Get ready to put your glad rags on and entertain friends and family this festive season! Whether you’re having a gathering on Christmas Eve, inviting the neighbours over for nibbles or are hosting the family for the main event, we’ve got a few ideas to help your shindig go with a bang!
Let the entertaining begin
Firstly, make sure you’ve got all the accessories you need to set the scene for the perfect party. You want your home looking it’s best and that means lights, decor, the full works! These Home Reflections pre-lit glitter stars are just exquisite. They’re large enough to make a real impact when guests walk into the room and will really brighten up your festive space. We’re sold!
If you’re after something fun, try these light-up parcels, or this mercury glass tree. They’re great for placing away from the tree to spread the joy around your home! We also adore these glitter cones from Alison Cork and wire light lanterns from BundleBerry by Amanda Holden – they’re so smart and elegant, offering a contemporary twist to your decor.
Looking for something a bit more traditional? Then try this beautiful crystal garland and lay it across your mantelpiece or place this berry wooden candle holder as the centerpiece on your dining table.
This jolly light-up Santa figure is sure to be a talking point at your festive gatherings. Place him by the front door to welcome in guests as they arrive!
One of the most important aspects for the party will of course be… the music! Keep the tunes coming and your guests can’t fail to have a great time. Try this Bose soundbar for top quality, crystal clear sound all night long. And if you want to take the entertainment up a notch, this classic arcade games machine is sure to impress, with games like Pacman and more – your guests will just love it!
Set the table
Pull out all the stops and create a wonderful display at your festive table with the help of Culinary Concepts. They always deliver when it comes to elegant, eye-catching tableware like this stunning octopus stand and glass bowl. Fill it with ice and keep the drinks cool, ready for guests to dive in. It’s a real show-stopper!
This cork screw and bottle stopper to match will look fabulous on your drinks trolley too. And use these gorgeous cheese knives for your cheese board. Your guests will love the little mice!
We love these elegant wine bottle holders too that feature an antler design. Just place one or two on the table for your guests to admire and help themselves!
Eat, drink and be merry!
Start the celebrations off in style and pop open the bubbles! This trio from Virgin Wines offers a mixed selection which will please all your guests on Christmas day. Whether you’re welcoming them in as they arrive or sharing a little glass of fizz with the family before the fun begins, it would be rude not to!
Stock up on wine too, whether it’s for your Christmas Eve party or to go along with your festive meal. This Virgin Wines assortment is great value for six bottles, including white, red and rose wines, so all bases are covered.
We just love starting off the festive feasting with some delicious smoked salmon – you can’t beat it! It’s a nice treat to enjoy that’s not too heavy before the main meal. Try this selection from the Cornish Fishmonger, including specially cured, ready-to-eat slices.
Cheese is always a winner at any Christmas party! Whether you’re serving up a tasty sharing board at your Christmas or New Year’s party or just want something to offer when the neighbours pop in for a festive tipple or two, you can’t go wrong with cheese in our eyes.
This tasty selection pack from The Mouse House includes different Cheddar varieties including Garlic & Chive and Caramelised Red Onion or why not opt for this Speciality Cheese selection from Godminster, which features tempting flavours like Black Truffle Vintage Cheddar to really spoil your guests.
After dinner delights
We all know what it’s like on Christmas Day – we over indulge, eat way too much turkey and feel like we can never eat again, well… until a few hours later, of course! You’ve always got to have a few special treats on hand to tuck into later in the evening.
A sweet indulgent tipple after your meal is always a welcoming treat to share with loved ones. We adore this decadent Hotel Chocolat set including Velvetised Chocolate Cream Liqueurs in a choice of wonderful flavours. These will be lovely served over ice or mixed into a cocktail.
Have you tried the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser? It makes deliciously creamy, barista-style hot chocolates that are simply irresistible and a real treat to offer to guests. This collection comes with two tins of hot chocolate in different flavours and two ceramic Pod cups too. And it’s not only hot chocolate that this wonder machine creates – try this Caffe Latte selection pack from Hotel Chocolat for tasty, flavoured lattes too. They can be made in the Velvetiser or simply by whisking into hot milk. Mmmmm, delicious!
And if you’re a coffee connoisseur, give the Tassimo by Bosch pod coffee machine a try. It features Intellibrew (yes you read that right!) technology so it does all the hard work for you, delivering delicious coffee to you whenever you need it.
Once the excitement is over, there’s no better way to enjoy winding down on Christmas Day evening than to curl up with the kids, tuck into a few treats and watch a Christmas movie. Try these yummy festive muffins with a cuppa, or hand out these delicious packs of gourmet flavoured popcorn from Joe & Seph’s as you settle down on the sofa. They’re also great to open up and serve in bowls on your party table!
If you’re having friends over for a festive afternoon tea then why not serve up these delicious German biscuits from Lambertz or try whipping up some tasty fudge beforehand with this Calico Cottage fudge making kit. It’ll satisfy any sweet tooth!
We hope we’ve inspired you to get set for those festive celebrations in style. Cheers! If you want more, visit our Christmas Shop.