Last updated : Wednesday, November 18, 2009

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5 Holiday Party Themes

Whether you're planning a fabulous fete for a hundred of your closest friends or cobbling together a last minute gathering for the girls, being a hostess with the mostess at any holiday party can be stressful.

"As soon as you can, develop a concept or vision for the party," said Greg Jenkins, an event planner and partner at Bravo Productions. “Is it a casual affair? Is it semi-formal? Are you thinking appetizers or a sit-down dinner?”

Developing a concept for your party can be the fun part if you have a creative nature, but if the thought of putting up holiday decorations and spending hours in the kitchen underneath a pile of homemade cookie dough makes you want to break out into hives, it can be the hardest part of the party.

“Once you have your concept, plan a cuisine that is appealing and appropriate to your specific function,” said Jenkins. “For example, if the holiday party is very casual in nature, hearty soups, stews and a tray of lasagna is appropriate. If more formal, you may have to opt for that prime rib roast.”

If you’ve exhausted all of your holiday party planning options but need a fun idea for an event this holiday season, we did the legwork for you and came up with five party concepts sure to impress.

Grilled Cheese, Please!

Instead of a fancy cheese and charcuterie plate, take your holiday party back to basics with a DIY grilled cheese party. Set out baskets of whole-grain, sourdough or pretzel bread and let guests choose from a variety of cheeses and toppings like apple, tomato, chutney, ham or chicken. It's low cost and the best part is that as the hostess, you can still enjoy the party since virtually everyone preps their own dinner.

Soup Swap

Trade your annual cookie exchange for a figure-friendlier option: a soup party. Invite each of your guests to bring a large batch of soup and let everyone sample each other’s creations. Supply Tupperware or invite everyone to bring their own reusable containers so they can take containers of their favorites home to eat in between holiday shopping.

Sweets and Champagne

If cooking dinner for a crowd causes you to lose sleep, then skip the main course this year and invite your nearest and dearest over to sip bubbles and celebrate the end of another great year over peppermint brownies and vanilla bean cheesecake. They’ll never want dinner again.

The Herbivore’s Dilemma

Challenge your guests to a potluck dinner with one rule – no one is allowed to bring a dish that has meat. Plan a main course – such as roasted vegetable lasagna – and see what kind of side dishes your guests can come up with. If you’re hosting a crowd full of enthusiastic cooks, make things a little interesting and assign each person to bring a dish that represents a different region of the country.

Wine Around the World Tasting

Instead of pouring your go-to vino this year, pick up a variety of wines from around the world. Cloak bottles with brown craft paper so that no one can read the labels. Assign each wine a number so that guests can rate their favorites and at the end, you can reveal which is which. Pair with complementary small plates and be sure to provide plenty of still water and bland bread or crackers for guests to use in between sips as a palate cleanser.

For more holiday tips and tricks click on iMag's Food Page. 

Maris Callahan is the author of In Good Taste, an avid self-taught home cook, and is widely knowledgeable about all things culinary. She is especially passionate about helping new cooks learn how to prepare healthy, delicious meals and snacks, even when life is busy. When she is not in the kitchen working on her next recipe, Maris works as a marketing professional in Chicago and in her spare time, contributes to several websites including SheKnows.com, Diets In Review and Craft Magazine.

 

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