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FROM EVITE GATHERINGS:
HOLIDAY PARTY INSPIRATION FROM OUR ENTERTAINING EXPERTS
A White Christmas We’re dreaming of gorgeous decor, a stylish menu, and classic recipes this season. FREE PARTY PRINTABLE4
A HOLIDAY CLASSIC
Evoke the spirit of the season with a vision in timeless white. A successful holiday party begins with a carefully selected theme, and there’s nothing more traditional – or beautiful! – than a White Christmas. Whether you live in a sunshine state or your winter is typically whitewashed in snow, set the stage for a dazzling universally compatible party scheme.
View all of our holidaythemed Evite invitations4
invitation Tips
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Select an invitation design that sets the tone for your event. Your invitation will immediately set guests’ expectations. Match the colors, motif, and style to your party then finish with wording that communicates your theme.
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Choose the invitation medium that works best for you. An electronic invitation allows you to easily track your RSVPs, while a print invite is a nod to tradition. Want both? Evite allows you to send high-quality printed versions of your invitation in addition to (or in lieu of) electronic ones.
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Give guests plenty of notice. Holiday schedules fill up fast, so send your invitations 3-4 weeks in advance or consider hosting on a weeknight when guests are less likely to be booked. 2
Glisten Treetops
TREE TRIMMING A mix of textures, finishes, and patterns creates a frost-tipped tree that isn’t the least bit monotonous or dull. Replace multi-colored lights with clear this year, and trade the typical tinsel garland for wide, wired ribbon in silvery white. Decorations can range from frosted orbs and iridescent “icicles” to blown-glass woodland creatures and clear glass ornaments with glittery details. A shimmering snowflake-shaped tree topper completes the theme, while gifts wrapped in shades of silver and white lend the look of snowdrifts below.
Tip
Short on white decorations? Simply stuff white Kleenex into clear ornaments for a snowy look.4
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Bright Merry and
SITTING PRETTY
Set the table and the scene. If you’re serving a sit-down meal, the table is the place to make maximum impact. A textured table linen emulates shallow mounds of snow, while silver chargers, utensils, and decorative branches break up the white-on-white without detracting from the ethereal effect. Finally, frosted trees in varying heights add levels to the table, and a sprinkling of ornaments and woodland figurines ties the entire theme together.
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TABLETOP TIPS
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Consider candlelight. Votives add ambiance as well as glow (and mimic the look of Christmas tree lights).
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Invest in dashing napkins. Using cloth or high-end paper napkins instantly ups the table’s swank factor.
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Repurpose extra decorations. Ornaments used as napkin rings also make great take-home favors for guests.
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See our complete list of White Christmas menu items!4
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A SUITE OF SWEETS Food presentation that doubles as decor.
A table and backdrop reminiscent of an outdoor winter scene sets the stage for white- and light-colored food items displayed for effect. White cake stands, platters, and elegant tiered servers elevate treats, while strategically placed boxes and blocks of wood can be hidden beneath the tablecloth to create extra levels. Clear apothecary jars bearing candies, cookies, and caramel popcorn add extra height alongside frosted tree figurines and a flurry of snowflakes suspended from the wall.
MENU TIPS
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Include several shades of white. Each of your food offerings needn’t be stark white – shades of eggshell, marshmallow, and the creamiest of beiges all work without straying from the theme.
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Embellish ordinary foods. Ice, top, and decorate everyday sweets for a festive, decadent look. Even instant pudding becomes instantly glam when spooned into footed cups and topped with whipped cream.
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Bake and Buy. Save time – and stress – by making just a few items yourself, and then filling in the table with store-bought foods such as meringues, cupcakes, and a tart sprinkled with powdered sugar. 6
CART BLANC
A festive specialty bar adds Christmas cheer (literally). Presentation continues to be key when it comes to food and drink, and a stylized drink cart is practical as well as pretty. Use the second shelf to stow extra cocktail accompaniments or display decor, and place your “mini bar� against a picturesque backdrop like your tree for effect. 7
Style Tips
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Stage your treats. Group glasses or mugs together on a silver tray and arrange cookies on a pretty plate or platter for instant elegance.
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GIVE ‘EM A SIGN. Let guests know exactly what’s being offered with signage displayed in a pretty frame.
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KEEP REFILLS OUT OF SITE. Tuck extra cookies, etc., in a white container (we used a winner’s cup) so the packaging doesn’t mar the color scheme.
