So you wanna throw a party

ideas, moodboards, and vintage finds to help you hostess with the mostest

Nov 01, 2023

As Michael Bublé defrosts and the hubbub of Christmas capitalism starts spinning at warp speed, there will come a point in time where your social media feeds will be overflowing with parties showing off guests clothed in designer dresses sporting fake smiles and venues decked out in expensive balloon arches and over the top decorations.

You will soon look at your mismatched silverware, scratched Ikea plates, and Facebook Marketplace dining table in your teeny tiny apartment kitchen and wonder if you should even bother hosting a holiday get together.

The answer is absolutely yes.

Whether you celebrate a specific holiday or prefer to be festive adjacent, there’s no wrong way to invite the people you love over to your space to have a good time. Throw out the idea that every party has to have a sit down dinner and a certain amount of square footage and money spent to be worth it and embrace that the imperfect, slightly chaotic vibe is much much much more fun.

Here are some ideas, finds, and tips/tricks that I try best to embrace as a serial hoster who has learned a lot over the years, including a holiday party I hosted that 18 people RSVP’ed yes to and then no one showed up…shit happens!!!

Picking the Vibes

I live, laugh, love a good themed party year round. Whether it’s a color palette, a specific dress code, or detailed decor, you can go really big or really small with an idea and still have it make an impact on the ambiance of your space. I keep an ever evolving note in my phone of party themes, so here’s two I have bookmarked under the “November-NYE” section (they aren’t particularly new or groundbreaking, but hopefully I have some ideas that get you in the spirit of craftiness!)

If you’re working with a tight budget, focus on a few things that can have a huge impact on the space and draw your eye to the cohesive pieces that make up your theme. Garlands, honeycomb hanging decorations, and *a few* balloons can instantly make a space feel fun. (Preferably the biodegradable kind and yes I know they are still bad for the environment - picking my battles here!!! Please just don’t go full Kardashian in your balloon extravagance.)

Technicolor Holiday/Tinsel Campiness

As someone raised on movies primarily shot and released in the late 50s and 60s, I’ve come to accept that no matter how much I want to be a minimalist, the rich, vibrant color palette of vintage Technicolor makes my soul sing. I love the campiness of retro Christmas but only in a very specific, slightly twisted color palette that has been reimagined through a modern lens from artists and creatives like Tim Burton, Nadia Lee Cohen, and Alessandro Michele.

This approach to a holiday party is ideal because it’s easy to capture festiveness without feeling like it’s shoving a particular religion/spiritual figure/Santa Claus down your throat. It’s also fairly “ballin’ on a budget friendly” since the dollar store usually has no shortage of colorful tinsel and whimsy this time of year! I would make this one dress code required to add to the fun - think retro 60s/70s silhouettes, lots of sequins, lots of costume jewelry. Pass out feather boas for added fancifulness!

Here are some finds to get you in the mood.

***a reminder that a lot of old things have lead in them!! you can buy a swab testing kit online to test thrifted goods to make sure you’re not poisoning yourself***

Carnival Glass Punch Bowl - Carnival Glass is so fun and lends perfectly to this era of kitsch (see: The Madonna Inn for the ultimate inspiration.) Gathering around a punch bowl can also help get the conversation and party started! Garnish with pineapple rings, and bright maraschino cherries🍒
Christmas Light Bulb Reflectors - Add to a plain string of twinkle lights for flair!
Sequined Christmas Ornaments - If you’re up for getting crafty with your party guests, these homemade ornaments from the 60s and 70s are super easy to make using a foam ball, sequin pins, and sequins.
Jadeite Plates - Jadeite is highly collectible (see: Martha Stewart’s massive collection) and the milky green color pairs so well with so many other festive holiday colors. (Jade + a rich blood red makes my heart siiiiing)
Tinsel Garland - These are new and from the party company Meri Meri, but most of the time your local dollar store will have plenty of options. I save mine by wrapping them around a piece of cardboard and reuse them every year. There are also plenty of vintage options on eBay and Etsy!! (This one is super cute.)
Woven Utensil Basket - A solid option if you’re doing a buffet table of snackies and want to dress up your utensils. The colors make this functional for both a colorful holiday party and a summer picnic!

Listen to this:

Sparkly Silver Elegance

This theme is a tale as old as time but has found a new kind of whimsy and romance in the modern age of minimalism and luxurious elegance. I love the idea of a tree absolutely dripping in over the top tinsel, and would do it in a heartbeat if I didn’t have a cat (*alert* tinsel is a choking hazard for cats) so let me live vicariously through you and your space decked out in shiny shimmery wonderful sparkle. Lean into the golden age of Hollywood and the silver screen, taking cues from old movies like Ziegfeld Follies and the photography of Cecil Beaton.

