A perfect holiday party

So, you’ve decided to host a swinging holiday bash resplendent with sophisticated cocktails, dazzling hors d’ouevres and decadent desserts. The invitations have all gone out, and you’ve got 20 people descending on your home in a matter of weeks.

Relax. here’s advice from the professionals.

Keep it simple

Dave Wright, Juban’s catering director, says to buck tradition when it comes to color and go beyond traditional red and green. Wright likes brown and bright green, and blue and white. Opt for unscented candles rather than the twinkle lights used to decorate dorm rooms—just be sure to buy unscented.

Try using fruits and vegetables, advises Emily Connor, event coordinator for Bonnano’s Fine Catering.

Create crowd control

Serve everything buffet style, making the food and the bar easily accessible, but don’t cluster everything in one spot. Spread the food and drinks through various rooms and use different tables and counters. “Avoid putting the food in the kitchen,” Wright says. “People naturally want to congregate in the kitchen, but you want your guests to move and mingle. This will help create flow to your party.”

Embrace semi-homemade

“Keep it simple and prepare things you are comfortable making that reflect your personal style,” says chef Yvette Bonnano. “A dinner party for 50 people isn’t the best time to try out a new recipe.” There are some great pre-made items available at your local grocery stores, Bonnano says, such as the Brie en Croute platter from Maxwell’s Market.

It boils down to outsourcing some of the food from shops and restaurants so you can focus on the few dishes you prepare yourself.

Give your guests choices

Serve at least three non-alcoholic drinks, and make sure you have several vegetarian dishes available. “Drinking and driving is a major concern during the holidays, so I always serve flavored spritzers to my guests who don’t want to drink or have to drive,” Wright says. “It’s not as ordinary as a Coke and makes your guests feel like their getting a dressed-up drink.”

Serve one signature cocktail

Keep your life simple (and your grocery bill down) by serving one, signature cocktail, rather than setting up a full, open bar. You can offer mulled wine or a hot toddy, advises John Waller, a bartender at Fleming’s Steakhouse. Or create a “red” cocktail and name it something kitschy. For New Year’s Eve, try serving a champagne cocktail (see recipes for ideas).