Winter 2007 USAA.com Magazine

Food
Drinks
Invitations
Decorations
Tips
■ Fresh popcorn sprinkled with
Parmesan cheese and black pepper
■ Bean or artichoke dip with chips
or fresh veggies
■ Mini grilled-cheese sandwiches
Total: $25
■ Iced tea
■ Pitchers of ice water with fruit
■ If you serve alcohol, go cheap.
You can’t afford to spend more
than about $15 on it.
■ Free e-mail invites
(Try evite.com,
hallmark.com,
bluemountain.
com, or other
e-card sites
you like.)
■ Work with what you have. Take a
mirror off your wall, place it on a
coffee table, and cover it with candles
of all sizes and shapes, says Stacie
Krajchir, a lifestyle/trend expert.
■ For a holiday theme, pile ornaments
or miniature pumpkins in glass
vases or bowls.
Tip: Instead
of putting sliced
asparagus, celery,
and carrots flat on
a tray, stand them
up in a pretty bowl.
Put a shallow dish
in the center to
keep them upright.
Total: $10–$25
Total: $0
Total: $0
■ Chilled asparagus spears with lemon
dipping sauce
■ Mini quiches
■ Oven-roasted tri-tip (about $40 for
6 to 7 pounds) or glazed baked ham
(about $50 for 6 to 7 pounds) with
dipping sauces or salsas
■ Mixed nuts tossed with butter,
salt, and pepper and roasted in a
450-degree oven for 10 minutes
Total: $150
■ Herbal iced tea garnished
with fresh mint sprigs
■ Sparkling water with
lime slices
■ Expect your beverage
budget to double —
up to about $60 — if
you choose to serve
alcoholic drinks.
Total: $30–$60
■ Buy boxed invitations
at a discount
store. Plan
to spend
about $10
in postage.
Total:
$20
■ Float white
tealight candles
in pretty bowls, and
color water with a few drops
of food dye.
■ Place colorful feathers, rather than
pricey flowers, in vases and decorate
tables with feather boas. Get feathers
and boas at craft shops, floral
supply stores, and Web sites such as
createforless.com, floraltrims.com,
and plumesnfeathers.com.
Total: $15-$20
Tip: Use small
picture frames
bought at discount
stores to display the
names of beverages
you’re serving. Just
put a frame in front
of each pitcher or
punch bowl to identify
its contents.
winter 2007
17
usaa.com
■ Steamed edamame (soybeans) tossed
with salt and sesame seeds
■ Marinated olives
■ Baked brie and sourdough baguette
■ Layered bean-guacamole-salsa dip
■ Green salad sprinkled with goat cheese
and dried cranberries
■ Seafood lasagna
■ Do-it-yourself pound cake
bar with a variety of
toppings
Total: $250
■ Sparkling cider punch
■ Fruit-blend teas garnished
with fresh fruit slices
■ Fruit juice “mocktails”
(For an elegant touch,
serve iced white grape juice
and club soda in cocktail glasses.)
■ Coffee (regular and decaf)
■ Remember: Alcoholic or specialty
drinks could cost $100 or more.
Total: $50–$150
■ Create your own
invitations using
brightly
colored paper
or card stock
and your printer.
Remember to budget
for postage!
Total:$25
■ Drape tables
with bolts of
brightly colored
fabrics (unfinished
is fine).
■ Create a table
runner with low
vases filled with small
bunches of flowers.
■ Place a vase of large flowers
(try lilies) in a focal point.
Total: $50–$75
Tip: Remnants
go for as little as
$2 to $3 per yard
at fabric discount
or outlet stores.
■ Stock for a sleepover.
Let guests know you’ll have
places for them to sleep. To
be extra safe, ask for their car
keys when they arrive.
■ Stay off the streets.
Keep phone numbers of taxi
services available and have
designated drivers on hand.
■ Make it a single.
Premix the drinks before
the party to save on cost
and to make sure your
guests limit the amount of
alcohol they consume.
■ Play it straight.
Have as many nonalcoholic
drinks as alcoholic ones, if
not more.