Holiday Hosting Tips
The holiday season is in full swing, and you know what that means: spending time with loved ones, toasting to a new year, and of course, hosting holiday parties. Hosting a holiday party doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking. Whether you’re hosting the entire family or just a small group of friends, we put together a list of tips to help you channel your inner hostess and throw the holiday party everyone will be talking about for years to come.
Who doesn’t love to be greeted with a drink when they first arrive at a party? Create a signature cocktail, like our Orange Cider Mimosa made in partnership with woman-owned juice company Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice. See below for the recipe.
Ingredients
- 6 oz orange juice
- 4 oz apple cider
- 6-8 oz Une Femme sparkling wine
- 2 tbsp melted caramel sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Freeze-dried apples for garnish
Instructions
- Take the rim of the glass and dip into melted caramel sauce.
- Coat the rim in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- In a small pitcher combine the orange juice and apple cider. Stir well.
- Divide between 2 glasses and top with Une Femme sparkling wine.
- Garnish with freeze-dried apple slices, and enjoy!
Of course, having a non-alcoholic beverage option is excellent for children and those who don’t drink alcohol. Some of our Hall of Femme Nominees are spearheading the non-alcoholic beverage movement, including companies like Ghia, Moment, Current Cassis, Agua Bonita, and Avec Drinks.
Set the mood
Setting the mood is essential to making sure the vibes are just right. We love vinyl records, but a bluetooth speaker will do the trick. Might we suggest these Spotify playlists inspired by our Betty & Callie wines?
We’re obsessed with Otherland and Hotel Lobby Candle, both woman-owned companies that create some of the most unique and alluring candle scents.
Prep ahead of time
We cannot emphasize this point enough. Prep what you can ahead of time for a seamless cooking experience the day of. Things like pie crusts, salad dressings, casserole dishes, and most desserts can be prepared ahead of time. Of course, keeping in mind mise en place - everything in its place - will help with prepping food. This means having veggies chopped, ingredients measured out, and spices ready to go for easy assembly.
Make snacks accessible
Hopefully your guests are coming hungry, so keep the snacks ready. Whether you go with simple bowls of ready-made snack mixes or a perfectly curated charcuterie board, your guests will be thankful for a few small bites before the big meal.
We put together this blog post with some of our favorite woman-owned meats, cheeses, and other treats perfect for a charcuterie board.
Designate a place for coats
Don’t be the person that just piles people's coats on your bed. Help your friends avoid looking through an awkward pile of coats at the end of the night and have a designated space for them ready to go. Make room in your front closet/entryway, or invest in a coat rack. Your friends will be impressed with your eye for detail.
Have a game ready
A fun party game makes a great conversation starter for new friends and brings people together for some fun conversation and competition. We love the Kinn Conversation Cards for year-round party fun.
We hope these simple tips will help you host the perfect, stress-free holiday gathering this year. Check out our other blog posts with Best Holiday Party Hostess Gifts and Our Favorite Holiday Accessories.