Bring on the tinsel, hot cider, roaring fires, and company because the holidays are here! It’s time to spread some love and cheer. The holiday season is the perfect time to invite your friends and family over for a dinner party or board game bash at your beautiful Beacon Lake home. You can make the most of the slightly cooler weather, as well as spend time with your loved ones outside the confines of traditional holidays. 

Looking for your next festive party idea? Here are some fun ones to add to your list this holiday season.

Wine and Cheese Night

What goes better with wine than cheese? Or vice versa? This party is pretty simple. You just need to gather some food, find a little entertainment, and invite your friends and neighbors over. Want to up the ante? Consider having your visitors choose the country or location of origin for the wine and have some small prizes on hand. 

Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need:

• A charcuterie board – Any food grade board will do, just don’t forget the crackers, fruit, spreadable toppings, meats, and cheeses of your choice. Oh, and we all know that chocolate is a crowd pleaser as well!
• Wine – Choose your favorite varieties of wine or choose a few that you’ve never tried before.
• Cheese – Select a variety of cheeses, including hard and soft, to complement your wine.
• Decor – You can big or go simple here. A beautiful map showing the various wine producing areas of the world is elegant, as well as any wine, cheese, or grape related options.

Game Night

Games are where the fun is! Whether you prefer board games or card games, there’s nothing like choosing some favorites and inviting over your friends. You can decide to make the event kid-friendly by holding it in the afternoon and providing plenty of refreshments and games for the little ones, or keep it adults only, which allows for more “risqué” games and some delicious alcoholic beverages on the side.

Want to host a game night (or day)? Let’s do it! You’ll need to gather the following:

• Games – Choose from any variety of board games or card games, depending on your preferences. You can pick one game that everyone can play or choose a few options that are set up at small tables throughout your home, allowing people to select what they want to play.
• Snacks – Food is crucial for game nights. Choose a variety of finger foods and other snacks that you can arrange on small plates or in bowls throughout your home. This way, people can munch and mingle all night long.
• Beverages – Don’t forget to provide your guests with plenty to drink. Options like water, sparkling cider, craft beer, wine, and soda will keep everyone happy and hydrated.

A Painting Party

Let’s paint a picture of this party! Now, this isn’t the type of party where everyone gathers together to paint your walls a new color. Instead, this gathering consists of pre-printed canvases and plenty of water soluble paint, just like you’d find in art stores that host this type of party. The only difference is that you’re in the comfort of your own Beacon Lake home, and you can have your guests choose which canvases they’d like to paint. You can provide a variety of options.

How can you put together the ideal painting party with a fun, festive feel? You’ll need:

• Drop Cloths – These are a definite necessity. Covering your tables will make cleaning up easy.
• Supplies – Painting supplies including easels, paint brushes, cups of water, paint, and canvases are necessary for the success of your party.
• Delicious Beverages – There’s always the classic wine option that accompanies painting parties, although you can choose signature cocktails or any other beverages you’d like to spice up your party. Don’t forget to put them in plastic cups, however, since you don’t want anyone’s painted fingers leaving prints behind on your nice crystal glasses.
• Yummy Bites – Since painting is messy, it’s a good idea to serve a full meal or appetizers before all the fun begins. Put together a menu based on the painting options available (for example, you can choose to serve a fruit salad based on the fruit in a still life) or any other delicious treats you think your guests may enjoy.

A Cocktail Party

Now, we’re upping the ante! There’s nothing more elegant than a classic cocktail party. You can invite your guests to dress up in proper cocktail attire (including British-like hats if you want an extra level of sophistication) and have them over for drinks, appetizers, and delightful conversation.

What’s on the to-do list? Here’s what you’ll need for your sophisticated gathering:

• A signature cocktail – Come up with a themed drink, or emulate one of your favorites, only with a twist. Your guests will enjoy your sense of whimsy.
• Other beverages– There are plenty of options for a classy cocktail party. Consider sparkling water, craft beer, your favorite wine, as well as designer sodas in glass bottles for those who don’t want to indulge in libations.
• Music – You’ll need some light background music in order to add to the ambiance. Just make sure that it isn’t loud and distracting because the entire point of a cocktail party is to mingle.
• Appetizers – The food is key. You’ll need any array of appetizers, complete with tiny plates to put them on. Consider serving shrimp cocktail, rumaki, stuffed mushrooms, pigs in a blanket, baked brie with crackers, and more. 

A Seasonal Themed Party

There’s nothing wrong with hosting a party based on the season. You can celebrate spring, summer, fall, or winter anytime during those seasons. All that you need are some guests, themed decor and food, and you’re all set. 

How to set up a sensational seasonal party:

• Decor – Choose decor based on the season. For example, in spring, set up vases filled with fresh flowers. In fall, use leaves and twinkle lights as centerpieces. Feel free to get creative with your decor, as long as it fits your seasonal theme. 
• Food – Seasonal treats can make your party complete. Pick a full dinner menu that consists of a salad, an entree, and a dessert, or go the non-traditional route with a charcuterie board and plenty of heavy appetizers to enjoy. Consider choosing a cake or cupcakes for dessert that are decorated to match the season.
• Beverages – The drinks that you choose can range from a seasonal custom-made cocktail to lighter fare like lemonade and sparkling water. All that matters is that your guests have plenty of drinks to help them stay hydrated.

As you can see, no matter what theme you choose, you can create a magical evening of fun for your friends, neighbors, and loved ones with just a few key ingredients. And it all starts with making your guest list for the next festive event at your beautiful Beacon Lake home!