Downsize a favorite holiday dish into a bite-size hors d’oeuvre. Brett Galley, director of special events at Connecticut-based event planning company Hollywood Pop Gallery, suggests pork tenderloin with bacon and caramelized onion marmalade on a crostini.
For an elegant, modern take on a traditional holiday theme, Galley suggests rustic table decor with earthy tones and nature-inspired accents, accented with a variety of red roses and greenery.
Tierney decorated a bar with classic nutcrackers for the party last December.
The cherry-wood Drake bar, $475, from Taylor Creative adds a touch of old-fashioned flair to holiday events.
Serve cheery cocktails in bright red colors with sparkly sugar rims and plump berries like the ones from Chuck’s: A Kerry Simon Kitchen at the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago.
A cookie-decorating station turns adults into kids, says New York event designer David Stark. He recommends providing guests with blank ginger or sugar cookies in various shapes, along with a bar of edible decorating items.
Ornaments added glitz to the decor at a Hollywood Pop Gallery-produced event.
In January, Vertigo Sky Lounge in Chicago held an opening-night party with a fire and ice theme that used playful chalkboard signage.
New York-based event designer David Stark says vintage- and billboard-style signage, like a glowing marquee, is still a popular trend that will carry over into the holidays.
At the Color Invasion event, presented by the International Interior Design Association’s New York chapter, held at Center548 last November, guests tried their hand at old-fashioned carnival games at the big-top-theme party.
At a holiday party produced by New York's Great Performances last December, costumed waitstaff served truffle mac ‘n’ cheese in mugs.
The City View Loft grand opening also featured mask-embellished cupcakes.
Add a touch of funky, festive sparkle to a party with the Marie Antoinette chandelier, $500, from Designer8 Event Furniture Rental.
In Austin, eatery Drink Well has a "Winter White" cocktail that contains Ford's gin, rosemary-infused Cointreau, fresh lemon, and egg white.
Toronto firm L'Eat Catering serves a pomegranate cocktail during the holiday season. Called "Pom Strega Dolce," the drink melds muddled pomegranate with Mount Gay Eclipse rum, Strega (an Italian herbal liqueur), lemon juice, and fresh mint.
In Los Angeles, SBE Events and Catering shakes up a seasonal cocktail using Belvedere (Red) vodka, apple and lemon juices, simple syrup, and Domaine de Canton, a ginger-flavored liqueur.
Suited to fall holiday celebrations, Fulton Market Kitchen in Chicago has a "Trust Fall" cocktail. Made with Remy Martin VSOP, burnt-sugar syrup, Tempus Fugit, crème de cacao, egg white, and sea salt, the drink tastes like salted caramel.
Chef Jason Bond of Boston-area restaurant Bondir makes a cocktail inspired by the Colonial era. Called the "Flip," it's filled with cozy fall flavors. Served in a coupe glass, the cocktail contains rum, cinnamon syrup, light Amaro liqueur, heavy cream, a whole egg, and grated nutmeg and cinnamon.Â
New York catering and event planning firm Canard makes a "White Hot and Blue Sapphire" drink that (though initially created for a summertime event) reflects the traditional Hanukkah colors. The drink combines gin, lemon juice, fresh blueberries, and Sprite and is served in a highball glass. Reps suggest adding a dash of simple syrup if needed.
In Los Angeles, restaurant and catering firm Barton G. has a flashy cocktail suited for a New Year's Eve event. Served with a sugar stick and a citrus-vodka popsicle, the drink combines citrus vodka with triple sec and lemonade.
Huckleberry Hall, a soon-to-open bar and lounge in Aspen, Colorado, will serve a "Black Cherry Sling." The fruity cocktail will combine Breckenridge bourbon with black cherry soda and lime juice. The concept is from New York-based chef David Burke, and the cocktail program will feature house-made syrups and local ingredients.
Toronto catering firm Eatertainment serves a "Blackberry Foam" martini with fresh blackberries, gin or vodka, amaretto liqueur, and a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
The firm also makes a martini using vodka, white chocolate liqueur, champagne or sparkling wine, cranberry juice, and fresh cranberries.
The Hyatt Regency Orlando has a signature cocktail called the "Mockingbird." With a holiday-appropriate bright red hue, the drink contains muddled watermelon, organic cucumber vodka, Campari, fresh lemon juice, and house-made simple syrup.
Inspired by the fall holidays, a "Sage and Peppercorn Old Fashioned" from Chicago's Truffleberry Market combines sage-infused rye whiskey with barrel-aged bitters and peppercorn maple syrup.
Chicago event firm A Perfect Event serves bright red "Holly Jolly" cocktails at holiday gatherings. The fruity drink combines Real Russian vodka with ginger beer and strawberry jam; it's garnished with fresh rosemary and strawberry.
A Perfect Event also makes "Pamplemousse Punch" using prosecco, blood-orange juice, grapefruit juice, and a splash of Lillet.
Fig & Olive, which has locations in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, has a "Walnut Julep" on its cocktail list. The ruby-red cocktail contains bourbon, St. Germain liqueur, port, muddled black mission figs, mint, and fresh citrus; it is garnished with shaved walnuts.Â
At Filini Bar & Restaurant at Chicago's Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, the "Cranberry Spice" cocktail is served during the holiday season. The cocktail blends Aperol and hard cider with house-made ginger simple syrup, Lillet Blanc, and house-made nutmeg syrup. The unexpected garnish contains sweet-and-sour beets and a lime.
In Chicago, Jewell Events Catering serves a festive "Pomegranate-Ginger Sparkler." The updated champagne cocktail includes ginger simple syrup, tart pomegranate juice, and light bubbles. The finishing touch? A blackberry garnish.
In Chicago, Limelight Catering offers frozen apple cider slushies garnished with mini cinnamon-sugar doughnuts. A rep for the company says that the nonalcoholic treats "make for a fun passed dessert."
Limelight's "Gilded Vanilla Cordials" combine vanilla vodka and Goldschläger with edible gold dust. The drinks are served on silver platters and have gold dust on their rims.
At Allium, the restaurant at the Four Seasons Chicago, seasonal cocktails include the "Chocolate Caliente Mexicano." The hot-chocolate drink is served with Mexican spices, dulce de leche, and churros and is made with Cacao Barry 64 percent chocolate. The beverage can be served nonalcoholic or with a shot of spiced-cinnamon tequila.
Chicago catering firm Food for Thought offers a mulled spiced wine with cabernet sauvignon, apple cider, citrus, and spices. The drink is garnished with a cranberry skewer.
