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How to throw a fun-filled holiday party |
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Tuesday, 04 December 2007 |
by ALLISON CASEY
Lifestyles Reporter
by BRANDON BROWN
Lifestyles Reporter
Nobody knows the true meaning of Christmas, but everyone knows the true purpose of Reading Day.
Here are a few tips for throwing your holiday shindig.
Drinks
Eggnog
Invite all of your lactose tolerant pals over to enjoy a combination of raw eggs, nutmeg, milk and your favorite bourbon. If you are not necessarily adept in the kitchen, buy a pre-made eggnog mix to avoid a holiday mishap. Make sure to refrigerate this delicious treat that is sure to loosen up the family tension.
Spiced Cider
Spice
up your apple cider by tossing in a couple cinnamon sticks and a pinch
of nutmeg. Boil the concoction and strain the cider before adding some
cloves as an aesthetic garnish. If you want to add an extra kick for
your adult guests, try including some spiced rum.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Grind
up your favorite chocolate bars into a fine base. Add whole milk and
diced mint leaves before you bring the mixture to a boil. Top off the
drink with a decorative swirl of whipped cream. Your guests will
surely enjoy this holiday twist on a classic winter warmer.
Holiday Mimosa
Instead
of the perennial, boring combination of champagne and orange juice, try
adding some cranberry juice for a bolder, festive flavor. Underage
partygoers will still feel at home if you replace the champagne with an
8th-grade favorite - sparkling grape juice.
Food
Gingerbread Houses
Make
a gingerbread house with your roommates and friends for a fun, silly
and delicious way to spend time at your party. You can buy gingerbread
from the bakery section at the grocery store or make it if you’re
feeling ambitious, cut pieces and attach with icing. Try getting
creative and making other buildings out of gingerbread. How about
entire gingerbread cities? Or gingerbread castles? Gingerbread
residence halls? Who wouldn’t want to see Cone Hall made of
gingerbread? The sky’s the limit. Decorate with your favorite candies,
using icing as glue.
Crunchbars
Line
a cookie sheet with tin foil and Saltine crackers. In a small saucepan,
melt two sticks of butter and a cup of brown sugar, stirring constantly
until the mixture turns thick and foamy. Pour over the crackers and
bake in a 350-degree oven for about seven minutes, until the sheet
looks bubbly. Take it out and spread semi-sweet chocolate chips over
the surface. Sprinkle with a layer of crunched up peppermints or candy
canes. Put the tray into the freezer until hard. Break into pieces and
serve!
Blueberry Cheesecake Bread
Use
your favorite white bread dough to make this holiday favorite. Take the
dough and roll it out into a football shape. Melt a little butter and
spread over the dough. Thickly spread cream cheese over the melted
butter. Top with blueberries, brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up and
brush melted butter and top with brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut three or
four small slits in the top of the dough and bake according to the
white dough instructions.
Decorations
Garland
Wrap
garland around your porch railing. Nine-foot sections are available at
Wal-Mart for $2. If you have an outdoor plug, wrap white lights in the
garland. Top with a red bow for a classic look.
Mistletoe
A holiday classic! Hang in a doorway and prepare for the smooches.
Christmas Lights
What’s
a holiday party without Christmas lights? From small classic white
lights to the oversized colored lights, plug them in and light up the
night.
Pinecones
For
a pretty centerpiece, collect pinecones and place in a pretty bowl in
the center of the table. Arrange with a collection of red candles of
different sizes. For height and a nice smell, place cut branches from
your Christmas tree in vases.
Paper Snowflakes
Remember
this childhood craft? Use silver paper and fishing line to make
snowflake garland. Or hang in the doorways and windows as “curtains.”
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