Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Christmas Party #31: New Year's Eve Party

Majestic Glassware Set, from Z Gallerie

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY ACTIVITY:

Diamond Champagne Flutes, from Z Gallerie

Invite five to twenty-five friends over (depending on the size of your home and the amount of money and energy you can muster up) to celebrate the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012! Serve appetizers, finger foods and desserts, but no entrees - too much work after a month of 31 Christmas Parties!

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY DECORATIONS:


Rapid Ice Champagne Cooler, on Amazon


Gold Goblets, from Neiman Marcus

Remove as many Christmas decorations as you feel comfortable with; then dress up your home with silver or gold sparkles, glitter, tinsel and anything shiny.

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY MUSIC:

Auld Lang Syne Scene from "It's a Wonderful Life," on YouTube

Buy the "Auld Lang Syne" MP3 by Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra on Amazon

Buy "Christmas Auld Lang Syne" MP3 by Bobby Darin, on Amazon

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY APPETIZERS:

Brown Sugar, Fig and Rosemary Walnuts Recipe, from Savoring Time in the Kitchen

Festive Crab Cakes Recipe, from Taste of Home


Mini Asian Crab Cakes Recipe, from Martha Stewart


Spicy Spinach Dip in a Sourdough Boule Recipe, from Restless Chipotle

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY BEVERAGES:

Champagne Jello Shots Recipe, from Erica's Sweet Tooth

Black Currant Champagne Recipe, from MyRecipes.com

Sorbet and Champagne Cocktail Recipe, from Martha Stewart

Honey Sage Gin Fizz, from How Sweet Eats

Merry Cranberry Margaritas Recipe, at MyRecipes.com

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY DESSERTS:

New Year's Eve Ball Drop Cupcakes Recipe, from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Snowball Cookies Recipe, from Chocolate Covered Katie

Moonstruck Chocolate Champagne Truffles, on Amazon


Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies, from MyRecipes

New Year's Meringues Recipe, from Make


Green Tea and Raspberry Trifles Recipe, from Raspberri Cupcakes

Peppermint Bark, by Williams Sonoma, on Amazon


BOOKS FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY PLANNING:



The Bubbly Bar, on Amazon

101 Champagne Cocktails, on Amazon

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY INSPIRATION:

New Year's Inspiration from Style Me Pretty

Sparkly New Year's Party Inspiration, from 100 Layer Cake

Shimmery Silver and Mocha Dessert Table, from Hostess With the Mostess

Peppermint Twist Party, from Hostess With the Mostess

RELATED LINKS:

How to Decorate Your New Year's Eve Cake (Amelie's House)

How to Pour Sparkling Wine (CHOW)

New Year's Eve Cookies (Bake at 350)

New Year's Eve Party Food Ideas (Mommy's Kitchen)

New Year's Tree (Our Best Bites)

Non-Alcoholic Cocktails for New Year's Eve (CHOW)

A Simple Ice Cream Cake for New Year's (The English Kitchen)

6 Fun New Year's Eve Party Ideas (The Glitter Guide)

30+ Appetizers for Your New Year's Eve Menu (Foodie Bride)

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Christmas Party #30: After-Christmas Board Game Party


Merry Mistletoe Candle, from Bath and Body Works

CHRISTMAS PARTY ACTIVITY:


Holiday Scrabble, on Amazon

Invite six or seven adult friends over for a relaxed, leisurely afternoon or evening of board game playing. Set out several different board games, and set up two or three tables for separate gaming. Serve snacks and goodies, but not a sit down meal.

AFTER CHRISTMAS PARTY DECORATIONS:

Holiday Memory Game, on Amazon

Your guests might be Christmased-out at this point, so remove a few decorations (if you are one of the people who don't take your tree down until after New Year's) and keep your game tables clutter-free.

