Felicity Cloake's Quick-Fire Entertaining Guide: Effortless Entertaining for Spontaneous Visitors
Throughout this holiday time, when there's so much happening which the most lively people may sometimes look forward to a calm break of the new year, it is very easy to overlook things. I believe I cannot be the sole one who has ever felt surprised back to reality at my desk because of an inquiry from a friend asking, "What time should we come us later?" No worries; if you are forgetful, and just prone to impromptu plans, I have your back.
The Key to Memorable Get-Togethers
Above all, though I cannot stress this enough, if you've been planning for months versus only a short while, the greatest events tend to be the most straightforward. All anyone expects is pleasant conversation, something to drink, and sufficient food that they do not feel like gnawing their arm on the bus home. Unless you're throwing a lavish ball, nobody anticipates extensive drinks, gourmet catering and musical performances.
The best gatherings tend to be the simplest. That said, a concept helps to cover up the reality you have only thrown the event together on the way home from work.
Picking a Theme to Focus The Shopping
Still, a theme works well to hide the fact you have just put this thing together while returning after work. And by theme, think of for example the holidays. Going a bit more detailed (Swedish-style festivities, say, with mulled wine, aromatic cocktail, cured seafood and flatbreads, folk tunes playlist; alternatively fiesta-style party, with traditional drink, chilled brews or tequila drinks, along with lots of snacks, salsa and guacamole, and upbeat tunes in the background) will focus the selection during the inevitable shopping trip.
Practical Shopping for Your Party
In the store, choose one or two beverages (one alcoholic for those who do, a non-alcoholic one in case others don't want to) plus a few nibbles that match the theme, and purchase as much of them as you can afford, instead of stressing over providing endless options. No thing appears more welcoming and as festive than plenty – I would always prefer to enter by a container full of iced containers with reasonably priced bubbly than a single glass of fancy champagne. (Chuck in some bags of cubes, too; there is seldom enough ice.)
Drinks & Large-Batch Drinks Streamlined
If you feel the need to show off and serve a special beverage, make sure to mix in advance a large batch in a container so you aren't stuck busying yourself with preparation while you should be enjoying yourself. After starting, ask a close friend or friend to monitor the drinks then refill as necessary until it's gone. Do the same for the alcohol-free option; people appreciate to be given a job at a party so they may enjoy the positive vibes.
On the punch front, whichever formula you choose (there are many online), skip anything overly sugary – young ones there need separate beverages – and if it's available, plonk a bottle of bitters close by (avoid adding any into the punch as they're inappropriate for those who avoid alcohol entirely). Take care with how it looks so the soft punch doesn't feel like an afterthought; just spend a minute to add a few rounds of citrus to the punch.
Snacks That Delight Without Fuss
Personally, I recommend passing on the pre-made assortments with "party foods" available in supermarkets at this time of year; they seem fussy, and usually involve heating things up (if you choose to go this route, know that all guests truly favors garlic bread and/or small hot dogs anyway). I'm convinced nothing beats two large dishes with tasty snacks (plain salted is universally liked), plus, provided there are no issues, a package of great-value bags with nuts available with global foods in stores, with perhaps some ready-to-eat olives for color (it's best to avoid to still be finding pits in odd places in the future).
If, like my mum, you don't consider snacks proper food, a single big slab of tasty cheese on a platter with crackers and some artfully draped grapes tends to seem painterly. A plate featuring cured or cooked meats or fish displayed there (only one type, unless you're wealthy), alternatively a nice ready-made pastry, of the type that appear on deli counters seasonally, proves more filling, and you really can't go wrong with rustic chunks of flatbread, since they require no buttering.
