Let’s face it, the holiday season can be stressful. With so many places to go and people to see {on top of finding the perfect gifts for everyone on your list!}, a small, simple holiday gathering within the comforts of your home is a welcome opportunity to spend time with those closest to you.
Matt and I invited our close friends over last week for a night of games, Christmas movies, and of course, wine. Since this wasn’t a formal dinner, we decided to prepare a spread of small bites and treats. It’s always nice to have snacks nearby for grazing throughout the night.
Here are a few general guidelines that we use when inviting guests over to our home:
Food and Drinks
You can never go wrong with a selection of cured meats and cheeses. But, be sure to have various veggies on hand to accommodate all dietary preferences. Selecting two or three types of cheese as well as a couple of different styles of meat is a good variety.
Matt is a sommelier so it’s fun trying new wines with him to pair with different types of snacks. He suggests offering cured meats and cheeses because many styles of wines pair well with them. This gives your guests the freedom to choose a wine they prefer, which is why he likes to have a few styles on hand for our guests.
Recently, Matt and I discovered Simple Life Wine. We immediately fell in love with not only their wine selections, but with what the brand stands for. Their message encourages taking time out to savor the simple, meaningful moments in life. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to do just that and enjoy a fun night at home with close friends.
Simple Life Wine offers four varieties – a Chardonnay, Rosé, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet paired well with the cured meats, while the Rosé and Chardonnay were delicious with the cheeses. My personal favorite is the Rosé. For all of my Floridian friends, you can find Simple Life Wine at Publix!
Decor
I love having fresh flowers in our home, but especially when planning for any type of gathering. They immediately make your space feel comfortable and inviting. I suggest choosing flowers to match the occasion/season. In this case, I selected deep red poinsettias to match my holiday decorations.
I have a few go-to serving dishes that I use during the holiday season. I generally like to stick within a color theme to help keep the table spread cohesive. Incorporating a tiered serving tray not only saves space but also adds height to your spread.
Outfit
Christmastime is the best season to dress up for any and every occasion. Holiday dresses are my absolute favorite and I’m always looking for an excuse to wear one. This gorgeous pink polka dot dress is a recent purchase and I couldn’t wait to show it off! The feminine ruffles and flowy skirt make it the perfect party dress…& ideal for twirling, too!
These red pumps have small pearl embellishments that I think paired well with the polka dots on the dress. I’ve been wearing these heels with so many outfits – you may have seen them last worn here and here.
I hope that these simple tips helped spark your creativity for planning an at-home gathering with your family and friends. Thank you so much for reading!
Special thanks to Simple Life Wines for sponsoring this post.
