Dress up your home home and cover all the bases for your Christmas party with Weekender’s planning guide and useful tips
Neo Garden Catering’s offerings include unique Asian-inspired items, like the Ondeh Ondeh Log Cake (far right).
The season of giving is fast approaching. What better way to celebrate than to get together with friends and loved ones for the ultimate Christmas party?
Take some pointers from our handy guide. Here’s a list of recommendations and reminders that will make your Christmas celebration unforgettable.
Need more Christmas inspiration ideas? Also read:
Best Christmas wrappers to make your presents shine (gift wrapping tips included)
7 Christmas coffret sets that will excite beauty enthusiasts
How to stay in shape and still enjoy Christmas feasting
7 gorgeous Christmas gifts that can be made in an hour (or more)
Gourmet supermarket treats perfect for Christmas
FESTIVE FEASTING
What’s a party without a hearty feast? Take a break from cooking up a storm and let the culinary dynamos work their magic.
Indulge in a gourmet buffet with Amici’s Christmas Buffet Rouge, a spread that will have you salivating. Among the main dishes are oven-baked turkey meat with Cajun spices and wild herbs, and fusilli pasta in basil tomato cream sauce with turkey bacon.
For Christmas, Amici can even provide butlers to serve canapes like grilled bay scallop in turkey bacon and caramelised peach. Christmas package prices start from $18 per guest.
For a buffet with a more unique Asian flair, Neo Garden Catering has whipped up a turkey version of Pipa Duck, as well as a Nyonya-style Ondeh Ondeh Log Cake.
The mini-buffet option is a perfect choice for smaller gatherings, with sets starting from $6.50 per person.
You can order Marriott’s festive gourmet goodies like Honey Clove Glazed Ham.
If you’re looking for a more humble, home get-together, simple but delicious takeaways are available too. Marriott’s Christmas Forecourt Stall has just opened, where you can place your order for exotic truffle-buttered roast turkey with veal tongue, pig’s ear and beef lung, or the more traditional roast turkey, stuffed with chestnut and foie gras.
Marriott also has special locally-inspired festive sweets like the Kaya Namachoco Yule Log Cake. The Christmas Forecourt Stall will be open until Dec 25, and pre-orders must be made at least three working days in advance.
DRINKS AND BUBBLY
If a regal spread isn’t impressive enough, here’s an idea that will have your guests raving about your party. Rent an ice-slush machine from Slushee Surprise, where you can choose from a variety of flavours from cola to soursop. The colourful frozen drink swirling before your guests is an attractive sight, and it’s not just the kids who will be excited.
Slushee Surprise offers packages from $129 per machine and can serve about 60 party cups.
Nonetheless, remember to have some bubbly in stock. There’s no need to rush out when you can order it online through E-marts such as Redmart and Lazada.
For casual wine lovers, online retailer Nuevo Vino is now stocked on Lazada, where you can secure its bestsellers at a moment’s notice — especially if you’ve been too busy. Pair your Christmas meats with the red Valdefama de Matarredonda and its accents of capsicum and pepper, or keep it light with the Amatista Frizzante Moscato Blanco.
ALL DRESSED UP
Add some extra sparkle with IKEA’s Strala star-shaped light pendants, which come in copper, gold and rose-gold tones. (Photo: IKEA)
Don’t forget, decoration is key when planning a smashing party. Rose gold is all the rage this year, and you can incorporate this trendy colour into your theme.
IKEA’s Strala 2015 collection is filled with beautiful copper, gold and rose gold-toned star-shaped pendant lamps, which will brighten up your home with a warm and homely glow. Match these lights with Kikki K’s minimalist ornaments, which come in charming copper finish, to add lustre to your Christmas tree.
Or, hop on the fairy-lights craze and drape your walls with IKEA’s Sardal light chain, covered by Strala lace cones for a white-wonderland feel.
Lastly, shake things up and delight your guests. Face-painting is a hit with kids and adults, according to Happier SG Founding Artist Alicia Lye. Designs for adults are “more intricate” and she says that her artists can also do painted necklaces and bracelets. Rates start from $150 per hour.
Happier SG can also do balloon-sculpting, leaving your guests very merry.
A Christmas of Giving
Get your friends and family together to volunteer in a charity party.
Movies with Patients
1 Dec, 2pm-5pm, Thye Hua Kwan Hospital
Spend an afternoon with patients of Thye Hua Kwan Hospital on Movie Day. Chat with them as you accompany them to designated areas, and help them with their snacks too.
Christmas Crafts
7 Dec, 3.30pm-5.30pm, Buangkok Green Medical Park
Get into a jolly mood with Christmas art and craft, carolling and making new friends. Help the patients improve their social interaction, and cognitive and physical functions. Only for those 18 years old and above.
For more, visit www.sgcares.org.
By Pamela Chow
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