By Cathy Spaulding
Even as Christmas shopping wears down, there is much merriment to be made at holiday parties.
And you don’t have to be rich as the Vanderbilts to be a host with the most. You just need to get in the right spirit.
One party that’s finding favor this year is a potluck in which visitors bring foods and beverages.
“The best way to have a party is to say, ‘We can have it at my house,’ and have people bring things,” said Robin Alberty, who owns Broadway Liquor, 3116 W. Broadway, with her husband, Mike.
“I like having friends bring things,” said Joel Cousins, a Muskogee financial consultant. He recalled a recent bridge party in which one guest brought rolls, one brought salad, one brought dessert.
Cousins said he often doesn’t think of costs when he invites people over for a party. However, he said he has found several ways to save on hosting.
“Doing a lot of things yourself saves money,” he said. “Have pork instead of beef, pasta dishes instead of meat.”
And who said holiday parties have to be banquets?
The financial Web site Kiplinger.com offers three main ideas on throwing holiday parties on the cheap.
One of he site’s top three pieces of advice echo what Alberty and Cousins said: “Make it a team effort.”
Kiplinger also suggests borrowing items such as dishes, table linens or decorations.
Brenda Moore of ACECO Party Store, 1125 W. Shawnee Bypass, said her business rents tables and table linens for a $6 to $10 and sells plastic tablecloths for $3 each.
Can’t afford a band or DJ? Crank up your CD player, MP3 or other musical source you have in your house.
Kiplinger’s third piece of advice is to host a party that fits your friends’ personalities. Some of the Web site’s ideas include having a wine tasting and fondue party, an open house in which people come and go, a movie or video night, dessert night.
Another idea, not listed on the site, could be to just invite people over for Jenga, cards, dominoes or other games.
Also, unless you really, really want to impress people at the wine tasting with your snob appeal, you don’t have to shell out big bucks for spirits.
“I don’t serve expensive wines when I have a big group,” Cousins said.
As Mike Alberty said, “All wines are good party wines.”
He said his store offers all price ranges of wines, including champagne.
“You have the high-end Dom Perignon or a good wine for under $20,” Robin Alberty said.
For example, Wine Spectator listed an Aquinas wine as one of its top 100 wines for the year, she said. “And here, it’s $12.99.
Don’t rule out boxed wines, Robin Alberty said as she walked down an aisle with wine boxes filing the shelf and the floor. She said people can get 10-liter boxes.
“They even have high-end wines, Australian wines in boxes now,” she said.
Alberty said she also has a variety of other beverages for less than $20.
People also can save money by serving non-alcoholic beverages.
Inexpensive parties
• Decide how much you have to spend or want to spend.
• Make it a group effort and pot luck it.
• Cook your stuff or get prepared supermarket stuff instead of using a caterer.
• Use your CDs, downloaded music, etc. instead of hiring a band or disc jockey.
• Serve appetizers instead of a full dinner.
• Must you invite EVERYBODY you know?
• Skip the alcohol altogether, serve ciders or punch.
• Try to create a menu on what you have on hand.
• Take advantage of sales and coupons.
Source: Kiplinger Letter, Families.com, Memphis commercialappeal.com.
Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email
