Holiday Parties 2016

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AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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South Bend, IN
Is anyone planning to host any parties this year? What are you doing for theme or menu? How are you coming along in your prep?

Are you going to any parties this year? Company parties? Friends?

This time of year can really fill up fast and these things are on us before we know it!!!
 

jollykelly

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Feb 22, 2015
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Lehigh Valley, Pa
I have a company party. Usually I am the one to organize, but since I had to have an emergency appendectomy and was out for two weeks and have been playing catch up, two co-workers offered to take over. I took them up on their offer and I am looking forward to just enjoying the party.

I will also be hosting the extended family this year (13 in all). My sister and myself take turns hosting every other year. The menu pretty much remains stagnant year over year so it will be salad, chicken gnocchi soup, lasagna, ham, potato filling, green beans, and a few other sides that family is bringing. One side likes Italian food, the other side likes PA Dutch cooking, so we have a blend of both. Eclectic, I know.

I did have visions of having formal place settings, handcrafted name cards, etc. With my surgery and recovery I got behind so I did a reality check and nixed the idea. To be honest, my family would just sit where they want anyway and probably would not appreciate the formal setting, so it works for me!
 

AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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Hope you are feeling better soon! Sounds like you still have a lot on your plate!

We are hosting a dinner party for our friends on Dec 3rd but we are just doing appetizers, a whole spread of them. Last year I did mains/sides in addition to appetizers and they were hardly touched. So I've got 70% of the appetizers in the freezer already and I'll make a few things the day before.

I'm serving PW Cheddar Puffs, PW Holiday Bacon Appetizers, Mini Bacon Pinwheels, Mini Chicken Turnovers and Italian Pastry Roll Ups - all from the freezer. Then I'll make a Blue Cheese Cheeseball, Veggie PIzza, Peach Preserve Sharp Cheddar and Pecan Phyllo Tarts and Susan Branch Sliced Oranges. Will also have enough for two batches of Pomegranate Champagne Punch.

Time allowing I'm also going to try to make some Pomegranate Coconut Thumbprint Cookies too :)

I have a Chocolate Raspberry dessert wine I thought I could serve in small shot glasses around that time. It's very good but a little goes a long way!

We have a company party at my work as well and as of last year I am in charge of planning. Picked our restaurant and got the date booked, just need to finalize menu and send out the announcement to staff. I'm also in charge of various little events the week of Dec 12th at work for holiday festivities. A brunch, a hot chocolate bar, a potluck, etc. Lots of work left to do!
 

MrsSoup

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Oct 13, 2007
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Missouri
The only party that i'm planning is a Battalion Holiday Party. Someone else actually volunteered to be the committee chair but hasn't really shown much initiative to get anything done so my friend and I are making all the plans and such. We're hoping to have help in executing said plans, but we'll see. We have activities for the kids and a couples things for the adults and we're catering food as well as expecting some of it potluck style.
 

tanya

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Jan 8, 2012
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Yes and maybe.
I have a ladies lunch every year before Christmas. There are 20 or so of us. We have it before school finishes for the year. I cheat and get it catered. Its easy! I use the same caterer and she knows what I like so she kind of pulls it together for me. I also get my cleaner to do desserts (her speciality!). Menu will feature seafood and light options as its warm weather- with icy cold champagne!

This year Luke tells me that he thinks he should have a Christmas Party! I think its just an excuse for a party!

He wants the kids from swim, some from school and some local kids so about 40 in all. We have a big outdoor entertainment area so its not a problem. He just wants a bbq with swimming. Just to end the year with! It was not on my agenda but if he wants to have it then that's fine! I will invite some parents to keep me company! so we will probably end up with about 60 or so. I will finalise dates with him this weekend but I think its looking like..either Friday 16th Dec or Sat 17th. I will co-opt a couple of the Dads to cook the BBQ! I will do a range salads,baked potatoes, bread rolls, dips, chips, vegetable platters etc.... so nothing especially fancy.

And traditionally I always have friends for a BBQ, and drinks on the day after Christmas- very casual just wander in from the beach from 3 pm onwards.
 

Lana

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Oct 13, 2007
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Tanya, the kids will enjoy that--I am sure.

I only have the bank party. It has always been on a Saturday night and last year it was a Friday and there was 100% turnout. So this year they are doing it on Friday too.

Then I have Christmas Eve at my house--18 and Christmas Day whoever comes comes for dinner. Will be 7 for sure and then Jaymees FIL has came the last few years. Possibly 7 more but they are ify. Sometimes they stay home (older sister and her partner) sometimes they come and then mom is ify she usually goes to my younger sisters and times she comes.
 

teachermomof2

Santa's Elves
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Oct 27, 2007
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PA
The party season is upon us. I'm hosting the first grade Christmas party this year. We still have to decide on a date. Our theme this year will be snowmen. We do a pot luck of appetizer type foods and always have plenty to eat. I'll have cookies and a hot cocoa bar, too.

I'm also hosting the union exec team Christmas party. It will be at a restaurant, so no prep for me except small gifts for the members.

I also host Christmas Eve for my family. That will be the usual spread and traditions.

That's it at this point. We'll probably invite J's family to stop down on Christmas night on their way home from the farm for a drink and apps. We will see.

Peace~
 

HouseElf

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Oct 12, 2007
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I am very excited for two parties, a company party - after morning staff meeting a luncheon and then a group facilitated painting. The second is a group of work friends on a Saturday afternoon the week before holidays.

Not hosting myself anything/anyone this year!
 

MrsSoup

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Oct 13, 2007
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Missouri
I would love to do a cookie exchange, but we'll see if I can fit it in and get people that are interested enough to commit.
 

luludou

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Dec 28, 2007
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Québec - Canada
Company party - but not going... don't really like those things. DH has a company party too and for the 1st time he is going alone.... last year was boring for me.... he chats with friends but they have all divorced so new girlfriends... not very interesting for me. We are both happy with the new set up.
We are invited for the 1st time on dec. 18 to dh's cousin... don't know what he has answered.
24th is at my mom's. 25th at my sis's. 31st here where I host for both families... around 25-30.
 

AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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South Bend, IN
MrsSoup - I used to go to a cookie exchange party, but it hasn't been held for several years now. It was always fun! My favorite years were when we only brought 1 dozen cookies and the recipe - that way everyone could try one and if they wanted to bake it they could. The years of bringing twelve dozen cookies were ROUGH. And most of the ones I brought home didn't get used anyway :(