Hello friends from snowy, frigid NY. We got blasted yesterday and it was a perfect day to stay in, warm and relaxed. Hope your new year is off to a wonderful start. So finally put this post together, better late than never, right?
It’s been such a busy month between planning my Christmas party, having a house full of guests for Christmas and then leaving for Palmetto Bluff that I just didn’t have a lot of time to get all my pictures together. My Christmas party was so wonderful and honestly turned out exactly as I had hoped and envisioned. You know when things just turn out exactly like you had dreamed up? Yep that’s the case here.
It was a beautiful winter night with some snow still on the ground and the evening started off in the afternoon, getting things ready once the caterer arrived (kudos to Elegant Affairs for always a job super well done) and my carolers…that’s right my carolers. The theme was “Cocktails and Carolers”, I had always wanted to do this type of holiday party, so we invited 80 of our nearest and dearest, and went to town with the planning.
I did not do a sit down dinner, that’s so 90’s lol. Seriously though I wanted tons of passed elegant Hors d’ Oeuvres and a huge buffet table loaded to the gills with lots of things to nibble on and that is exactly what we did. The presentation by caterer extraordinaire certainly delivered with no detail left out. People really prefer to eat this way, that way you get to sample lots of different things and mingle.
We had a big bar set up, a small bar in the library and even a cigar table on the covered porch for the men. We had carolers (amazing Yuletide Carolers) for the first hour and a half and then a friend gave me as a Christmas gift, a wonderful piano player and her talented voice for music for the second half of the evening. We did a lot of group singing, including The twelve days of Christmas which was such fun and really livened things up:)
It was a really lively, beautiful Sunday evening that started at 6 and my last guest left around 11:30. It will always remain a wonderful Christmas memory and I just might make this an annual gig:) The carolers would absolutely be on my list to do again as they created such a magical feeling to the party.
My only regret was not getting any of the food pics, it was that good….so much and all so delicious. Next time. might have a photographer come to capture it from start to finish
______________
Set up..the most fun part!
That is Stephanie from Elegant Affairs doing what she does so well…
And here are my carolers just waiting to greet our guests!
Here is a little sneak peek of them warming up right before 6pm (start of the party, once they arrived the music went more uptempo:)
Meanwhile the rest of the house was party ready, candles were getting lit, music cranking up and things were heating up in the kitchen-
This was taken just as the food table was getting set up….look how they “hung” the crostinis, love it!
My adorable mom doing a last minute check to be sure things are up to snuff
And here they are welcoming our guests along with a server serving our holiday cocktail, Pink Prosecco with a cranberry and mint-
Look who it is again…Mimi:)
Unfortunately once everyone started to arrive is when my camera taking abilities stopped, I got busy playing hostess and greeting everyone. So wish I had more pictures, especially of the amazing food, both in how delicious it was and the presentation. It was hard as everyone was scattered in about 4 different rooms of the house. Oh well….next time! Here are a few taken by a friend-
If you are curious as to what was served, here you g0. To say we had plenty of food would be an understatement and I am only sorry I didn’t get pictures of it-
I also gave favors away as the night was ending we had a big tray of these by the front door. And you might not be surprised to see what they were-
(Beautiful wrapping courtesy of Margaret)
_______________
Well that’s a wrap on my Christmas party, such a fun, fun night it was! Everything turned out exactly as I had hoped it would. Just putting this post together made me happy all over again, getting to relive this amazing night. I think I might just do it again next year! It was magical and will always be fondly remembered. Only regret not getting more pictures but know for next time!
Thanks for stopping in, wishing everyone a great end to your week, a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend. STAY WARM if your temps are anything like what ours are, absolutely frigid. The kind that makes you want to stay in and hibernate. Until next time….
Beautiful, Tina! Every last detail was perfection and I am sure this did not go unnoticed by your guests.
My Mom was also a Mimi, and now my own grandies know me by same! I am always interested to know how that endearment came about for others – my daughter simply could not say “Grammy” correctly.
Fabulous! Must have carolers at my next Christmas party! Thanks for all the wonderful ideas. Beautiful, great job! Love the Teddy picture, too, gone but not forgotten.
What a fabulous party! Thank you so much for sharing–I felt as if I was one of the invited guest. Love the idea of sending Guests home with a favor. I do it all the time. Your mother is beautiful and so elegant!
Happy New Year!
Thank you for providing the catering menu! Now I am going to have a brie and green apple quesadilla for lunch. I loved seeing how they set-up the food table – so creative and beautiful.