For looking so opulent, I don’t think you have to spend much to achieve this muted romantic vibe. I’d go for lots of simple white candles, mismatched linens, and velvet bows tied around glassware. Dress up snacks and desserts with edible pearl sugar and silver sprinkles. This also obviously works well for New Years Eve, but I’d make sure to stray from the overly-obvious-overly-done Gatsby vibe and sway more Greta Garbo or Hedy Lamarr.

Embroidered Linen Napkins - These are on the fancier side of things, but I would also highly recommend a deep dive into eBay for old linen napkins and tablecloths. Embrace the mismatchy-ness of it all!
Brass Swan Candlesticks - Despite swans being incredibly sassy, they do still scream “elegance” to me. There are many a cool vintage Swan thing on Etsy - place card holders, vases, napkin rings, etc etc
Aluminum Tinsel - If you do have a cat, try more structured tinsel like these old icicle hooked ornaments and make sure you hang them high enough to not tempt your fur monster.
Dresden Wreath - Dresden wreaths are so ornate and gorgeous for year round decoration.
Sterling Silver Dessert Cups - Use for champagne, dessert, or scattered around your snack table filled with nuts, olives, etc
Brass Swirly Napkin Rings - For a more formal sit down option, do mix and match napkin rings. These swirly ones are fun!

Listen to this:

The Finishing Touches

A sit down dinner a party does not make.

Sure, it’s fun to see big long tables decked out in place settings and robust flower arrangements, but that’s not a reality for many of us trying to make the most of our often tiny space. Don’t fret if you don’t have the space to have everyone sitting at a table eating a big meal. Set the expectations in your invite or text — maybe just host a dessert party!

The memories worth making are the messy ones. Friends gathered in the kitchen to help, leaned over the sink as they eagerly snack on fresh-out-of-the-oven treats. If you’re limited on space, just place snacks in every room and have folks meander and mingle as they graze.

Remember that parties are about the dancing, the sing-a-longs, the deep conversations, the story telling or the game that has everyone silently laugh crying, rolled over on the floor.

Don’t get sucked so far into hosting the “perfect” party that you forget to be present!!!

Here are a few things I think elevate any shindig in a certain ~je ne sais quoi~ kind of way.

Color changing lightbulb - A simple way to control the ambiance of your space and it comes with a remote control with all kinds of light modes. I have one that I’ve put in this simple globe from Ikea and it makes all the difference for an evening of cocktails and conversation. A deep red light - is there anything sexier?
A mini movie projector - It doesn’t have to be the best quality to be fun! Find a wall to silently project an old movie on for added ambiance. I’d pick something that’s visually pleasing and where the plot really doesn’t matter so people don’t get too distracted but feel like their eye is being drawn to being present in the room.
Blow up chairs - Don’t have enough chairs? No problem. Bring back the 90’s blow up chair! I think doing clear ones is sleek and adds not only to the vibe, but is the perfect conversation starter.
Draw on something - A tablecloth, lampshade, napkins, paper covered something - let your guests get artistic. I’ve seen people who have everyone sign the tablecloth and then they stitch the signatures in and use it again and again. Framing part of a drawn on butcher paper tablecloth is another fun idea.
Collage matchbooks - Buy plain white matchbooks and collage or doodle on them for your guests as a keepsake!
Wine ice mold - When I tell you this is always a showstopper that I don’t expect!! She’s a lil pricey, but the wow factor always surprises me. Fill with fruit/citrus/flowers/edible glitter and place in an ice bucket and prepare for compliments.
Paper doilies - You can get these at most craft stores! Use them to line serving trays and as coasters for added fanciness.
Disposable Cameras - They are pricy to buy and pricy to develop but if you encourage one to be passed around your party, you will not regret it! Don’t forget to turn the flash on!!!

Snack Ideas

This is your sign to branch out from the charcuterie board and find new ways to eat cheese in a party environment!

A french fry bar - I just did this for a ‘lil party and it was a hit. Frozen french fries and lots of toppings, it’s as simple as that. Serve in mini holders like a fast food restaurant (make a fun sticker to put on it!) for those who just want to dip or food boats for those who want to go loaded with meat, cheese, and scallions. This is an all around people pleaser option!!
A cookie party - Every year I see Dan Pelosi host his cookie party and every year I feel intense fomo for not having my own cookie party. The concept is simple - everyone who comes brings a dozen cookies to share and you make a big giant set up where everyone can see all the cookies in all their sugary wonderful glory. People get super creative and I think printing out recipes to give to guests would be a very cute idea so everyone leaves with their own cookie recipe book.
A fondue party - Live like it’s 1970! Cheese fondue seems a little scarier to me in perfecting temperature and desired texture, but chocolate fondue sounds like an absolutely majestic holiday party that I want to go to!

Well, I am bubbling over with more ideas but I’ll stop there. Are you hosting for the holidays? Do you have any traditions? I wish I had more traditions this time of year so let me know what yours are in the comments or reply to this email!