Christmas Party Suggestions

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-10-2003
Christmas Party Suggestions
14
Mon, 11-17-2008 - 9:48am

I need to grow a spine, lol. I got talked into hosting the Christmas open house this year! My best friend lives down the street from me and has agreed to "co-host". I will be at my house simply because I have more room (my basement is finished, hers isn't). Soooo, I need suggestions on how to throw a low cost party.


I am going to start looking out for


Bex -

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Community Leader
Registered: 07-26-1999
Mon, 11-17-2008 - 10:23am

Bex, I am not much help really, but I do have one suggestion for low cost appetizers that you can do a day or two ahead of time.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2006
Mon, 11-17-2008 - 10:27am

Hey Bex,
Sounds like fun. This sort of stuff is often dependent on how much you want/have time to cook. Here are some thoughts off the top of my head:

1. Pita chips: These can be dipped in all sorts of stuff and seasoned all sorts of ways. I have a cookbook that has 3 or 4 varieties I think so if you want those recipes let me know. You can get big packages of pita from Costco if you have a membership and they really aren't hard. Just mostly have to be around for an hour or so to stir them in the oven. Then you can look for dips to put out with them. Again, if you can go homemade it will be cheaper. Hummus, I have a white bean dip that's really good, spinach dip, that hot artichoke dip. Stuff like that. One super easy thing is to take a block of cream cheese and pour either salsa or some sort of sauce like raspberry chipotle sauce over it and serve it with tortilla chips or crackers. It looks nice and it's tasty.

2. Big plate of veggies and dip. Again way cheaper if you prep it all but that is a lot more work. Again, Costco could be your saving grace here.

3. Get a good mix of spicy, salty and sweet. You can buy big cans of mixed nuts for a pretty good price at Costco. Much more expensive at the grocery store but if you have a store with bulk bins, that might work. You could also buy raw nuts and spice them.

4. I have a great punch recipe that is sort of 'fallish' and then I have a hot cranberry citrus drink that is good and not terribly expensive. I bet you could even spike it.

5. Keep an eye toward identifying a few recipes you could maybe make 5-7 days ahead that will either keep or freeze, a couple you can do the day before and then only 1 or 2 that need to be made just in time. If you haven't entertained a lot, it's no fun to be scrambling like a madwoman all day and into the party because you're still making some elaborate dish you thought would be a lot faster to make.

I don't know how you did your invites but I really would encourage you to try and get an RSVP or change your invitation to ask people to bring something to share food wise. That sort of builds in the quantity control. That way you could make a few items to make sure you had a bit of variety and then let them fill in. It also really helps so that you aren't trying to accommodate a lot of dietary requests/needs. Those with those requirements will bring something for themselves.

Hope that helps. If you want any of the recipes, let me know and I'll get them posted.

Peg

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-14-2008
Mon, 11-17-2008 - 12:20pm
There are some dips(cheese, crab and cheese) that you can make in the crock pot (allrecipes.com is a great site) and just leave on low through out the event. Cream cheese and sour cream will be your friend at this event I am sure because you can make lots of dips and sauces with it. Also anything you can make in a 9x13 pan, say a dessert, you can keep in the fridge and fill the plate back up if it gets empty. It might be a good idea to go big--then freeze left overs and bring them to other holiday functions coming up so you only have to put in the time and energy once. GL
Avatar for mymartes
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 11-17-2008 - 12:25pm

Why not ask people to bring something? A entree, dessert, appetizer, etc....

Less pressure on you and sure to have enough for everyone.

Just my two cents.

Good luck.

MYM

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-10-2003
Mon, 11-17-2008 - 12:49pm

Thank you all for your great suggestions and recipes (I printed them out!!!!). I think it will be okay. Between what my cohost is bringing and what some of the guests are bringing, we should have more then enough. I just sent out the evite


Bex -

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-17-2003
Mon, 11-17-2008 - 12:51pm
That recipe sounds wonderful!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-21-2008
Tue, 11-18-2008 - 2:16pm

At Christmas time, Kroger's puts it's shrimp cocktail trays on 2-for-1 sale.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
Wed, 11-19-2008 - 3:52am

sounds like fun!


a spiked bowl of punch is festive & will stretch your alcohol budget


don't forget popcorn; you can do




iVillage Member
Registered: 01-24-2008
Thu, 11-20-2008 - 10:53am

A few ides, hope this helps:


Sliced roasted bell peppers on small sourdough slices with feta cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. You can blacken your own peppers on the stovetop, or buy roasted ones. Wal-Mart sells loaves of pre-sliced sourdough bread in small slices in the deli. You only use a little feta and olive oil on each, so it's not expensive.


Croissants are great - you just buy pilsbury croissants, roll with ham or turkey

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-24-2005
Thu, 11-20-2008 - 5:45pm

Oh lucky you, I LOVE hosting parties!

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