Holiday Party: Naughty Or Nice?
Is Santa going to deliver coal in your stocking this year, or have you been nice? Host a party with this question in mind.
Attire: Think preppy school-boys and Catholic school-girls.
Décor: Just like devil meets angel, think black and white colors on napkins, plates, and for tablecloth. Along your buffet table, stagger a couple of white votives, and of course, the requisite coal nuggets. For those who want to be just a little naughty this holiday season, hanging a piece of mistletoe in a doorway is optional.
Drinks: Serve "naughty" and "nice" cocktails that are perfect for a crowd. Think something strong, like rum punch, for a naughty cocktail offering, and a refreshing champagne cocktail for those who opt for something nice.
Eat: Think spicy (naughty) and sweet (nice) as you put together a couple of themed appetizers. Spicy Buffalo Wings or Winter Salsa are perfect for a crowd, while a platter of raw oysters can be a more indulgent option that keeps in spirit with the theme. Or, try these BBQ'd Oysters for something truly over the top.
For a "nice" sweet treat for those on a budget, put together a candy bar with a couple of different varieties of holiday candy, along with mini paper bags, so people can mix and match their own combination. For something truly "nice," bake up this carrot cake for a sweet treat that you could justify as being nice for your waist, too, thanks to the addition of carrots, walnuts, and raisins.
Activity: Have a Dirty Santa (also known as a Yankee Swap, or White Elephant) present exchange. Each guest brings a gift under a pre-determined dollar amount (typically $20). Upon arrival at the party, each gift gets a number, as does each guest, which determines what order they will get to pull a gift out of the bag.
When the time comes to "get" your gift, each guest pulls a gift from the bag according to what number they pulled. Though there are variations in how the game is played, typically each guest, after the first, has the choice of "stealing" another guest's gift, or picking a new one out of the bag (you can't steal back a gift that was just stolen from you, however). The stealing continues until everyone has a gift.