Felicity Cloake's One-Hour Party Strategy: Stress-Free Hosting for Spontaneous Company
During this busy period, while there's so much happening that the most vivacious individuals may occasionally look forward to the calm break in January, it's all too easy to overlook things. I expect I cannot be the only one who has ever been surprised back to reality at work because of a message from someone asking, "What time do you want us later?" No worries; whether you are distracted, or simply likely to make impromptu plans, I've got some solutions.
The Golden Rule to Successful Parties
First and foremost, and I cannot stress this enough, if you have organized long in advance or only 15 minutes, the best events are the easiest. All everyone is hoping for are engaging talks, a drink to sip, plus sufficient to eat so they do not end up gnawing an arm off on the ride home. If you're not you're Jay Gatsby, nobody expects extensive drinks, fancy catering or entertainers.
The greatest parties tend to be the easiest. However, an idea is useful to cover up the fact you've only put the event on on the way back from the office.
Picking a Concept to Direct The Party Planning
Nevertheless, a theme works well to conceal the fact you've just thrown the party on on the way home from work. And by theme, think of something like the holidays. Going slightly focused (Nordic holidays, for instance, featuring mulled wine, spiced punch, cured seafood plus flatbreads, Scandinavian music playlist; alternatively Latin American celebration, with ponche navideño, chilled brews and tequila drinks, along with lots of snacks, salsa and green spread, and festive music playing) helps direct the selection during the inevitable shopping trip.
Smart Buying to Support The Party
In the store, pick a drink or two (one alcoholic for those who do, a non-alcoholic one in case others avoid alcohol) plus some nibbles that fit the theme, then purchase as much of them as you can afford, rather than worrying about giving people too much choice. No thing looks more welcoming and as festive than abundance – I'd consistently prefer to arrive with a tub filled with chilled bottles of reasonably priced bubbly than one glass with expensive bubbly. (Add several packs of ice, too; there is never sufficient ice.)
Drinks and Party Beverages Made Easy
If you must show off and provide a special beverage, make sure to mix in advance a large batch in a jug so you aren't left faffing around with it when you ought to be enjoying yourself. After starting, enlist a partner or friend to keep an eye on the drinks then replenish if required until it's gone. Apply the same with the non-alcoholic punch; guests appreciate to take on a task while socializing allowing them to experience the festive spirit.
For large-batch drinks, whichever recipe you choose (you can find plenty online), avoid any recipe too sweet – any kids present need kid-friendly options – and if it's available, place aromatic bitters nearby (avoid adding them to the bowl as they are inappropriate for people abstaining from alcohol altogether). Make an effort with presentation so the alcohol-free drink doesn't feel neglected; it only takes a short time to cut a few rounds of fruit for garnish.
Snacks That Delight With Minimal Preparation
For me, I recommend passing on the store-bought trays with "party foods" that appear in supermarkets seasonally; they feel overly complicated, and frequently involve heating things up (if you must do this, remember that all guests truly favors herb bread and/or mini sausages regardless). I'm convinced it's hard to top several really big containers with decent snacks (salted is universally liked), plus, assuming no allergies, some of those great-value bags of mixed nuts typically found in the South Asian section at the market, and maybe a few pitted olives as a garnish (you don't want to find stones around the house in the future).
If, similar to some, you feel crisps proper food, a single sizeable chunk of good cheese on a board alongside crackers and some elegantly arranged grapes often appears painterly. A platter featuring preserved or ready-to-eat meats or fish arranged on it (a single variety, except if you have a large budget), or a nice store-bought pastry, like those available on deli counters at this time of year, proves more satisfying, while you really won't fail with homestyle slices of focaccia, since they don't need buttering.
