, ensure to cook it the previous day, as that way all the flavours marinate together, the meat tenderises, and the overall taste is much more powerful.
3. Think about the Christmas colour scheme – reds, greens, golds, silvers, oranges. Complimentary flowers like holly, sprayed ivy, berries. Book your flowers well in advance as the florists often run out of stock on the day. If you are making the food yourself, get some extra sprigs of holly, and Christmassy flowers to garnish your canapé platters.
4. Lighting is very important. I like to use little tea lights around the tables, complimented with red, orange and yellow rose petals. You could also use Church candles of different heights, tied together with Christmassy ribbon and sprigs of holly, as a very effective centre piece or even on a mantle piece. Scented candles are wonderful for achieving a warm welcoming feeling on arrival.
5. For a seated dinner, again it looks lovely if you tie red and green ribbon, along with a sprig of holly, around your napkins.
6. It is nice to offer a welcome drink for your event. A winter punch on arrival is very popular. I suggest Pimms, with warm apple juice, cinnamon and cloves, or alternatively a cool fresh Kir Royale. I like to garnish my virgin cocktails with brightly coloured edible flowers.
7. Always get your alcohol on a sale or return basis, that way you can over order, and be confident you won’t run out of anything. Remember you cannot return open or damaged bottles.
8. Allow for around 3 – 4 glasses per head, when planning your glass hire. Your guests will undoubtedly put their glasses down, forget about them, then grab another full drink
9. If you want to offer your guests a substantial meal but don’t have the capacity to seat them all, or it isn’t in the budget with all the necessary equipment hire costs, then bowl food is a very popular choice. Small rice bowls filled with mini meals, like ‘roast turkey, tiny roast potatoes, sage and onion dumplings and Madeira jus, or little brie cakes with salad and cranberry sauce to name a few. Allow 3 per head, and accompany with 5-6 canapés for the best effect. If you feel the dessert bowls are too filling you could opt for some sweet Christmas canapés like Hot Christmas pudding, with brandy sauce, served on a spoon, or shot glasses filled with hot chocolate fondant and Chantilly cream.
10. I love to wow my guests with a finishing touch of a sprinkle of edible gold on top of my dessert canapés.
11. My perfect venue for Christmas would be an old listed building with open fireplaces, situated somewhere very central to all my guests.
12. Trying to come up with a unique Christmas present for a loved one? A selection of 100 canapés delivered to your home?
Guest blogger: Charlotte Pennicard http://www.penniblack.co.uk
No matter how unusual or special your reason for a party or event, The SaVVy Club® offer a bespoke service that caters to your every need. We can arrange flowers, transport, catering, stationery and music. Simply get in touch to discuss your important occasion and we’ll get to work designing your bespoke event right down to the last detail.
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London Social Events Blog -The SaVVy Club 