What a beautiful party! I am sure that the carolers were wonderful and added just the right amount of ambiance. A little snow on the ground, good food, good friends;
We host Eve Eve. It started when our kids went to college and invited the sports parents also. Carolers are a wonderful idea. We just have a piano player. Always a fun event for family, neighbors and friends. Your party looks amazing!
Just the way we used to entertain, Tina, especially during Christmas/New Year’s Eve and sometimes Epiphany. Your setting in your four “public” rooms are classic, just my style. Thank you for sharing glimpses of your holiday party! Happy New Year to you and your family.
Tina
Thanks for sharing your holiday home with us. Everything looks warm and festive. Could you possibly post a pic of those tall iron epergnes that are on the table? Are they mirrored? Thank you!
Wow this is simply perfection, from start to finish. I love your attention to detail and am sure your guests were just as amazed to be able to celebrate the holidays in such beautiful style.
Holy Guacamole! Now THAT’S what I call a party. Your home looks like a movie set. Perfection! The food looks fabulous. I would hang out around those mini red velvet cupcakes. I want to audition as a caroller for next years party. I can’t carry a tune but I am an accomplished lip syncer. Have a warm and cozy weekend, dear Tina!
Just a wonderful experience to view and to imagine how much everyone enjoyed being one of your friends! Your Mom is just adorable – really would be wonderful to sit close to her and visit or just to listen to her tales of wisdom. THANK YOU, Tina, for sharing this magical evening in your very welcoming home. Just WOW!
Wow this is amazingly beautiful. Your attention to detail inspires me to do better! We are hosting our first big party in May for our daughters graduation in our new home here in Boston and I am already planning it, wish you could come help me.
The carolers were a beautiful touch and the menu sounds so good. I agree no one likes to sit down to a bit stuffy meal, your home was one beautiful back drop for what looks like a memorable night.
You have inspired me to host a party next year, Tina. My husband is the one who loves to throw parties, I get. initiated about them. But seeing this post has me excited to plan one! You make it look so easy but I know it’s not, your caterer sounds like a dream and the carolers were such a great idea, what a fun way to welcome your guests. Thank you for this post, and for sharing the “back story” of this wonderful event.
What a treat for your guests! Your approach is similar to me & my husband when it comes to party planning. We put our guests as priority and spoil them as much as possible. A party should be an entire experience, not just food & drink. LOVE the caroler idea and now want to investigate for my next holiday party!! I had the pleasure of speaking with Margaret just this week. She is wonderful and was very helpful when one of my gorgeous ornaments arrived broken. I had a new one within 2 days!!
Thanks for sharing your beautiful party with us (and yes, definitely hire a photographer for your next party so your adoring fans have more eye candy).
Fondly, Lisa
Hi Tina. This was such a lovely visit. What a gorgeous party. Missing my blogging days so much after reading this post. I have always Loved your chatty down to earth style of writing. I am going to tuck up my feet and have a long visit to previous posts now. Loving the tree ornaments. Do you ship abroad? Sending love from Cape Town xxx
What a party! I have been waiting for this post. I hope for all of your future parties that you have a photographer on standby. I miss the food pictures. You are a hostess extraordinaire.
You never cease to amaze me Tina, with your decorating & entertaining prowess, while at the same time running a business and publishing a blog. HOW DO YOU DO IT ALL, and do it so magnificently!!?? Looks like an amazing event with an incredible menu and outstanding entertainment. How lucky your guests to be treated to such a special event. BRAVO!!
Beautiful – love each and every detailing, the house looks beautiful and the menu is amazing. wishing you’ll a very Merry Christmas & a very happy 2020.
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Hello friends from snowy, frigid NY. We got blasted yesterday and it was a perfect day to stay in, warm and relaxed. Hope your new year is off to a wonderful start. So finally put this post together, better late than never, right?
It’s been such a busy month between planning my Christmas party, having a house full of guests for Christmas and then leaving for Palmetto Bluff that I just didn’t have a lot of time to get all my pictures together. My Christmas party was so wonderful and honestly turned out exactly as I had hoped and envisioned. You know when things just turn out exactly like you had dreamed up? Yep that’s the case here.
It was a beautiful winter night with some snow still on the ground and the evening started off in the afternoon, getting things ready once the caterer arrived (kudos to Elegant Affairs for always a job super well done) and my carolers…that’s right my carolers. The theme was “Cocktails and Carolers”, I had always wanted to do this type of holiday party, so we invited 80 of our nearest and dearest, and went to town with the planning.
I did not do a sit down dinner, that’s so 90’s lol. Seriously though I wanted tons of passed elegant Hors d’ Oeuvres and a huge buffet table loaded to the gills with lots of things to nibble on and that is exactly what we did. The presentation by caterer extraordinaire certainly delivered with no detail left out. People really prefer to eat this way, that way you get to sample lots of different things and mingle.
