christmas party

I threw a little Christmas party last night. It was a small gathering with friends, many who I haven't seen in a long time. Since graduating from college and entering the grown-up world, it has taken some adjustment to join the social world. To be blunt, sometimes I feel like it would be just wonderful to have a fraction of the social life I had in college! Although I am happy with this new phase of life, I miss the festive nature in gathering with friends, having parties, and attending other events that seemed effortless in school. I haven't been out too much in the Cincinnati scene, with working six days a week between the PR firm M-F and then the boutique on the weekend, sometimes all I want to do is relax at home. And, hangovers are 1000x worst when you're 22. Taylor Swift should have wrote about that in her song...

Anyways, I decided to start small with what I do best. Put on some tunes, pop the champagne, cue the lights, and let conversation, stories, and laughter flow. 

In true Christmas spirit, I was happy to let all of our holiday decorations steal the spotlight and be enjoyed by the company. As for food, I am not a culinary queen, by any stretch, so a quick stop at the grocery store to get crackers, cheese, summer sausage, humus, fruits, veggies, and cookies was sufficient. I offered white and red wine and made a signature cocktail which was a HIT for the evening. 

Here's the recipe for the most perfect holiday punch:

6 cups of cranberry juice

2 cups of freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 bottles of champagne

Mix the juices together in a large punch bowl and add the champagne last. For a festive touch, cut up an orange to add the slices into the drink. The recipe serves 20. 

Of course, I had to give this outfit another go, and sported my most favorite holiday necklace EVER. Let me know if you have attended any fun holiday gatherings over the past few weeks. Do you have any favorite recipes, drinks, or outfits you'd like to share?

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season because it truly is the most wonderful time of the year, merry, merry & toodles!

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fyi - the illustrations are by inslee, one of my favorite illustrators. 

AND, there are still a couple of days before Christmas...plenty of time for a party! See the playlist below for your perfect party tunes, in case this list didn't suffice earlier this month :) 

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