Dinner parties don’t have to require a perfectly set table, with centerpieces and linens, and all that jazz. Don’t get me wrong, I love that kind of dinner party now and then, but sometimes (ok, most of the time) I like something a little more casual.
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Hosting dinner parties is an activity that is meant to be a fun and relaxing, though I find a lot of people find it stressful. I think most people generally enjoy themselves at the dinner party but really loath the preparation and cleanup part. I’m here to tell you that there is no need to stress out about any part of it.
This post is all about my method of throwing dinner parties in a fun and casual way so that you can enjoy yourself and stress less.
Now that you’ve had all my tips I thought you might be interested in some of my favorite diner party menus. As always these are the tried and true favorites that are served in our house often.
Casual Roast Chicken Dinner
Apple Tart (made ahead)
Comfy Winter Dinner Party
Salad
Beef Stew (made ahead & warmed up)
Mashed potatoes
Last Minute Dinner Party
Guacamole & chips
Salad
Ice Cream Sundaes
Famous Fall Dinner Party
Squash Soup (made Ahead)
Baked Apples with Ice Cream
Valentines day is coming up, and while most people make reservations at expensive restaurants I really love to cook a romantic meal at home.
It’s a little more casual, and relaxed. The food is always good and it’s always less expensive. I also firmly believe that if something goes wrong take-out by candle light can be just as romantic.
Romantic Menus of the Past
Quick and Easy Valentine’s Day Dinner
5 Awesome Valentine’s Day Menus to Prepare at Home
Obviously I’ve come up with a number of romantic menus before, but this year I’m going for something a little more casual, a little more fun, and hopefully more memorable. Some of our favorite recipes and simple treats (I’m looking at you Mr. Sundae) will make a perfect Valentines Day Meal.
The Menu
Appetizer – Pear Brie & Balsamic Toasts
Salad – Green Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette
Main Course – Penne con Fionchietto
Desert – Hot Fudge Sundaes
Today is a special treat! We have a guest post from Chrystina of ChrystinaNoel.com all about Christmas themed parties. Things are a little busy on me end with the holidays and all so I’m happy to have her stopping by to help me out. Enjoy!
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Hi everyone! Chrystina here, where I’ve been blogging for four years about handmade greeting cards, hosting parties, and how to stay in touch. How did JC and I become friends you might wonder? Well, about two years ago she left a comment on my about page that said, “I’m a civil engineer who likes to host parties too!” and from that moment we were friends. We’ve even managed to hang out in person a few times.
JC and I do parties a little bit differently though. JC does food. Goodness does she do food. She cooks appetizers, entrees, and desserts for as many people that will fit in her house. I tell people to eat dinner before they come so all I have to do is serve them snacks, desserts, and beverages while focusing more on the theme of the party. So today I’m here to share with you 10 ideas for themed holiday parties.
As a civil/architectural engineer it would be a shame to not mention Gingerbread house making. Have all of your friends bring a tub of frosting and a different kind of candy and all you have to do is supply the graham crackers, plates, and holiday music. It’s a great opportunity to let out your inner architect – and get a pretty wonderful sugar high.
If you’re a singer invite your friends over for a sing-a-long, especially if you have a friend who plays the piano. It’s very easy to put together a caroling book using lyric sites from the internet, or you can buy ones with the music included for cheap as well. If you’re feeling extra-inspired, try taking the act on the road and go door to door!
This is one of my favorite holiday traditions. Each year at the Christmas party my friends show up with a tray of cookies and everyone leaves with 12+ different kinds to add to their collection. Not only that, but we get a chance to try a lot of great new recipes every year to add to our collection.
There are so many holiday movies – from classic to corny to comedy. Have everybody bring their favorite movie and then take a vote once everybody arrives about what movie they feel like watching. Add to the holiday cheer by drinking some hot chocolate with candy canes in it or light the fireplace.
Instead of sitting at home writing your holiday cards, why not have a party for everyone to write their holiday cards together? It’ll give everybody the chance to check something off of their to do list and catch up with each other along the way. If you want to make it extra fancy buy some holiday stickers; red, green, silver, gold, and blue fancy pens; and pretty envelopes.
Another good way to check something off your to do list is to host a holiday wrapping party. If everybody brings a different kind of paper and an accessory (whether it’s ribbon, bows, or tags) you can add a lot of variety to your gifts and personalize each and every one.
If you have a tight-knit group of friends, why not host a gift swap or Secret Santa to celebrate the holidays? There are so many ways to do this. You can choose the person, buy a general gift, swap the gifts, steal the gifts, or leave a series of gifts throughout the month – the possibilities are endless!
Invite your friends over to help decorate the tree. Turn on some Christmas carols, drink some hot chocolate, and open up a bottle of wine to help set the mood. Then as a party favor you can give each one of your friends who helped a special ornament to take home to their own tree.
Speaking of wine – there are so many holiday beverages out there: hot chocolate, boozy hot chocolate, spiced cider, spiked cider, eggnog, spiked egg nog, mulled wine, wassail, and a bunch of really fun cocktails. Take this opportunity to try a few you haven’t tried before and don’t usually get the opportunity to try at other points of the year.
Set up a photo booth in your home and get some holiday props – Santa hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, reindeer antlers, holiday books, mistletoe, and bells and host your own holiday photoshoot. Use garland, banners, or curtains to create a solid backdrop and add a little bit of fun!
There are so many ways to celebrate the holidays, now all you have to do is choose your favorite and start planning. And remember sometimes all it takes to celebrate the holidays is an ABC Family movie and a box of Nestle hot chocolate mix – with mini marshmallows of course.
If you’re looking for more Themed Party Ideas, check out my most recent e-book, which you can download for free at Chrystina Noel. Happy planning!
Chrystina is a blogger, papercrafter, and self-taught party hostess living in Philadelphia, PA. She blogs about party logistics, handmade greeting cards, and staying in touch with people you love. Interested in learning how to better stay in touch with people you love? Check out her e-book, How to Stay in Touch. You can also find Chrystina on twitter, instagram, and pinterest.
Chuck and I dinner-party a lot (yep I just made that a verb). We have a large group of friends who like to dinner party and we rotate locations and styles year round, getting together at least once a month, and often more. Over the years one would think that we would get sick of each other or run out of things to say, but that never seems to be the case. We are lucky to all have many, and varied interests that keep the conversations flowing, however once in a while we like to change things up. Typically this happens in the form of games….