Do you hear what I hear? That’s the sound of the holiday social season gearing up—December is almost upon us, which mean it’s time to put on our shiny, sparkly holiday best and hit the holiday cocktail party circuit. In fact, chances are, you’re probably hosting a cocktail party of your own, am I right?
And let’s be honest, here: hosting a holiday cocktail party is cause for nerves, especially if you’ve never done it before. There are always questions about what kind and how much food to serve, how much alcohol to have and how to time your party so that you’re not stuck in the kitchen while your guests are mingling in your living room.
Luckily, I’ve got some answers—my own and some tried-and-true from others—to the above questions, and well as tips and tricks to help make this year’s soiree the best ever.
How much food should I have?
You have two options here: If your party takes place either before or after dinner, then you’ll want to serve five to six hors d’oeuvre options, with one to two of each hors d’oeuvre per person. If the party takes place during mealtime, then serve eight to 10 hors d’oeuvres and plan on having two to three of each per person.
What kind of food should I have?
I’m taking a cue from the queen of entertaining—Ina Garten—here and saying that you should have hors d’oeuvres that all be prepared ahead, with most being of the no-cook variety. I’ve included a few recipes below [JUDI, YOU HAVE SOME, RIGHT?], but here are some other tips: remember your vegetarian guests, mix it up for a more exciting menu and keep it seasonal for the freshest and best-tasting options. Plus, hors d’oeuvres that evoke the holidays are just fun.
What are the best kind of cocktail to serve at my fete?
I’m partial to champagne—again, it’s just fun and festive, especially around the holidays. You can also never go wrong with a big bowl of colorful punch, something like a jewel-colored pomegranate martini, or something seasonal like spiced cider. Don’t feel pressure to have a full bar unless you want to; I’ve had great success with a signature cocktail bar featuring drinks like the ones I’ve listed above. But a note: always make sure to have nonalcoholic options, and remember that each guest will probably imbibe two drinks during the first hour of the party and one drink each hour afterward.
Below is a very helpful chart, courtesy of Bon Appetit magazine, that will help you plan the amount of alcohol you need for any cocktail party, no matter the size:
Liquor and Mixers for a Full Bar
| Guests | 10-25 | 25-35 | 35-60 | 60-100 |
| The Spirits (bottles) | – | – | – | – |
| White wine | 7 | 7 | 8 | 11 |
| Red wine | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Champagne | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Vermouth dry | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Vermouth red | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Vodka | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Rum | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Gin | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Scotch | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Whiskey | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Bourbon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tequila | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Brandy/cognac | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Aperitif | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Cordial | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Beer (bottles/cans) | 50 | 75 | 80 | 100 |
| The Mixers (2-liter bottles) | – | – | – | – |
| Club soda/seltzer | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Ginger ale | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Cola | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Diet cola | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Lemon/lime soda | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Tonic | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Juice quarts | – | – | – | – |
| Tomato | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Grapefruit | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Orange | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Cranberry | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Extras | – | – | – | – |
| Grenadine | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Angostura | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Source: BonAppetit.com
What else can I do to make my party sparkle?
Have a great soundtrack playing in the background. Lately, I’ve been partial to Adele, but something upbeat and instrumental is always nice, too. Many holiday CDs can be hokey, but there are some options out there that aren’t—it all depends on your taste. Just keep the volume low enough that the music doesn’t overpower the conversation. As for ambience, I’m taking a tip from the Barefoot Contessa again and saying that you can’t go wrong with dark lighting and lots of candles. And finally, even if you feel frantic, never let your guests see that: greet them with a big smile and a drink in hand—and when you see what a great time everyone is having at your party, the stress will melt away just like that.
Happy entertaining!