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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is all about food and festivities with those you care about. What better way to get your loved ones together than with a holiday gathering?
Whether you're celebrating with friends or bringing your family together for a holiday meal, here are some ideas for a simple and fun holiday party your guests are sure to enjoy.
Plan a delicious menu.
Every great party starts with a great menu. First, you'll want to choose some bite-sized hors d'oeuvres and finger foods for guests to enjoy while mingling. For example, at our recent Holiday Appetizer Cooking Class, our participants learned how to make Mozzarella Skewers with Homemade Pesto, Sweet Stuffed Mini Peppers, Baked Honey Garlic Shrimp, and Short Rib Mac & Cheese Bites.
Then it's on to the main course. You can stick with the traditional holiday turkey or ham as the star of your table, or branch out into chicken, beef, or vegetarian entrees for a more unique bill of fare.
Don't want to spend all day in the kitchen? Order a sweet and savory spread from our catering menu and leave the cooking to us! We offer a wide array of dessert cups, dinner cups, and appetizer minis, so you can pick and choose everyone will love.
Set up a hot cocoa bar.
Not only is this classic drink both adult- and kid-friendly, there are countless combinations for your guests to make their own unique cup of cocoa!
Set up a table with plenty of festive mugs. You can offer your guests hot cocoa packets with hot water and stirrers, or fill up a slow cooker with rich, homemade hot chocolate that guests can dole out themselves.
Have toppings such as flavored syrups, mini marshmallows, peppermint sticks, cinnamon, and whipped cream in bowls so everyone can personalize their drinks. If it's an adult-only party, you may also want to break out the Bailey's Irish Cream, Kahlua, or spiced rum at the cocoa bar!
Have a cookie decorating station.
What’s more classic than decorated holiday sugar cookies? Bake a big batch in fun holiday shapes (your kids will love helping you cut out the dough!). Then, buy or make several cups of plain white icing, which you can separate into bowls and mix with different food coloring. Set out small bowls of sprinkles, gumdrops, chocolate chip, and other sweet morsels, and let your imagination run wild.
P.S. - If your kids love decorating cookies, consider hosting a Cookie Baking Birthday Party for them right here at The Cookie Cups! Learn more in our blog post.
Organize a gift exchange.
It wouldn't be the holiday season without gifts! There are a few different options for planning a gift exchange with your guests, but a Secret Santa exchange – where each person draws a random name as their gift recipient – is one of the most popular. You can also do a White Elephant-style exchange, where each guest brings one gift (normally under $10) that is randomly chosen by another person at the party.
If you’re planning on hosting a gift exchange, be sure to sign up for one of The Cookie Cups' two DIY Secret Santa Gift classes on December 14th or 15th. You'll leave you with a plethora of baked goodies that you can gift to others at your gathering.
Most importantly, remember to have fun and enjoy this time with your loved ones. The holidays can be a stressful time of year, but your holiday gathering doesn’t have to be!
Need to place a holiday catering order for your social or corporate event? Visit our catering page to make your selections and get started! We deliver within 30 miles of our Navarre and Chanhassen locations.