Host an easy open house party this season Hosting an open house party is a low-stress option for holiday entertaining. Guests don’t have to stress about arriving at a specific time, and you don’t have to worry about planning a sit-down dinner. Open house parties usually lead to greater attendance and allow you to spend more time with each guest. Be sure to send invites (or call) and set specific beginning and ending times so guests know your time frame. The idea is for people to come and go on their own schedule, because everyone is usually busy during the holidays. An open house also helps spread out the guest list over several hours and avoid overcrowding. A buffet table is the best way to go for an open house party. Keep it simple to highlight the food but add bold touches to draw attention to the table. Decide on a color scheme, and then add texture and shiny accents for pizzazz. You don’t have to stick with traditional colors. Try purple or turquoise for a unique holiday flair. When setting up your buffet, vary heights of serving dishes and decorations. Set small boxes or other sturdy objects under the tablecloth to create height for flat trays. Or, find unique serving dishes at your local thrift stores. Remember everything does not have to match! Mixing patterns and colors just adds to the cozy house party feel. Set the mood with candles, low lights and soft music. Dim lighting creates a warm embrace and makes everyone’s skin look flawless. Choice of music can greatly affect the mood of the party, so stick to light, happy tunes. Always use no-drip taper candles, or invest in flameless candles for extra safety. Consider fresh and natural decorations for accents on the table and around the room. Collect pinecones, acorns and fall leaves to scatter about. Set out several vases of fresh flowers to really make guests feel welcome. Plan to serve bite-sized foods at room temperature that can be easily eaten while standing. Simple, non-messy foods are best so guests don’t spill on themselves or your carpet. Small bites also eliminate the need for utensils and maybe even plates, which means less trash and clean up as well. Instead of offering a large assortment of drinks, stick to just a few. Beer, wine and soda always go over well. Or consider a signature drink, like a martini. If children will be attending, offer one or two non-alcoholic choices as well. If you want to serve mixed drinks, make a pitcher-full ahead of time so you’re not stuck behind the bar
Giant themed trees
Keep your open house party simple by limiting the drinks to just a few choices — a special cocktail, one kind of beer and a non-alcoholic beverage. File photo all night. Speaking of children, if you plan to have more than a few attending the party, hire a babysitter and set up a play area. Your guests will appreciate not having to tend to their little ones every few minutes. Convert a bedroom into a fun space with games, books, crafts and a DVD player. You might even want to consider serving a childfriendly menu as well. Lastly, make cleaning up after the party easier by setting out trash bins for guests to discard their own. Also, cover tables with tablecloths so you can just throw them in the washing machine (or use plastic). Use dishwasher-safe serving dishes and utensils so you can run the machine before you turn in for the night. Get a good night’s sleep and save any heavy cleaning for the next day.
Festive holiday décor, gifts & much more!
1,000s of holiday ornaments
Come by and pick up your holiday class schedule
A Christmas Wonderland with fresh holiday wreaths & centerpieces, candles, nativities, tabletop décor, specialty gifts, organic gourmet food, jewelry, hats, scarves and handbags.
OPEN 7 DAYS MON-SAT 10-5 SUN 10-3
251-2330 • 705-670 Hwy 395E • Susanville • 1/2 mile from Hwy 395 / 36 intersection Home for the Holidays 2013
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