New Year Archives – A Well Crafted Party

Appetizers

Last Minute New Year’s Eve Party Tips

December 31, 2024 No Comments Appetizers

The end of the year is here. Again. And, if you’re like me, you’re not going out for the evening but rather, staying in and inviting others to join you! Per our usual style, we are inviting our family and a few friends over to enjoy an evening of delicious foods, sparkling cocktails, and board games while we wait to ring in the New Year together. Need a few last minute ideas to throw together the best New Year’s Eve party in a pinch? Look no further! Watch my recent spot with KATU’s Afternoon Live and read below for my tips!

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Fun & Festive New Year’s Eve Tips

For my last segment on KATU’s Afternoon Live in 2024 I shared some tips on how to ring in the New Year with style (and ease). Read on for some tips to throw together a last minute end-of-year soiree!

Last Minute NYE Party Tips

I feel like the entire year of 2024 has been last minute and behind. And, this year is no different. While I have a strong plan for tomorrow, my actual preparation time has been limited by work, life, and all the things that can get in the way of these things. But, by 6 PM on the 31st, ready or not, I’ll have a house full of people who don’t really care about much of anything other than getting to spend time together celebrating and having a good time. I’d still like to wow them a bit, and I’m sure you feel the same when people come to your home!

Decadent & Easy to Make Bites for New Year’s Eve

One of my favorite things to do for a NYE party is to serve an evening full of delicious appetizers and finger foods. I love to make them a bit fancy. Suggestions include:

steak crostini with horseradish – recipe by Lena’s Kitchen
blinis with caviar – recipe by my friend Kate who previously wrote the blog Fork & Vine
oysters with tabasco shaved ice – sharing my tips on this!
cranberry prosciutto goat cheese bites – delish, festive, and easy!
salmon and caviar bites (as shared on KATU)

Do some of these rich and decadent appetizers with a great charcuterie board, vegetable platter, and a selection of sweets and you’re set for your last-minute New Year’s Eve menu needs.

Layer on the Sparkle and Shine for NYE Decor

My favorite thing about New Year’s Eve is the excuse for sparkle. I mean, to be fair, I don’t need an excuse. But, what I love about this holiday is EVERYONE enjoys the sparkle. Gold and silver, sequins and mirror balls, twinkle lights and candle lights… it all goes!

Household Items to Gather for Last Minute NYE Decor

Dig into your holiday decor and pull out all the white lights, white/gold/silver bulbs and baubles, and any and all tinsel available! No need to go out and buy new things, dig into your holiday decor and I bet you find a few things that’ll pile together to make great elements to set your New Year’s Eve party apart.
Find every single clock in your house and pull them together. The thing about NYE is that everyone is counting down to one single time. Midnight. Bring out all your clocks and utilize them throughout the party space.
Utilize white, silver, gold, and black linens and paper goods to layer together a cohesive look.
Cut off the top of balloons and slip them on stemless glassware to give glassware a custom look. You can then write on then balloons with a paint pen to mark glassware!
If you want to add in another color —DO IT! Use all the tips above to add in some fun color.

New Year’s Eve Cocktails

Whether you are spending the evening with kids and celebrating with the best mocktails available or with friends enjoying a great cocktail… New Year’s Eve is the time to bring out the drinks! My favorite tip to make sparkling cocktails or sparkling mocktails even more sparkly and delicious is to garnish them with a stick of rock candy*. It adds a special and sweet twist to a traditional drink. Need cocktail ideas? Check out these great recipes!

NYE Cocktail Recipes

Bourbon Apple Punch: A good punch is fantastic for a NYE party with friends at home. They can serve themselves and still get feeling of having a crafted cocktail!
Spiced Negroni Cocktail: This cocktail is tart and spicy and delicious. It is not for the weak. If you need a lighter cocktail, for sure cut this one with soda water!
Rosemary Bliss Cocktail: A gorgeously balanced cocktail that has a fantastic seasonal flair.
Classic Manhattan: The classics are classic for a reason. This one is perfect for the new year. Subtle, sweet, and nuanced. Search for your word of the year deep in one of these!

Hopefully this post serves as a helpful tool for a.quickly thrown together ( but who would know that!?) NYE celebration. Wishing you and yours the best in the new year!

