Party Entertaining with Party Finger Foods

The holiday season is fast approaching and even though the
recession may soon end, people are still a bit
cost-conscious in regards to party entertaining. When it
comes to holiday party ideas and cocktail parties, people
still desire the highest return on their investment even if
it is a cocktail party where you are serving party finger
foods. You can throw inexpensive yet elegant cocktail
parties quickly and easily. Here are a few menu
suggestions and event décor tips to help you be the
host or hostess with the biggest bang for your buck.

Theme - Everything That is Old is New Again

Party Entertaining and Event Décor

-Host an open house and monitor your invitation list.
-Re-use your table linen from previous cocktail parties but
add a decorative overlay or table runner.
-Purchase candles. They are an inexpensive event
décor item that create ambiance and set the holiday
mood. Holiday party ideas using candles include colored
pillar candles and votives, hurricanes wrapped with natural
greens such as holly, pine or flowers such as red roses or
white hydrangeas.
-Substitute your iPod for a DJ or Band.
-Buy seasonal greens and fresh flowers at the market and
create your own centerpieces or place loose greens and
flowers on your buffet as accent pieces.
-Cluster groupings of flowers on your dinner table instead
of buying vases.

Here is a great event décor tip combining ambiance
and style for your holiday table.

-Obtain tall glass containers either square or cylinder
shaped and then take one stem of a flower such as a
cymbidium orchid or a grouping of roses or tulips and
submerge them in water.
-Place the rocks, crystals or glass stones on the bottom of
the container and stick the stem or grouping of flowers in
these stones to hold the flowers down on the bottom of the
container. You can also mix in lighted plastic neon ice
cubes and hold them down as well using the stones as an
anchor.
-Add the water and the floating candle and there you have a
submerged arrangement using candles.

Party Entertaining with Party Finger Foods and a Holiday
Specialty Drink

One of the many holiday party ideas you can use to help you
maintain your budget when giving cocktail parties is to
include an anti-pasta buffet as part of your menu.
Anti-pasta stations are a great way to serve a lot of
people inexpensively. Cheeses, dried fruits, crostini and
breadsticks, canapés, cured meats, dips and
bite-size desserts are party finger foods that are easily
obtainable at any market and are fast and effortless to
prepare and display. Have small plastic plates and
cocktail napkins on the buffet to prevent those with eyes
wider than their stomachs from taking more than they will
eat at these cocktail parties. If it is a nighttime affair,
serve a holiday alcoholic and non-alcoholic specialty drink
along with wine, beer, sodas and waters to avoid serving a
full-bar.

Below is a sample menu with food suggestions that are easy
to prepare. Budget Bash has many of the recipes for the
food selections listed below.

Party Finger Foods Menu with a Holiday Specialty Drink

Brie and Pear Quesadillas Flour Tortillas
filled with Freshly Sliced Pear and Brie Cheese

Array of Imported European Cheeses
Artichoke Bruschetta
Olive Tapenade
Dried Dates and Cranberries
With a selection of Whole Wheat Pita, Vegetable Chips and
Sourdough Toasts

Mini-Turkey Sandwiches
Accompanied with Cranberry Chutney Relish

Roast Beef Canapés served on Thinly Sliced Toasts
Topped with Hoarse Radish Crème Fresh

Cucumber Cups
Hollowed out Cucumber Rolls filled with Salmon Mousse

Dessert
Carrot Cake Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate Espresso Brownies
Maple Pecan Cookies

Holiday Specialty Drink
Peppermint-tini

Finally, you may want to consider with your party
entertaining an inexpensive party favor for your friends to
take with them when they leave such as a small organza bag
with a pine-scented candle, a sachet filled with dried
holiday spices or quite simply a card letting them know in
honor of their presence you have made a donation to a local
charity.

So just keep in mind this upcoming December that you don't
have to spend a lot of money to entertain when considering
your holiday party ideas. You can host cocktail parties
that include simple yet stylish event décor and
low-cost but tasty party finger foods and impress your
friends and family with your entertaining savvy. Remember
to make it simple, delicious, stylish, fun & economical and
to be a guest at your own event!

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Andrea Wyn is a special event planner with over 15 years of
industry experience. She has been the Awards Event
Supervisor for the Screen Actors Guild Awards(R) since
2000. Her book, Budget Bash-Simply Fabulous Events on a
Budget, is available at http://www.budgetbashbook.com . She
has an MBA from the University of Chicago & a BA from UCLA.
To learn more about Budget Bash & events go to
http://www.awynningevent.com

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