CHRISTMAS PARTY MUSIC:


Dean Martin's "Baby, It’s Cold Outside" on YouTube

Buy Dean Martin's "Baby, It's Cold Outside" MP3 on Amazon

Julie Andrews "Ding Dong Merrily on High" on YouTube

Buy Charlotte Church "Ding Dong Merrily on High" MP3 on Amazon

CHRISTMAS PARTY APPETIZERS:


Mrs. Claus Christmas Bread Recipe, from Buttercream Baroness


Candy Cane Pretzel Kisses Recipe, from Cookies and Cups


Mini Eggnog Doughnut Muffins, from Two Peas and Their Pod

CHRISTMAS PARTY BEVERAGES:

The Blizzard Cocktail Recipe, from In the Mix

Cranberry Orange Slush Cocktails Recipe, from Betty Crocker



Candy Cane Martini Jelly Shots Recipe, from Tablespoon

Salted Caramel Mocha, from Annie's Eats

CHRISTMAS BOARD GAME PARTY ENTREES:

White Chocolate and Peppermint Popcorn Recipe, from Skip to My Lou

Eggnog Poppy Seed Bread Recipe, from Betty Crocker


AFTER CHRISTMAS PARTY DESSERTS:

Chocolate and Chestnut Cake Recipe, from Cannelle et Vanille

Ghiradelli Chocolate Walnut Brownie Mix, on Amazon


Eggnog Ice Cream Recipe, from Sweet Pea's Kitchen


Chocolate Peppermint Roll with Chocolate Ganache Recipe, from Joy the Baker


Cranberry Crumble Bars Recipe, from Dashing Dish


Candy Cane Bark Recipe, from Better Homes & Gardens

BOOKS FOR PARTY PLANNING:


The Games We Played, on Amazon


The Christmas Kitchen, on Amazon

RELATED LINKS:

Game Night With the Kids (Tater Tots and Jello)

Homemade Irish Cream Recipe (Amelie's House)

Monday, December 29, 2014

Christmas Party #29: White Elephant Gift Exchange Party

Spicy Cinnamon Candle, from L'Occitane

CHRISTMAS PARTY ACTIVITY:

Kasbah Canister, from Z Gallerie

Invite eight or ten friends over, encouraging them to bring silly or unwanted gifts they recently received. Provide one actually useful or potentially wanted gift to keep things interesting. Encourage guests to swap gifts and trade. Meanwhile, serve festive snacks and treats, but not a full sit-down meal. Play music (perhaps easing off on the holiday tunes a bit) and provide board games and card games after the gift exchange is over.

CHRISTMAS PARTY DECORATIONS:

Everglades Tray, from Z Gallerie

CHRISTMAS PARTY MUSIC:

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time, on YouTube

Buy "Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time" MP3 by Paul McCartney on Amazon


We Three Kings, by Ella Fitzgerald, on YouTube

Buy "We Three Kings" MP3 by Olivia Newton John on Amazon

CHRISTMAS PARTY APPETIZERS:

Olive Penguins Recipe, from Once Upon a Plate

Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Biscotti Recipe, from Little Toast

CHRISTMAS PARTY BEVERAGES:

Spiked White Chocolate Steamers Recipe, from Brown Eyed Baker

Poinsettia Mimosas Recipe, from Big Bear's Wife

Caramel Apple Cosmo Recipe, from Professor Cocktail

Rosemary Gin Fizz, from Once Upon a Recipe

Gingerbread Man Cocktail Recipe, from What to Drink

Whiskey Sour Punch, from MyRecipes

CHRISTMAS PARTY ENTREES:

Christmas Eve Confetti Pasta Recipe, from Taste of Home

After-Christmas Turkey Pot Pie Recipe, from Taste of Home

Cinnamon Chip Scones Recipe, from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Butternut Squash Pear Soup Recipe, from The Sweets Life

CHRISTMAS PARTY DESSERTS:

Pink Poinsettias and Apple Cranberry Cake, from Lulu's Sweet Secrets

Pear Cranberry Crisp Recipe, from Betty Crocker


Chocolate Raspberry Forest Cake Recipe, from Chocolate and Carrots


Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes Recipe, from Erica's Sweet Tooth

Peppermint Bark, by Williams-Sonoma, on Amazon

Eggnog Cheesecake Bars, from Brown Eyed Baker

BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS PARTY PLANNING:

Wacky White Elephant Game, on Amazon

The Book of Holiday Awesome, on Amazon

CHRISTMAS PARTY INSPIRATION:


Mermaids and Martinis' White Elephant Christmas Party

RELATED LINKS:

How to Host a White Elephant Party (Illi Style)

White Elephant Gift Exchange, on Wikipedia

White Elephant Gift Exchange

4 Tips for a White Elephant Gift Exchange (MSN)

How to Throw a White Elephant Party, on Squidoo

How to Throw an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party (Serenity Now)

White Elephant Fun (The Dating Divas)