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Cocktail parties can be so much fun, but most people baulk at the idea of actually hosting one. They wrongly assume that it must involve a lot of time, effort and expense. But there are ways to throw a low-fuss, low-cost cocktail party that is a roaring success, and won't leave you stressed out and exhausted before it even starts!
Limit the number of cocktails
Regardless of how many guests you're inviting, the first golden rule is to limit the number of available cocktails to no more than two. You can take a poll of your friends if you want to, and find out the most popular cocktail choices, and then make a decision. Be ruthless. From this shortlist, choose the two cocktails that are the easiest to make, require the fewest ingredients and the least amount of fuss.
Once the decision has been made, let your guests know which of the two or three base spirits they will need to bring. Make it clear that you will supply mixers, garnishes and ice. It's utterly unreasonable to try and supply all the spirits yourself - you'd be looking at a bill for at least several hundred dollars, which would give you a splitting headache long before you even make a start on your first cocktail. So invest in a bottle of your spirit of choice as a backup supply, and then stock up on plenty of mixers and ice. Don't forget soft drinks and coffee for those who will not be partaking.
Ask a few of your more reliable friends to bring over their blenders and cocktail shakers, so that you have plenty of equipment for guests to make their own mixes when they arrive.
Do you need to hire a cleaner and decorator before the event?
Remember, this is a low-fuss cocktail party. The object is to get together with old friends, and maybe make new ones, but most of all to have fun. This is not a house inspection. But there are a few ways to spruce up your apartment in next to no time and create a welcoming ambience.
Make the kitchen and living room the base of all cocktail operations. This way, you limit the traffic to two or three rooms and remove the need to clean your apartment from top to bottom. Keep the doors to all other rooms (except the bathroom) firmly shut and direct your guests to the main living areas.
As cocktails are for grownups, there is no need to go to a lot of trouble with fussy decorations. Go for a clean, spare look - clear away any excessive clutter (hide it in one of the closed-off rooms if necessary) and fill the space with plenty of candles. The kitchen needs to be well-lit, to ensure that no-one accidentally blends their fingers with the margherita mix, but the living room should be dimly lit to encourage relaxed mingling. Throw on some funky background music and you suddenly have a cocktail atmosphere right in your own living room.
What about food?
Cocktails can be pretty powerful stuff, and so it's essential that you serve more than a packet or two of potato chips to your guests. But this minor detail is also easily solved. Make up a huge platter of sandwiches, and transform them into fancy finger food by cutting off the crusts and arranging them artistically. Make them the afternoon of the party and cover well with cling-film so that they don't have a chance to dry out.
A fruit and cheese platter looks classy and is easy to prepare. Simply arrange a good selection of cheeses from your favourite delicatessen, with handfuls of crackers, strawberries and dried fruit and nuts. Cold quiches, cut up in advance into bite-size pieces and left on large plates around the living room, are filling and require little to no preparation. A couple of plates of sliced cold cuts and some baskets of sliced buttered bread, and you're looking like an extremely gracious host.
What to wear?
A cocktail party provides you with a great excuse to look fabulous. Just for fun, tell your friends to dress semi-formally. This is the time to wear that little suit with the skirt that's just a touch too risque for the office, or that gorgeous long dress that makes you feel famous, but that you never have the occasion to wear. Spend some time on your hair and nails and try out that lipstick that's too bright for daytime wear. This is one of the only opportunities you'll have for wearing high heels in your own home!
These tips demonstrate that throwing a cocktail party doesn't have to become a military operation. It's not such a challenge to co-ordinate drinks, food and atmosphere to host the social event of the season in your own living room.
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