Wednesday, December 13, 2017
By Barbara Pronin
Most of us love to celebrate the holidays with friends – but budgets at this time of year are often stretched to capacity. If you see yourself in this picture, party planners offer seven fun ideas that cost little but pay off big in good cheer:Make it a potluck – Nobody minds contributing a dish to share, and an eclectic menu can be fun. Provide a main dish – lasagna? Enchiladas? – and an atmosphere of good cheer your guests will surely enjoy.
Make it wine and cheese – A weeknight open house before the dinner hour is a good draw for friends on their way home from work. A few trays of crackers and several types of cheese and a few bottles of wine and/or hot toddies can set the stage for a fun and cozy get-together.
Make it sweet – Hosting a dinner party can be expensive, so make it a dessert party instead. Provide a cake and some brownies to get things started, then consider sugar cookies your guests can decorate to their liking, or ice cream and fixings so guests can make their own sundaes. Round it all off with coffee, tea and hot chocolate – and a liqueur or two if the budget will stand it.
Make it a brunch – A casual brunch on a weekend morning can be just the ticket for entertaining on a budget. Make omelets for your guests with fillings of their choice or serve a quiche or an egg-based casserole. A salad and some rolls and a simple dessert and coffee are more than enough to keep guests happy.
Make it a team effort – Team up with a friend to co-host a party for all your mutual friends. Sharing the cost, and the effort, can make it easy, affordable, and fun.
Make it a tree-trimming – Bring in the tree and lots of decorations and let your friends create the perfect tree. A little wine, some coffee or tea, some chips and dip and a platter of cookies can provide all the fuel you need.
Make it a goodwill evening – Invite friends to join you for caroling at an assisted living center, or check VolunteerMatch.com or local sources for other volunteer opportunities. Then host the gang at your home afterward for cookies and hot chocolate.
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