Entertaining can be a tricky business and in Winter there are a lot more things to consider. Personally, I would be happy to ensure all the parties in my life are Summer parties but with a winter baby that’s not really possible. Winter parties may not be poolside or playground but there are some wonderful options for fun and fabulous events in the colder months. Winter party ideas are going to be very different depending on the type of party and the age of your guests.
Last year I ended up with two parties and two cakes for my Winter baby because of weather constraints. It can be difficult to try and plan the perfect party when you have to consider the weather and shelter and catering to all age groups.
Sometimes you can work your celebrations around the seasons but if your birthday is mid-Winter, you are generally going to party mid-Winter. It’s not just birthday parties though, there are lots of baby showers, Girls Night Ins and charity benefits which run through the cooler months, as well as engagements and weddings.
It may be cold outside but that doesn’t have to put a chill on your celebrations. You could embrace the season and go for a Winter Wonderland theme. All light blues and whites, even ask your guests to dress in the same colour scheme. Think snowmen, penguins, snowflakes and all things white and wintry.
Alternately you could make the inside totally contrast the outside and have a beach themed party to keep everyone thinking of the sun and the sand. Surfboards and sunglasses are a must but whether you dress to theme would depend on the quality of your venue.
There are some much more subtle ways to warm up a winter celebration and a lot can be achieved with your menu, or your lighting and decorations. A fantastic idea that could be purposed for either children or adults would be a pyjama and movie party. Everyone comes in their cozy, snuggly PJs for a night of laughter, snacks and movies. This would make a great Girls Night In idea.
There are few things as important to a winter party as the venue and the food, regardless of what you are celebrating. You need a venue that will offer protection from the weather, space for all of your guests and an area for entertainment. You also need to take into consideration the decorations you want to use and whether they will work in your venue. I’m all for having my celebrations at home, I like the comfort of familiar surroundings – and knowing that if anything gets broken it’s not going to come with a large price tag. In Winter that becomes a little tricky, there isn’t always the space at home to fit everyone in and it’s too cold or wet to be outside.
Winter party food needs to be warming, you don’t necessarily want fruit platters, cordial and sandwiches. This is the time for pastries, hot hors d’oeuvres, soups and hot chocolate.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is leave it to the professionals. Spend some time working on your theme and what sort of things you might like then invest in an event planner or a caterer.
Event and catering companies can do as much or as little as you need them to. Do you need help finding a venue or choosing a menu? Pick the right company and they can do that. I think the bit that attracts me the most is that they can do drop off catering or they can supply staff so that you don’t have to do anything except spend time with your guests. That is something that excites me, I always find myself sitting back at the end of a party and trying to work out where all my time went and why I didn’t spend more time talking to my guests.
We would love to hear about your best ideas for Winter parties… what worked, what didn’t and what are you excited to try?
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