We had a big bar set up, a small bar in the library and even a cigar table on the covered porch for the men. We had carolers (amazing Yuletide Carolers) for the first hour and a half and then a friend gave me as a Christmas gift, a wonderful piano player and her talented voice for music for the second half of the evening. We did a lot of group singing, including The twelve days of Christmas which was such fun and really livened things up:)
It was a really lively, beautiful Sunday evening that started at 6 and my last guest left around 11:30. It will always remain a wonderful Christmas memory and I just might make this an annual gig:) The carolers would absolutely be on my list to do again as they created such a magical feeling to the party.
My only regret was not getting any of the food pics, it was that good….so much and all so delicious. Next time. might have a photographer come to capture it from start to finish
______________
Set up..the most fun part!
That is Stephanie from Elegant Affairs doing what she does so well…
And here are my carolers just waiting to greet our guests!
Here is a little sneak peek of them warming up right before 6pm (start of the party, once they arrived the music went more uptempo:)
Meanwhile the rest of the house was party ready, candles were getting lit, music cranking up and things were heating up in the kitchen-
This was taken just as the food table was getting set up….look how they “hung” the crostinis, love it!
My adorable mom doing a last minute check to be sure things are up to snuff
And here they are welcoming our guests along with a server serving our holiday cocktail, Pink Prosecco with a cranberry and mint-
Look who it is again…Mimi:)
Unfortunately once everyone started to arrive is when my camera taking abilities stopped, I got busy playing hostess and greeting everyone. So wish I had more pictures, especially of the amazing food, both in how delicious it was and the presentation. It was hard as everyone was scattered in about 4 different rooms of the house. Oh well….next time! Here are a few taken by a friend-
If you are curious as to what was served, here you g0. To say we had plenty of food would be an understatement and I am only sorry I didn’t get pictures of it-
I also gave favors away as the night was ending we had a big tray of these by the front door. And you might not be surprised to see what they were-
(Beautiful wrapping courtesy of Margaret)
_______________
Well that’s a wrap on my Christmas party, such a fun, fun night it was! Everything turned out exactly as I had hoped it would. Just putting this post together made me happy all over again, getting to relive this amazing night. I think I might just do it again next year! It was magical and will always be fondly remembered. Only regret not getting more pictures but know for next time!
A special thanks to ELEGANT AFFAIRS (click on name for info) for another outstanding party, suburb food and military like precision with every detail, and to THE YULETIDE CAROLERS (click on name for info) for setting the mood for a wonderful night for my guests and doing it with such elegance and holiday spirit.
Thanks for stopping in, wishing everyone a great end to your week, a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend. STAY WARM if your temps are anything like what ours are, absolutely frigid. The kind that makes you want to stay in and hibernate. Until next time….
PS STARTING FRIDAY, ALL SILVER IS 20% OFF! Nothing left out, use code “silver” click here to see all silver.
The most beautiful woman in the room was your mother….
Looks like a perfect evening!
Beautiful, Tina! Every last detail was perfection and I am sure this did not go unnoticed by your guests.
My Mom was also a Mimi, and now my own grandies know me by same! I am always interested to know how that endearment came about for others – my daughter simply could not say “Grammy” correctly.
Enchanted home indeed!!! What an astoundingly beautiful party!
Fabulous! Must have carolers at my next Christmas party! Thanks for all the wonderful ideas. Beautiful, great job! Love the Teddy picture, too, gone but not forgotten.
Absolutely gorgeous!
The Carolers made the atmosphere complete! So beautifully done!
And I adore the party favors!!
What a fabulous party! Thank you so much for sharing–I felt as if I was one of the invited guest. Love the idea of sending Guests home with a favor. I do it all the time. Your mother is beautiful and so elegant!
Happy New Year!
Thank you for sharing! Such a beautiful home and party!!
My word, those carolers are fantastic! What gorgeous voices. I hope your guests realized how lucky they were to be invited to such a fabulous event 🙂
What a beautiful party! Thank you so much for sharing. You really INSPIRE me!
PERFECTION
Oh Tina, please can I be on your guest list next year!!?
Oh Tina. please can I be on your guest list next year!!?
Thank you for providing the catering menu! Now I am going to have a brie and green apple quesadilla for lunch. I loved seeing how they set-up the food table – so creative and beautiful.
What a beautiful party! I am sure that the carolers were wonderful and added just the right amount of ambiance. A little snow on the ground, good food, good friends;
Party ON!! franki
We host Eve Eve. It started when our kids went to college and invited the sports parents also. Carolers are a wonderful idea. We just have a piano player. Always a fun event for family, neighbors and friends. Your party looks amazing!
