Hosting a party is like playing tennis or singing power ballads—some people are born with a natural gift for the art form, but everyone can improve their skill at it with a little practice. With the holiday season dashing through the snow towards us, we reached out to the aces and divas—the Serenas and Adeles of party-throwing—to ask for easy, actionable techniques that us everyday entertainers can work into our repertoire.
In true holiday spirit, these chefs and hospitality consultants, designers, shop owners, and celebration experts shared their no-fail party secrets. Here they are below, in what we think of as our holiday gift to you. You’re welcome! Now go send those e-vites.
Display the Menu
“I always think that presenting the menu to your guests—whether posting it in a visible spot, or placing it on each plate—not only makes the evening feel extra thoughtful and special, but it also lets everyone know what to expect. I like to add fun info beyond the food, whether it be the names of each guest, a note about the playlist, or a recommendation of something fun to do after the party.” —Dan Pelosi, cookbook author a.k.a. @grossypelosi
Play a Game
"I always like to have an icebreaker at a dinner party. You can write out a question that everyone takes turns answering— it's always a fun surprise if people sit down and find a game on their plate. Questions like: What’s one thing you’re excited about? Or a surprising thing few people know about you, whether that’s serious, like you were a Russian lit major, or silly, like you’ve watched The Godfather 13 times." —Darcy Miller, celebration expert and founder of Darcy Miller Designs
Serve a Signature Cocktail
“I love having a house drink of the moment. Last year it was a 50/50 with Basque vermouth and gin, served with a Castelvetrano olive. This year, after recent travels in the Caribbean, I am serving Ti' Punch: rum muddled with limequats from my very happy tree, and coconut sugar. I don't have much bandwidth for complicated cocktails, but it's nice to introduce people to a simple drink that they can also make at home.” —Julia Sherman, photographer and author of Salad for President
Double-Side Your Place Cards
“If I’m hosting a holiday dinner and there's any guests who haven't met everyone else yet, I ensure that any place cards on the table include each guest's name on the front and the back, so that everyone can find their seat and remember the names of other guests they’re seated near!” —Noz Nozawa, Noz Design
Set A Mood Without Having to Play DJ
“I am currently loving Grizzly Bear Radio on Spotify. The artist's Pandora station is great as well. It's not too loud, but not too quiet. Not too slow, but not too upbeat. Just provides the perfect vibes for a party." —Ellen Marie Bennett, author, designer and founder of Hedley and Bennet
Serve Flowers with a Side of Produce
“I like to mix flowers with produce for a visually interesting arrangement. I did something super simple recently when I created a little wine bar at home. I had potatoes, and I stacked two or three of them on top of each other with some skewers, then I stuck two long-stemmed yellow bulbous flowers called Billy Balls in the potatoes. I made a few of them; it looked quirky and added a little height to the table without adding too much weight visually. Also it was really inexpensive, just potatoes and these flowers I bought that were $5 or $7 for six of them.” —Emerald Chan, culinary content creator
Raise the Bar
“If you can turn something into a bar, do it! It could be a Spritz Bar, or a Deviled Egg Bar, or a Sundae Bar. People love options, it's a great way to get everyone to mingle, and it takes the pressure off you as the host to do everything for your guests.” —Katherine Lewin, author of Big Night: Dinners, Parties, & Dinner Parties and founder of @bignightshop
Have a Chat
“One thing I love to do when hosting that makes a big impact is spending time with my guests. I make sure to have a conversation with each person that attends because it's important to dedicate time to the people you bring in a room. Everyone is busy and they made an effort in showing up, so the best thing I can offer is my time and attention.” —Beverly Nguyen, founder of Beverly’s NYC, Livings Editor @family_style
Serve a Soup
“My favorite low-lift big-impact move when hosting for the holidays is a soup course. You can prepare 1-2 days before, store in the fridge, and all you need to do is reheat when guests arrive. It’s a theatrical extra course that feels elegant but is very easy to prepare.”—Romilly Dauphin Newman, chef
Steam the Fancy Glasses
“I am a big proponent of using proper glassware. Keeping those clean can be a bit of a nuisance, so I use this trick: I’m usually boiling water for pasta or maybe potatoes before a party, so I just take each piece of glassware and hover it upside-down over the steam from the pot, then wipe them with a microfiber towel to shine up the glasses.” —Shanika Hillocks, hospitality consultant
Get Crafty
“Adding a handmade decor moment to the centerpiece instantly dials up the vibes and sets the stage for a unique and elevated gathering. I'm picturing some dried fruit garland, handwritten food signage or place cards, cloth napkins knotted in an interesting way. Slide in some extra sprigs of rosemary to garnish table decor...and candlelight, candlelight, candlelight!” —Virginia Sin, founder, SIN
Go Big with Bubbly
“I got a giant vintage Champagne bowl off of Etsy and I fill it with ice—it’s so fun to have a big dramatic drinks station. When guests arrive with wine, they just add it to the bowl. Or you can always do an overflow in the bathtub.” —Jordan Ferney, Founder of Color Factory, Oh Happy Day + Party Shop
Cash Some Chips
“This is kind of a high-low thing, super easy and something for everyone, especially the kids: Put out a big bowl of potato chips, caviar, creme fraiche, and a bowl of French onion dip (the Lipton soup mix with sour cream). It’s always a crowd please and the least amount of prep work.” —Kate Berry, Creative Director
What's your holiday party hack for making a big impact without a lot of effort? Tell us below!
English (US) · 