Sometimes even the smallest gesture can make the biggest impression. If you plan to welcome guests into your home this holiday season, try these simple ideas for easy entertaining.
Dazzle them with sweets and savories or with the perfect party favors. Just a little extra effort will make your gathering especially memorable.
New Year’s Eve countdown kit: Make sure that your New Year’s Eve party is properly festive (and noisy) by providing each guest with his or her own countdown kit.
Fill a small glassine bag three-quarters full with confetti. Use double-sided tape to affix the bag to the stem of a noisemaker. Fold the top of the bag over the noisemaker, and seal with a bright sticker. Make a bag for each guest, and arrange the packages on a tray or cake stand so that they will be close at hand as midnight approaches.
Olive buffet appetizer: For an easy, decadent appetizer, assemble a warm olive buffet. Heating herbed olives before you serve them brings out their flavor. Offer a selection of all of your favorite varieties to encourage guests to try a few of each. One-half pound of kalamata, nicoise or another type of olive will serve six people.
Rinse and drain the olives, then place them in a baking dish. Toss them with a splash of olive oil and other ingredients such as garlic and herbs. You might try these delicious combinations: hot chile peppers and garlic cloves, bay leaves and fennel seeds, strips of lemon peel and thyme, or orange peel and rosemary.
Heat the olives in an oven at 350 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes, and serve warm.
Ribbon candy pouches: These pouches make sweet, simple party favors — and they’re a great way to put 2- to 3-inch-wide ribbon scraps to use.
Cut scraps to about 8- or 9-inch lengths. Align two ribbons, pairing a sheer with a solid so the treats will be visible. Trim ends with pinking shears, and stitch together both long sides.
Cinch one end with narrow ribbon or yarn to form a pouch. Slip in mints, gumdrops or peppermint sticks. Tie the other end with another piece of narrow ribbon or yarn.
Shiny swizzle sticks: Dress up cocktail glasses with homemade swizzle sticks.
Cut out strips of lightweight metallic wrapping paper, each 2 inches wide and 12 inches long. Cut a 1 1/2-inch-long fringe along one long side of the strip. Starting at one end, wrap the uncut long side of the strip around the top of a wooden skewer; secure with double-stick tape.
With scissors, trim skewers to be 1 or 2 inches taller than your cocktail glasses.
Shake before using to fluff the fringe.
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