Just the way we used to entertain, Tina, especially during Christmas/New Year’s Eve and sometimes Epiphany. Your setting in your four “public” rooms are classic, just my style. Thank you for sharing glimpses of your holiday party! Happy New Year to you and your family.
Beautiful soirée …
Tina
Thanks for sharing your holiday home with us. Everything looks warm and festive. Could you possibly post a pic of those tall iron epergnes that are on the table? Are they mirrored? Thank you!
Wow this is simply perfection, from start to finish. I love your attention to detail and am sure your guests were just as amazed to be able to celebrate the holidays in such beautiful style.
Lovely Christmas party! Realylike the carolers to start the evening on a merry note. Bet the food was fabulous. Your house looks gorgeous.
Holy Guacamole! Now THAT’S what I call a party. Your home looks like a movie set. Perfection! The food looks fabulous. I would hang out around those mini red velvet cupcakes. I want to audition as a caroller for next years party. I can’t carry a tune but I am an accomplished lip syncer. Have a warm and cozy weekend, dear Tina!
Amazing……attention to detail…wonderful host….house looked beautiful…
Just a wonderful experience to view and to imagine how much everyone enjoyed being one of your friends! Your Mom is just adorable – really would be wonderful to sit close to her and visit or just to listen to her tales of wisdom. THANK YOU, Tina, for sharing this magical evening in your very welcoming home. Just WOW!
I Love how you have a picture of Teddy at the end of your posts. I want to cry every time I see it!
Wow this is amazingly beautiful. Your attention to detail inspires me to do better! We are hosting our first big party in May for our daughters graduation in our new home here in Boston and I am already planning it, wish you could come help me.
The carolers were a beautiful touch and the menu sounds so good. I agree no one likes to sit down to a bit stuffy meal, your home was one beautiful back drop for what looks like a memorable night.
EXQUISITE!!! Thank you for sharing.
You have inspired me to host a party next year, Tina. My husband is the one who loves to throw parties, I get. initiated about them. But seeing this post has me excited to plan one! You make it look so easy but I know it’s not, your caterer sounds like a dream and the carolers were such a great idea, what a fun way to welcome your guests. Thank you for this post, and for sharing the “back story” of this wonderful event.
Holy moly, this is unbelievable! I love seeing your home all decked out, and the theme carolers and cocktails is brilliant, I may need to copy!
I just love your home and style. You are incredibly talented and obviously gracious. Happy New Year!
What a truly beautiful event .
I enjoyed every word and every picture of your recap of your amazing party! Thanks for sharing.
Fabulous!!!!!
What a treat for your guests! Your approach is similar to me & my husband when it comes to party planning. We put our guests as priority and spoil them as much as possible. A party should be an entire experience, not just food & drink. LOVE the caroler idea and now want to investigate for my next holiday party!! I had the pleasure of speaking with Margaret just this week. She is wonderful and was very helpful when one of my gorgeous ornaments arrived broken. I had a new one within 2 days!!
Thanks for sharing your beautiful party with us (and yes, definitely hire a photographer for your next party so your adoring fans have more eye candy).
Fondly, Lisa
Hi Tina. This was such a lovely visit. What a gorgeous party. Missing my blogging days so much after reading this post. I have always Loved your chatty down to earth style of writing. I am going to tuck up my feet and have a long visit to previous posts now. Loving the tree ornaments. Do you ship abroad? Sending love from Cape Town xxx
Stunning!!! Perfection in every single detail. Thank You for sharing and inspiring us Tina.
What a party! I have been waiting for this post. I hope for all of your future parties that you have a photographer on standby. I miss the food pictures. You are a hostess extraordinaire.
Over the top! Beautiful gathering!
Now this is how you throw a party! You need a party book to show America how it’s done. Great menu and love the theme. Your mom is beautiful!
You never cease to amaze me Tina, with your decorating & entertaining prowess, while at the same time running a business and publishing a blog. HOW DO YOU DO IT ALL, and do it so magnificently!!?? Looks like an amazing event with an incredible menu and outstanding entertainment. How lucky your guests to be treated to such a special event. BRAVO!!
What a classy and perfect organized christmas party!
So impressed Tina!
And a boost of wonderful ideas!
And I wish you all as we say in dutch ‘Gelukkig nieuwjaar’ !
Inspirational.
Wow- elegant and lovely! Everything was just perfect… including your Mom!
Happy New Year!
This is your home?
Wow, lucky you.
Beautiful party.
Beautiful – love each and every detailing, the house looks beautiful and the menu is amazing. wishing you’ll a very Merry Christmas & a very happy 2020.