sententia

We’re quickly approaching the last weekend before Christmas, which means that there are probably a few of you out there who are madly trying to finish decorating, shopping, and maybe even party hosting!

Unless you’re careful, though, it’s easy to go overboard when you’re planning a holiday bash. Whether it’s that you’re trying to impress, or that you just lose track, blowing your budget can be a danger if you’re not careful.

But there’s no reason you can’t have a great party and not blow a wad of cash on the preparations. Here are some tips and tricks on some of the most potentially budget-busting aspects of party-planning: food and drinks.

To Eat

The key when it comes to party food (and, really, any food) is to make most of it yourself. I’ve had great success recently with this pretzels recipe, and it’s great because it really only uses staples that you likely will have in your pantry already.

If you want to be a bit higher end with your food, pick one dish to put a little more money into rather than spending a bunch on everything. Not only is it easier on the wallet, but it really makes that one dish stand out a little more. For a high-impact dish that is moderately more expensive, give this Baked Brie with Sun-Dried Tomatoes a try.

The potentially more expensive item in this recipe is the cheese, but fortunately, around the holidays, you can often even find the cheese on sale.  Parties are the perfect time to buy in larger quantities, even if you normally don’t. We typically shop at Costco anyway, but it may be worth it to go to your nearest warehouse grocer for your pre-party preparations.

Also, don’t forget to do some comparison shopping, first! Check your grocery store fliers (they’re often available online) for the deals of the week, and note any really good deals. And don’t be afraid to adjust your planned party menu to take advantage of the sales.

But what if your party is coming up, and you barely have enough time to go grocery shopping, never mind cook or bake?

There are some less expensive dishes you can pick up and put together quickly. For example, a container of sour cream mixed with a packet of powdered dip-mix (my favorite is Clubhouse Country Herb) goes great with an array of veggies — and you can keep the leftovers for when you’re starting your New Year’s diet! Or, if that sounds too healthy for your crowd, get a jumbo bag of chips and serve those with your dip.

It need not be absolutely forbidden to buy prepped food, but if you’re going to do it, make sure that you only buy as much as you need. For example, when it comes to those chips I mentioned, stick with a single bag of plain ruffle chips rather than trying to pick a bag of every flavor they make. And don’t forget that store-brand items and generics are usually just as tasty, for less.

To Drink

Alcohol is expensive. Despite what you may have been led to believe, it is possible to have a dry Christmas party that everyone enjoys.

If you’re really uncomfortable with having a dry party, you have a couple of options. You can make it BYOB, or you can spike the punch. Seriously, the key to providing alcoholic beverages that don’t break the bank is to keep the proportion of booze to beverage low — the less of an expensive ingredient you use, the cheaper your drink will be overall.

Try making this tropical slush, for example. It’s great as a “virgin” drink, but it’s perfectly spike-able, too.

Tropical Slush

• 6 cups water
• 1-1/2 cups sugar (up to 3 c. if you want it really, really sweet)
• 5 ripe bananas, peeled
• up to 3L unsweetened pineapple juice (depending on how much you like pineapple)
• 12 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 12 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• Gingerale or 7-up (storebrand equivalents are fine)

In large saucepan, bring water and sugar to a full, rolling boil. Remove from heat. While the syrup cools, mash the bananas and blend together with the juices. Freeze — an empy icecream pail is perfect for this.

To serve, let the frozen mixture thaw for an hour or two. Put as much of the juice mixture as you want to use in a punch bowl (or spoon into individual glasses, about half-full) and add gingerale (not as sweet) or 7-up (sweeter), to taste. I usually add equal parts frozen mix to pop. This is also when you add your alcohol, if desired. Vodka is good if you don’t want to alter the taste; rum adds a nice warmth if you prefer that. Experiment with other liquors as well!

Party or no party, the holidays just don’t seem right if I don’t make at least one (or two, or three…) batches of hot apple cider, as a keep-me-warm for those cold and blustery days. I buy the ingredients in bulk since they all keep, and I make the cider frequently enough that it’s worth it.

The cider tastes great when freshly made, but for even more flavor, let it sit in the fridge overnight after initially boiling it. Then reheat it — I prefer to heat it on the stove, as I find the microwave gives it a wierd aftertaste — and enjoy! Either way, it tastes way better than the store-bought stuff, and it’s far less expensive, too.

Hot Apple Cider

• 2x 48 oz. (approx. 3 litres) Apple Juice, not from concentrate
• 2 T sugar
• 8 whole cloves
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Bring to a boil; let cool to serve warm. Refrigerate if not serving right away.

The Right Kind of Memories

Focus on making your party memorable for the right reasons; give people opportunities to mingle and chat, and to enjoy their time together. I like to get out some games (card games are a lot of fun, and you can usually find some good party games second-hand), if I have places for everyone to gather ’round the table.

If you don’t have room for everyone to sit around the table, or on the floor, or if you just don’t think your guests are into games — put out a puzzle, which you can get for almost free from a second-hand store (despite what you may think, most second-hand puzzles do have all their pieces). People will pop in a piece or two as they stand and chat, and I don’t think I’ve met anyone who doesn’t have a soft spot somewhere in their heart for puzzling.

One of the most fun parties I’ve had was a cookie decorating extravaganza. I made up a batch of cookies (sugar cookies and gingerbread ones) the week before, mixed together some colored icing, and set them out all over the table for people to join in on the decorating fun. Not only was it a real blast to see everyone’s creativity, but as an added bonus, everyone was able to take their cookies home as party favors!

Ultimately, all the food, drink and decorations won’t determine whether your party is a success. No one will remember if you burned the pretzels or ran out of punch — they’ll remember the company, and the time spent together.