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PLAY WITH LEVELS. Take a step back and look at the scale of your arrangement. Would the signage look better on the other side? Do your tallest decorations look best next to the glasses? You’ll know when you get it right.
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ADD SOME SPARKLE. Shimmery holiday trimmings (like the snowflake ornament and nutcracker here) will set your bar cart apart. TAG GUESTS’ GLASSES. Nametags will help guests keep track of their drinks and are pretty as well as practical. Download our FREE printable and get the DIY instructions on Evite Gatherings.
Fill in empty areas. Boxes wrapped in white paper and embellished with ribbon make excellent prop “gifts” to be used for decoration. GO MOBILE. Take advantage of your cart’s mobility to find the perfect placement (and move it out of the way if it starts to block traffic).
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Cookies white christmas
Little gingerbread men sprinkled with powdered sugar (or iced in white) are the perfect accompaniments to delicious eggnog made from scratch. Here, Betty Crocker shares recipes for both traditional treats.
Gingerbread Cookies Ingredients Cookies 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 cup shortening 1 1/2 cups dark molasses 2/3 cup cold water 7 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt
Easy Creamy Frosting (optional) 4 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla About 5 tablespoons half-and-half
Directions 1. In large bowl, stir together brown sugar, shortening, molasses and water. Stir in remaining cookie ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 9
2. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. On floured surface, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with floured gingerbread cutter or other favorite shaped cutter. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. 3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched (for a softer, chewier cookie, bake 8 to 10 minutes). Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. 4. In large bowl, stir together all frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Decorate cookies with frosting.
betty crocker’s Tips • Short on time? Skip the frosting step like we did and sift powdered sugar over cookies instead of icing each one. • Store unbaked cookie dough tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
Rich and Creamy Eggnog Ingredients 4 cups milk 1 (3.4-oz.) pkg. vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix 1 (8-oz.) carton (1 cup) refrigerated or frozen fat-free egg product, thawed 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon rum extract or 1/4 cup light rum 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg Whipped cream, if desired Nutmeg, if desired
Get more holiday drink recipes from Betty Crocker!4
Directions In large bowl, combine 2 cups of the milk and pudding mix; beat 1 minute or until smooth. Add remaining 2 cups milk, egg product, vanilla, rum extract, salt and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg; beat well. Cover; refrigerate until serving time. Serve topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
betty crocker’s Tips • Rich And Creamy Eggnog will be welcomed by a holiday hostess. Offer to bring it to a dinner or appetizer party. Make the nog and place it in a pretty holiday pitcher. Bring along festive plastic or glass cups to serve the eggnog. Let those who ask know that even though the flavor is as delicious as old-fashioned eggnog, this eggnog has less fat and calories, and because it uses pasteurized egg product instead of raw eggs, it is perfectly safe to drink. • Nog is an old English word for a strong ale. Since eggs were an important part of this creamy ale punch, the rum-laced drink became known as eggnog. 10
ORNAMENTAL DETAILS
Embellish doors, doorways, and tables for a frosty finish. Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest impact. Creating decorative vignettes throughout your party space provides a sense of cohesion and increases the sense of wonderment guests feel as they discover one thoughtful, beautiful detail after the next. Here, ornaments take on new life beyond the typical tree branches, extending the snowy look of a White Christmas theme.
Snow in the
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DECORATING TIPS
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Dress up your side tables. Fill glass bowls, jars, and other clear vessels with tree decorations and place on flat surfaces that would otherwise be bare of Christmas cheer.
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Bring outdoor decor in. Don’t limit wreaths to outer doors that face the porch. Bring the beauty inside and hang a few on walls, interior doors, or even prop on tabletops.
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Frost your own decorations. A can of spray paint can turn frames, pinecones, bells, and other odds and ends into winter-worthy elements of decor.
IN A FLURRY A mobile of snowflake ornaments (like the one shown opposite) adds overhead magic to doorways and entryways. We suspended decorations in a range of different sizes from a beam above an entryway with fishing line and wall hooks. A length of snowy tulle hid the removable hooks from view and added to the flurry effect of the floating snowflakes. Want to replicate the look? Get all the DIY details on Evite Gatherings!
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Holiday Inspiration MORE
FROM THE EXPERTS AT EVITE
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See the Party4
So many great holiday cocktails, so little time.
Don’t arrive at the party empty-handed!
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Get our Gift Ideas4
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