A Well Crafted Pantry

Favorite Holiday Appetizers

December 3, 2019 2 Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

It is party season! This year I am dealing with feeling overwhelmed and excited for what the holidays are going to bring. Due to the late Thanksgiving our normal routine for holiday decor, parties, and fun are being thrown up in the air a bit. I’m catching what I can and letting the rest fall aside. Okay, metaphor over… you get the idea though!

So, whether you are hosting a gift-wrapping get-together with friends or an elegant holiday party… you’re going to want something to feed your guests. Explore some of the blog’s most popular holiday appetizers below.

Ginger snap cookies make this appetizer even more delish!

Apricot & Honey Goat Cheese Balls

Goat cheese mixed with honey, apricots, and (optional) almonds is rolled into balls and served on top of ginger snap cookies with a drizzle of honey for this quick Apricot & Honey Goat Cheese Balls appetizer. You can also make this into a log or larger ball and serve on a platter with cookies for an even easier display!

This appetizer is ready to travel! Add in the final touches right before serving.

Caprese Wreath Appetizer

Appetizers for parties often end up being pretty rich and heavy. I always try to serve salad of some sort along with a crudites platter. This Caprese Wreath Appetizer is a good bridge for both and is a fantastic thing to bring to another person’s house!

You don’t have to bring serving utensils (or hope your guests have them) and it travels great! Simply prep everything and wrap in plastic. Add in olive oil and balsamic vinegar after you get to your location and you are done!

Holiday Grazing Table

This picture is from one of my first forays into creating a grazing table rather than just a platter of meat, cheese, crudites, and fruit. I’ve improved since on the display, but I still love this because it was just as impressive in person as I hoped it would be. Our guests LOVED it.

Blinis with Creme Fraiche and Caviar

I have a slight obsession with caviar during the holiday season. I love it so much. It feels so decadent! Often expensive, it is nice to use caviar as almost a garnish for your appetizers rather than the main event. Blinis with Creme Fraiche and Caviar is one way to wow your guests without entirely wiping out your bank. Another way is whipping up a batch of my favorite creme fraiche and chive dip with caviar and serving it with kettle chips!

Scallops and bacon with fig spread make for a festive appetizer or dinner option.

Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Fig Spread

Figs, bacon, and scallops are rich and wonderful each on there own, but even better together. Use this Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Fig Spread recipe as single bites of heaven or serve on skewers for a more hearty appetizer.

Oysters with Tabasco Shaved Ice

I obviously like seafood over the holidays. My favorite recipes seem to have all types of delicacies from the sea. I know Oysters are not for everyone, but for those who this does appeal to… take your oysters to the next level with flavored granitas or shaved ices. Whether it is a Tabasco Shaved Ice or Champagne Granita your guests will be in awe.

If you love a good round-up of recipes then for sure jump on over to a previous post with some more delicious holiday appetizers. These were recipes created by friends of mine that are sure to make your holiday party extra special.

What is your favorite go-to appetizer for a holiday party? Share in the comments below!

Photo creds: Two amazing professional photographers are featured above: Mary Boyden (oysters and the featured image of the holiday party scene) and Macey Snelson (blinis). In addition the bloggers that contributed recipes to the holiday appetizer round up are linked within that post. Go check it out!

Christmas

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year Poster Printable

December 3, 2018 No Comments Christmas

October through January 1st marks my very favorite season. What season you, ask? It certainly doesn’t fit in the normal four seasons of Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring. Nope… it’s Party Season! To me, this is truly the most wonderful time of the year as it gives me ample opportunities to enjoy the company of my friends and family. Also, I do love me some party food. When decorating my house a couple of years ago I really wanted to touch on this wonderful season with a cheap and easy holiday decor item— a printable poster! This “Wonderful Time of The Year” Poster printable is super sleek with it’s black and white color scheme. It’ll pop amoung nearly anyone’s holiday decorations.

This is the third day of my 12 Days of Christmas DIYs for 2018. Each day for the next twelve days I share DIY projects, recipes, entertainment, and more, that you can incorporate in your holiday season. Most will be super simple!

To create this super simple DIY you only need to download the free printable Holiday Poster File, save to your computer, and then bring to your favorite Staples store. Order this print as an Engineering Print. Frame your poster with a poster frame or post with tacks!