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Making merry

Holiday parties are back! From coffee-fuelled festive brunches to elegant sit-down celebrations, it’s time to put a fresh spin on this year’s seasonal gatherings. So break out those ugly Christmas sweaters, draw up a guest list of favourite folks and throw a holiday bash they’ll remember all year. (Eggnog optional.)

by Kira Vermond

When Costco members Paul Nielsen and Lisa Groulx throw a holiday party, you won’t find them polishing crystal or frantically putting on lipstick before their 75-plus guests arrive. Instead, the couple doesn’t even bother getting out of their pyjamas.

For the past eight years, they’ve hosted an annual holiday PJ brunch party that starts before most people roll out of bed. But the unconventional time works for Nielsen and Groulx, a firefighter and nurse from Guelph, Ontario, who have two small daughters.

“When you’re young, you go to evening parties. Then all of a sudden you have kids and you’re getting up at 5 a.m. and so are all of your friends who have children,” says Groulx. “So we thought, why don’t we have our party in the morning?”

Not only is their commitment to holiday entertaining admirable, but so is their brunch spread. Nielsen and Groulx moved their party outdoors two years ago due to the pandemic, fashioning their large, detached garage into a holiday wonderland with tables laden with a granola bar, cheese boards, homemade bread, overnight oatmeal fixings and coffee. Always coffee.

They purchase aluminium pans, ingredients and other party supplies at Costco well in advance so they’re not scrambling last-minute, and build a fire outside the morning of to warm their guests.

But the culinary star of the show has to be the massive mound of æbleskiver, tiny puffs of pancake that guests dot with jam and powdered sugar. With a nod to Nielsen’s Danish heritage, the family starts flipping batches in specialized pans about three weeks before the big day and freezes them for later. And no wonder.

“We do 500 to 600!” says Nielsen.

Thinking ahead is a great idea, says Adaobi Kanu, owner and lead planner of Events in a Crunch, which serves clients in Austin, Texas, and New York City.

“When it comes to party planning, the biggest tip is the more time the better,” she says, explaining that many people underestimate how much work goes into a fabulous party and overestimate their ability to juggle jobs, family obligations and party planning as the holidays approach.

To make it memorable and cost-effective, it also pays to put a fresh spin on your soirée—something guests look forward to each year. In fact, creative party ideas are often budgetfriendly. Beyond pyjama brunches outdoors, here are a few other original holiday entertaining ideas—from small to large—to get everyone in the festive mood.

Make it formal

Perfect for a pocket-sized crowd—think 8 to 15 people—the formal dinner is making a comeback. Buy an extra folding table if needed and splurge on flowers and pretty napkins. Offer mineral water for those who don’t drink alcohol to accompany a five-course meal. (There’s no shame in hiring a caterer for part of the meal either. You need to enjoy the night, too!) Candlelight sets the mood.

After dinner? Why not break out the party games.

“Food and games make a fabulous time,” says Kanu. “People are able to just really connect, build those stronger relationships and kick off the holiday season with all that goodness and joy.”

Try something new

Standing around with a drink chatting near the buffet table is nice, but it can feel more ho-hum than ho-ho-ho, especially if it’s your fourth holiday party of the month. Kick the fun meter up a notch by giving revellers something to do to break the ice and make some memories.

Set up an epic scavenger hunt for adults and kids. Plant candy canes, chocolate coins, stockings and other holiday-themed items around the house and break guests into teams. Those who find the most win. Or host a gingerbread house decorating party. It’s a good way to get rid of leftover Halloween candy hanging around the house.

Another idea: Spend quality time with friends and organize an afternoon cookie decorating party. Supply a selection of pre-cut sugar cookies in festive shapes, tinted icing, sprinkles, edible markers, piping bags and other tools for beautifying batches. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cookies (of course) keep bellies fed.

Make parties productive

If you tend to leave gift-wrapping until the last minute (busted), why not cross the dreaded chore off your list while surrounded by friends and family? Throw a present-wrapping get-together by providing gift wrap, tape, bows, scissors and name tags (or have guests bring their own) then get down to work. Sip cocktails and munch treats to make the time fly. Don’t forget to vote on the best wrapped package too!

Soon, your least favourite task will be wrapped up for another year.

Dress it up

For large parties with more than 50 guests, Kanu likes to combine a cocktail and appetizer party with silly wearable pizazz. Create a “make your own ugly Christmas sweater” station complete with washed second-hand sweaters and supplies— or choose Kanu’s theme from last year: an “elf yourself” party.

“I went full elf,” Kanu jokes, who admits the kids joined her in going all-out with the elf apparel and makeup, while adult partygoers politely donned elf ears.

“People still talk about that party though,” she says. “So now I’m thinking, ‘I’ve got to level up this year.’”