It’s officially party season – Christmas is just around the corner and that means it’s time for get-togethers, eating and drinking (not too much now) and a whole month of general merrymaking. But if, like most of us, you’re a little cash conscious this year, that doesn’t mean you have to rein in the festivities. Just throw a fabulous bash at home – you can get the most value for money, keep an eye on your costs and cut a few corners without anyone noticing.
So kiss goodbye to eye-watering bar tabs, forget pricey venue hires and throw a personality-packed soirée at home instead.
We asked UAE-based expert party planner Elsa Roodt for her top tips on having a party at home.
Send interesting invitations
An invitation is the first taste of what your party will be like so make sure it’s striking – it’ll set the tone for your event. Plus you need to make people want to RSVP!
Enjoy being the host
Make sure you’re having a good time. If you’re having a good time, then your guests will too. It’s when you start running around all evening and getting stressed that things start going wrong – so relax!
Get help!
You can hire a cleaner for about Dhs30 an hour, so why not? Book someone to come round the next day to help clear up – it’s an extra pair of hands and one less thing to worry about during the party.
Set a music playlist
Many people overlook this one, but put together one or two playlists for early evening and later, or for during and after dinner. Otherwise you’ll spend half the night skipping through hundreds of tracks trying to find the perfect song or everyone will try and get involved with choosing the music. So just leave the playlist playing.
Plan the event thoroughly
Make sure you know your guests needs, whether they’re vegetarians, smokers, drinkers/non-drinkers and plan accordingly. Decide early on what you’re going to serve and get enough food and drinks in, plus all the glasses, serviettes and cutlery etc you’ll need. If you have people coming that are new to your area, have some maps ready to send out a few days beforehand.
Elsa is a party planner for Dubai Party Queen, an online resource for everything party-related – and don’t worry, they operate in Abu Dhabi too! Visit www.dubaipartyqueen.com for inspiration on throwing a great bash, or invest in one of their party packages that can include everything from hiring a bartender to finding you the perfect invitations.
The season’s top three hottest party trends
1 Twisted parties
Twisted parties are great fun to mix up the idea of a traditional themed party. Send out invitations that have five or six different dress codes. (If you think you can get away with it, don’t tell your friends what you’re up to.) Some people will arrive in fancy dress, some in black tie, some in togas. The surprise factor is bound to make for a fun atmosphere.
2 Come dine with me
This party theme is inspired by the infamous TV series where contestants take it in turns to host a dinner party and then grade each other on the experience. You can do a truncated version of the show at your dinner party (and presumably a less mean one too!) where each guest brings a different part of the meal, be it mixing a mocktail, preparing dessert or taking on the challenge of a full main course. Then you can grade each other on your efforts – just remember to be nice though!
3 Movie parties
If your friends are huge fans of a particular movie (or even TV series or video game) why not theme your party around it and turn your flat into a set? And come on, we know you can think up something more imaginative than Mad Men. Go for a Christmas movie theme if you’re planning a do at the end of the month, or opt for something niche that will suit your group of mates exactly. Gamers? Try LA Noire or Skyrim. Old school movie buffs? Pick a film that you all know inside out – Some Like It Hot or Blade Runner have some great costume opportunities.
Don’t DIY!
Can’t be bothered with shopping and cooking, but don’t want your guests to go hungry? If you’re willing to splash out a little, having your party catered will save you time and energy. But remember to book at least a week in advance during the Christmas period, as many will be overrun during this time.
• Arlequin
An oldie but a goodie, French-Lebanese caterers Arlequin have been operating in the capital since 1977. They provide French pastries, Lebanese savouries, Arabic sweets and everything in between. Whether you’re after casual finger food or a more filling feed give Arlequin a ring for a quote. They make a point of only using wholesome and all-natural ingredients. Just having a small gathering? Opt for their themed cakes, cookies and cupcakes instead.
Visit www.arlequin.ae for more information or call 02 666 6855 for pricing.
• Shakespeare & Co.
The décor at this café’s Souk at Central Market branch may be pleasantly eccentric, but there’s nothing wacky about the food. Their catering service offers salads, pastries, appetisers, petit fours and main courses on a variety of scales. So whatever your budget, there’s likely to be a package that will suit.
Shakespeare and Co. (02 639 9626) www.shakespeareandco.ae.
• Jones the Grocer
One of the city’s fastest-growing café franchises, Jones the Grocer also has a catering service that does a great line in casual grub, be it sandwich platters or mini desserts from their renowned patisserie. Cheeseboards and kids food are also available on request.
For bookings (must be two days in advance) call 055 3542289 or email events@jonesthegrocer.com.
The dont’s
So now you’ve planned the perfect party, here’s what to avoid at all costs
Serving too many drinks
Make sure you don’t overdo it on the pours, especially not early on in the evening before people have eaten. It may sound like a good idea at first, but think about every party disaster in your life – hasn’t it always been because of someone that can’t handle their tipple?
Loosing your cool
There will always be unexpected events at a party – uninvited plus ones, spillages, latecomers. Just try and accommodate as much as you can and don’t make your guests feel bad for inconveniencing you.
Inviting too many people
Don’t be that anxious host who over-invites people just in case no one shows up! You’ll only end up with more people than you can provide food, drinks and seating for, and then no one will have fun. If you have lots of cancellations, just downsize the party and make it an intimate, cozy gathering instead
Be your own Bartender!
Throwing your own party gives you a chance to get creative at the drinks cabinet. A nice touch is to leave a few cards out in the kitchen with interesting drinks recipes and all the ingredients, so you can let guests make their own too. We managed to persuade Nanda Kumar Sethy, the bar captain at Belgian Café to share the recipe of his favourite mocktail with us – so cut this Christmassy drink recipe out and share it at your next bash!
Red Berries Mocktail
Ingredients
• Strawberries – 2 pieces
• Raspberries – 6 pieces
• Blackberries – 3 pieces
• Vanilla syrup – 3 cl
• Cranberry juice – 8 cl
Method: Muddle all ingredients and throw in the vanilla syrup. Shake it together with ice cubes.
Serving: Take the mixture and pour it into a long glass. Garnish the mocktail with an elegant berry stick of blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry.
