Pure Bliss: How to have an Elegant, Easy and Merry Holiday Get-Together

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Like us, I'm sure your December calendar is almost (if not already) filled with get-together invitations from family and friends. If you are the one hosting an event or two, it can be quite stressful considering the other things on your to do list (Church activities, wrapping gifts, volunteering, work-related year-end deadlines, etc). I'm on the same boat! But this is the essence of the Christmas Holiday - celebrating the birth of Christ with the people that matter to us.

I like hosting sit down, full-course dinner BUT during the Christmas holiday when I am pulled in many different direction, I stick to casual and simple yet elegant and merry get-together. Most likely your guests are also inundated with lots of parties this season so all they are expecting when they come to visit is to to have fun and spread the Yuletide cheers with you and yours!

Here's a couple of ideas for an elegant and easy holiday entertaining.....

* Cocktails/ Wine and Cheese Party*

I like throwing wine and cheese party when my guests are mostly couples or adults where we can all drink, sample good quality cheeses. lots of music, and just have fun.

My guide when hosting this kind of party are :

Serve different kinds of cheese - remember some like blue cheese while others hate it. Be safe and offer different options. I usually have intense Blue cheese {I'm one of those who like it!} like Stilton, nutty and sharp super-aged cheese like Gouda, and soft and creamy cheese like Brie and Gournay.
Label your cheese : I like using black slates from the hardware store as cheese board because I can label the cheese with chalk directly on the slate.
Set out a separate knife for each cheese to prevent mixing flavours. Cheese knives are great but butter knives work well too.
Crackers or artisan bread, honey, jam, nuts, fresh fruits like grapes and/or fig and dried fruits like apricot and/or date add depth to a cheese plate.
Have red, white, sparkling wines and non alcoholic beverages available for everyone.
Prepare one or two appetizers or light dishes for those who like to have something else. You can find the recipe of Salmon and spinach Wellington here.
Set the mood with merry Christmas music that everyone can sing along!
Always, always, always assign a designated driver.

* Christmas Afternoon Tea Party *

If friends are coming over for "ladies only" Christmas get-together this is my favorite. It's easy, fun and pretty! You can find some tips for a memorable tea party experience in my previous post.

Since this is a Christmas tea party, I put together a red, white and green country arrangement in our small tea room. For this special occasion, I also made a cinnamon bark with star anise as tea stirrer instead of a regular teaspoon. Sparkling wine is always a good idea too! Again, set the mood with music and have lots of fun!