insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 21 - November 2016 | Page 34

What to drink ?
What to do ?
CHRISTMAS
How to host the perfect Christmas party cont .

What to drink ?

Christmas time … mistletoe and wine . Of course , you ’ ll need red , white and rosé , but the chances are that most guests will bring a bottle anyway , so what you ’ ll need to do is get mulling . Thankfully , mulled wine has moved on since its medieval roots suggested we mishmash an awful lot of very strong ground spices into dreadful red wine to produce a throatstripping potion .
Today ’ s mulled wine is a much more sophisticated blend of sugar , spices , ginger and citrus peel boiled , simmered and then heated through a lovely bottle of fruity , unoaked red . It ’ s a great idea to prepare muslin parcels of toasted cinnamon , nutmeg , cardamom , cloves and citrus peel beforehand that can then be thrown into a pan of red whenever needed
– you can also place said parcels on your radiators before your guests arrive to fill the whole house with a quintessentially Christmassy aroma .
I ’ m a massive fan of cocktails at a Christmas party too . They ’ re a great way to kick start the evening being both ‘ special ’ in that we don ’ t drink them all the time , and a very effective social lubricant too . Creating cocktails one at a time is hugely time consuming though , so choose a classic like a margarita , or a cosmopolitan and make it in jugs beforehand that can be poured over ice in a martini glass . Remember the nondrinkers too – a virgin peach bellini is a perfectly pretty 50 / 50 combination of peach juice and sparkling lemonade that you can garnish with mint to make a little more party appropriate .
Recipe - the Snowball revamped
Christmas just wouldn ’ t be Christmas without someone at least referencing , or at best , actually drinking a ‘ Snowball ’ – an after-dinner tipple that screams 1980s , and was favoured by grannies all over the country for at least a decade . Well , they ’ re ‘ retro ’ now , of course , and making a comeback . Here ’ s a modern twist on an ever-so-slightly naff classic .
Ingredients :
• 40ml Advocaat liqueur
• 20ml Malibu liqueur
• 5ml lemon juice
• 5ml sugar syrup
• 5ml triple sec
Method : Simply shake all of the ingredients together and pour over lots of ice cubes in a lowball glass , or tumbler .

What to do ?

Other than eat your fill , have a few drinks and catch up with your nearest and dearest , there ’ s not an awful lot anyone needs to ‘ do ’ at Christmas parties , and there ’ s nothing worse than a forced schedule of games . That said , you need to set the scene and give people the option to have a laugh if they want to . Make sure there ’ s space suitable for a bit of a boogie if you have known movers and shakers among your peers .
Next , music . Compile your party playlist well ahead of time – for the musically challenged among us , there ’ s lots of inspiration and pre-prepared playlists that you can legally pinch from streaming services like Spotify and Soundcloud . Make sure you ’ re plugged into a good speaker too .
It won ’ t do you any harm to hire a karaoke machine . They ’ re a relatively cheap option ( you ’ ll probably be able to borrow one if you ask around ) and can simply be set up somewhere to be pounced on as and when your guests may feel the need to belt out a bit of Meatloaf , before launching into an existential debate about what on earth it could have been that he wouldn ’ t do for love .
If you ’ re feeling extremely generous , you could stretch to a fancy farewell in the form of a goodie bag – no need to go all ‘ Oscars ’ and hand out Rolex ’ s , but a few chocolate truffles in a personalised box is a nice touch to bid your guests goodnight . Otherwise , pack them all off into taxis ( prebooked taxis ; you ’ ll thank me for that top tip ) and slam the door shut . You ’ ve done it . Sling your shoes off , kick back with one for the road , and don ’ t , under any circumstances look at the mess they ’ ve made of your house – it ’ s Christmas ; give yourself a break and tidy up in the morning .
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