Elizabeth Dehn - HER LIFE Magazine

fine thingsRinging in The Seasonwith Spectacular Style:Throwing an UpscaleHoliday PartyBy ch andra BlackwellDeck the halls with boughs of holly!'Tis the season to be . . .Hurried. Stressed. Overloaded. Any number of these less-thandesirableadjectives that have come to be associated with whathas been referred to in song as “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” How,then, does the holiday season manage to maintain its sterling reputation?Well, for one thing, there are theparties.holiday parties, when they’re doneright, provide an oasis of relaxation thatallows us to temporarily escape ourholiday stresses (Will the gift you orderedon Amazon for your mother-in-law arriveon time? Will your niece’s favorite colorchange—again—before you’ve finishedthe scarf you’re hand-knitting for her?Will your credit card disintegrate in yourhands after the millionth swipe?).Whatbetter gift to give your friends and lovedones?and what better way to give such agift than to make it an elegant, upscaleaffair? “Ugly sweater” parties and whiteelephant gift exchanges certainly havetheir place in the realm of memorableholiday traditions, but why not up theante a little and give your friends an36 HERLIFEmagazine.comopportunity to dress up and make aspectacular evening of it? Here are somekey considerations that can make yoursparkling holiday fete a success.DécorWhether you’re hosting a holidayparty in your home, or renting a spacefor the evening, you’ll want your venueto reflect your impeccable taste. Asa general rule, less is more when itcomes to elegant décor, so simplicity iskey. Think crisp and clean over frilly,solids over patterns, and a single color(creams, golds and silvers work wellat holiday time) over garish red/greencombinations. You might even start witha blank slate, removing all current décorfrom the room before creating your partyatmosphere.Food and Beveragesif there’s one element of yourholiday affair you plan to delegate tosomeone else, this may be it. Dependingon how many people you’ve invited toyour fete, fussing over food could detractfrom your enjoyment of the party. Evenif you prepare the food yourself, considerhiring or recruiting help (perhaps fromyour cousin’s college-age daughter whoneeds money for next semester’s books)to pass appetizer trays, offer drinks andkeep the buffet table stocked once theparty has started. Like the décor, the foodshould be simple yet elegant as well,whether it’s an array of gorgeous horsd’oeuvres or a full-scale, sit-down dinner.It can be fun, however, to slide in asubtle but fun “surprise” for your guests,such as miniature pigs-in-a-blanket, orHostess Sno Ball snack cakes.