Planning your Christmas cocktail party
On this Queer Money, we’re talking about throwing festive yet frugal Christmas cocktail party tips. We’re sharing seven simple tips for a fabulous Christmas cocktail party to throw the biggest party of the season on the smallest budget.
Throwing your festive yet frugal Christmas cocktail party:
7 Christmas cocktail party tips on a budget
1. Too much variety will kill your Christmas cocktail party
Variety is good for a healthy diet and a good sex life. It’s expensive for a Christmas cocktail party on a small budget. Vodka, gin, whiskey, beer, wine, and bubbly offer a nice variety, but you want to share a more memorable do than your corner gay bar.
The solution: have a signature cocktail. Try a retro rum punch, rosemary Collins, cranberry margs, or whiskey slush. If you want to complement your signature cocktail with a case of beer or a moderately priced wine, go holiday ballz to the wallz.
2. The queens don’t eat on Christmas
What’s rarer than a unicorn hopped up on frankincense and myrrh? A recovering disco queen double-fisted it at the buffet table. Give yourself an early holiday gift and skip the struggle, time, and money on a full-spread buffet.
Feed the grazers so no one gets too gregarious, but keep it simple. A simple cheese, charcuterie, and bread spread with extra-virgin olive oil will do. Put out some nuts, crumbled chocolate, and crudité, and no one will leave unsatisfied.
3. The fanciest Christmas cocktail party decorations are cheaper than [insert favorite target]
Unless you’re one of those ‘wise men’ who buy Christmas decorations and cards on December 26, decorations are cost-prohibitive for a thrifty holiday cocktail party. Not only are candles and inexpensive holiday lights great for creating a warm and intimate mood, but they’ll also make all your guests look younger and skinnier.
4. The ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Rat Pack Christmas’ on Pandora are free and classy
It’s unthinkable to throw a gay party without Madonna playing in the background. Still, it’s inconceivable to play Madonna’s version of Santa Baby over Eartha Kitt’s at a Christmas cocktail party.
Pull up ‘White Christmas’ or ‘Rat Pack Christmas’ on free Pandora or Spotify, and you’ll have all the best holiday tunes you and your festive guests need.
5. Host post-dinner, pre-cocktails
The holidays are so food-centric that everyone wants a gastronomic vacation by the end of the holiday season. So, make your pre-planned holiday cocktail party a mid-holiday hiatus. Invite your guests at 7 pm or 8 pm and sell your party as the place to be before everyone hits the clubs.
6. BYOB before the CCP (Christmas cocktail party)
Hack your Christmas cocktail party. Throw a BYOB pre-party ahead of your formal Christmas cocktail party. BOYB partiers-goers usually leave a solid stash of booze in their wake. With this secret stash and your signature cocktail, you’ll have more than enough for your guests and wallet.
7. Say your Christmas cocktail party is BYOB, then lie
You can always lie if you don’t want to hack your Christmas cocktail party. Tell your friends about the party and share the food and shelter. Then, surprise all your guests with your signature Christmas cocktail.
Those are our seven simple tips for a fabulous Christmas cocktail party. Don’t forget to download our free $99 Holiday Cocktail Party Grocery List.