A Show Stopper Holiday Entertaining Idea

For those of you that are new here to Farmhouse 1820, I must tell you that I absolutely love to entertain. Big parties, small parties; lunches and cocktail gatherings, welcoming friends and loved ones to our home feeds my spirits.

I’m in my happy place when I’m fine-tuning every last detail. Might be tedious for some, but for me, it’s bliss. It’s in my nature really, because I like to know that when my husband and I do entertain, our guests look forward to it. They have smiles on their faces; some tell us that they had a prior engagement, but cancelled so they could attend our party. It’s almost like they’re soaking the beauty and effort that I have given, in their eyes. It’s truly rewarding and a huge compliment. Humbling.

But I have a few secrets to my madness, if you will, that are time savers on one end, but show stoppers on the other. One stress reliever about holiday entertaining is that you should never feel as though you have to cook/make every single appetizer or dish. Let the store help you out. Sure, you can buy a pre-made dip, but when you transfer it over to a small silver bowl, you’re golden. Who makes pate anymore? Buy it and transfer it over to a fancy plate. And folks, I have news for ya – those pigs in a blanket things are always the biggest hit of the party, even if served next to caviar and lox. They may be from the frozen food section, but they look mighty cute on a silver platter.

Above all of these grocery store helpers, there still needs to be a stunning yet easy-to-create show stopper that is going to stop your guests in their tracks. I have the answer. It’s my tried and true lighting solution that I’ve shared before, but a detail I bring to the party each and every time.

All cocktail tables and bar carts need to be well lit. Lighting is key, and I’m not just saying that because my husband is an electrician. Lighting makes everything gorgeous. It pronounces everything, and can even turn the cocktail table into a show stopper.

And my tip here, is easy.

Grab a tray, any tray. My go-to’s are wooden ones, and I found mine here. Line the bottom with a strand of Christmas tree lights. I recommend using those of a white cord, and LED warm lights. Tape down the cord with white electrical tape to keep the surface level(ish). From the home improvement store, buy a sheet of plastic fluorescent light covering. Using a sharp utility knife, cut the sheet to the size of the inside of the tray. Place the plastic over the lights, plug the tray in, and you’re in business.

Once your guests see this, they won’t care about food or pigs in a blanket, or anything else; they’ll just be enamored with the uplighting of the glasses and drinks. It’s these details that make a lasting impression on entertaining. Little gestures like this, that took no more than 15 minutes to create, that make for a huge impact.

So, don’t let holiday entertaining stress you out. Grab a little help from the grocery store for the food, and create this quick and easy DIY to make a lasting impression on your guests! Trust me here; this isn’t my first rodeo and I’ve proven how to make holiday entertaining not only enjoyable, but beautiful as well.

For those of you that would like the recipe to the Charcuterie cones, stay tuned because next week, I’m sharing super easy and delicious recipe and how to!

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