Serving wine at Christmas parties
Hosting a party can be a huge amount of stress. You can find this true for any type of party, but it seems to be particularly true for a party thrown around the holidays. For whatever reason, the holidays are a time when the parties aspire to be a little grander; they need tastier food, fancier alcohol, and the hosts should wear red and call each other by names like “Darling.”
While a Christmas party is something you’ll probably want to throw well, hoping to impress your friends, relatives, and your next-door neighbor whose animatronic front yard nativity scene makes your decorations look subpar, you’ll also want to save some space. on your credit cards for all your Christmas purchases.
This may seem like a small problem, as if you are being forced to make a decision to throw a big party or buy gifts for your children, children who, when they contact social services and try to get along Oprah – probably won’t be too forgiving if the holiday season finds you empty-handed. However, throwing a big party doesn’t have to drain your bank account; there are ways to have a party that is both festive and frugal. Since alcohol is generally one of the most expensive party expenses, shopping wisely is the first step to throwing a party that will leave both your social circle and your kids still chatting with you.
have a variety
Some people are under the impression that throwing a party means buying the most expensive wine they can find, wine that would impress even the most seasoned connoisseur. However, when it comes down to it, the price of the wine is not as important as the variety.
Christmas parties generally consist of a wide variety of foods. From pate to cheese balls, the months of November and December are like a giant buffet. Because of this, it’s important to cover your bases and buy wine that is adaptable, wine that all types of food consider “easy going.” The easiest way to do this is to cover all your bases by buying red wine and white wine.
For red wine, Merlots, Shiraz, and Cabernets are good choices, and the best choice for white wine is Chardonnay, although a good Alsatian Riesling is also a great option. While there are certain vintages that are expensive, it’s relatively easy to find bottles that aren’t extremely priced; With a little searching, or asking your local liquor store clerk for help, you can buy red and white wines that won’t take away from your holiday shopping skills, ultimately leaving you to shoplift for Christmas.
Serve White Zinfandel
When choosing a wine to serve at a party, White Zinfandel is an extremely popular choice. This is simply because people drink it. A cold drink, White Zinfandel is light, sweet, and low in alcohol, making it a popular choice for people who drive. One of the least affordable, with many bottles costing around five dollars, White Zinfandel is the go-to choice for many party hosts everywhere.
A box is your friend
There is an unfavorable stigma attached to box wine, such as lawyers or people obsessed with Dungeons and Dragons. But, box wine is often a party staple. This is because it’s cheap, it’s convenient, leftovers won’t spoil, and even if you don’t enjoy the taste, many others do.
Box wine was once the laughing stock of the wine world: people often equated it with cheap wine, only bought by those with a cash flow problem, and Pinot Noir boxes often found themselves pointing and laughing, mocking the box wine from the comfort of their glass bottles. However, over the years this stigma has gone down the drain, and today’s box wine now stocks a variety of wines, including premium wines.
appease the wine people
While White Zinfandel and box wine may quench the thirst of some, many wine connoisseurs prefer something a little different, believing that drinking anything but a unique holiday wine is the equivalent of drinking from the bowl of water at the stall. of the Christmas tree. So it’s a good idea to have a couple of bottles of something a little interesting.
A fun festive wine that is great to serve at a party is the Lady Bug Red Cuvee V. Not only is it visually appealing, coming in a bottle with a green label and ladybugs all over it, but the flavors are wonderfully fruity. , which contains a combination of blackberry, plum, cocoa, oak and pepper. The wine, made up of Zinfandel, Carignane, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, is sure to satisfy a wide range of wine lovers.
Accept people’s offers
It’s etiquette for partygoers to offer to bring something: a casserole, a plate of cookies, a spinach dip. While you may have trouble accepting this gesture, thinking that you should be the one to generate all the party goods, keep in mind that many people who offer to bring something usually actually want to.
People enjoy showing their gratitude and when they can contribute to a party, they feel like they have the opportunity to do so. If a person asks if they can bring something and you’re concerned about the drink selection, simply ask them to bring a bottle of wine. This not only ensures that you bring something you enjoy, but also allows you to subtly shrug and point a finger in your direction if others don’t like it. After all, that’s what friends are for.
Christmas parties can be difficult to plan. But, with the above tips, you should at least take care of the wine list, leaving you free to worry about the food and decor.
More than anything, when it comes to this time of year, keep in mind that the wine you serve at your party shouldn’t be all that important: the holidays are a time of fellowship, family, and love, three entities that even he doesn’t add to. most expensive it can ever rival.