When You've Got a Punch Bowl, You've Got a Party!

Is there anything more festive than a punch bowl filled with Champagne punch, glogg or classic egg nog? It’s a conversation starter that invites mingling and merry-making. And it does double duty. Besides holding your party beverage of choice, it’s an instant, Instagram-worthy centerpiece! Don’t have a punch bowl or haven’t taken yours out for years? Well now’s the time to dust off that box or head to the thrift store to pick one up. They can be had for less than $10. A small price to pay for a party in a bowl!

Looking for a festive punch recipe? Check out our vintage recipes page for our Cosmo-inspired punch we serve every year at our Christmas cookie exchange. And to take it over the top? Vintage tip: While you’re picking up the punch bowl, pick up a vintage Jello mold to make an ice ring! Jello molds are perfect for an ice ring because they have a hole in the middle. Either metal molds or plastic molds will work. Or you can use holiday shapes baking pans and make mini gingerbread men, trees or snowmen to float in the punch. I’m telling you, people will lose their merry minds! 

But wait, there's more. Here's the Hostess with the Mostess Tip: Don't fill the mold with water-fill with punch (or one of the ingredients from the punch, like cranberry juice) so that your punch doesn't get watered down! Then layer in some fruit like cranberries and orange, lemon or lime slices-whatever goes with your punch recipe. Freeze. Unmold (usually by holding the mold upside down and running a little warm water over it) and float in your punch. So very vintage! One more tip? Make a second batch of your punch in a pitcher and stash in fridge before the party starts so it’s cold and so you don’t have to stop mingling and merry-making to mix up another batch during the middle of the party.

Not serving punch at your party? No worries. Place the punch bowl in the middle of your table and fill with:

• ice for drinks or to keep bottles of champagne or wine chilled-it’s the most elegant ice bucket around!
• your holiday snack mix. Do you make a huge vat of Chex mix or other snack mix? Dump it in! The ladle and cups mean people can serve themselves. Your white chocolate covered Chex mix never looked so fancy! (Need the recipe? Check out our vintage recipes page.)
• a small table-top sized Christmas tree (extra points if it’s lit with battery-operated lights).
• whatever you have on hand: pinecones, ornaments, apples or other fruit, wrapped candies. (Lindt truffles are perfect for this!) Small items displayed en masse=big impact!
• candles-either a few or one really large one
• a few amaryllis, orchids or paper whites (narcissus), flowers or flower arrangement. 
• goody or gift bags!

So what are you waiting for? Make like Ellen and Clark Griswold and pick up a punch bowl today! Still don’t think investing in a punch bowl is worth the effort even though it does double duty as your beverage dispenser and centerpiece when having a party? We get it. But we’d love to change your mind. So give us one more chance: check back after the holidays and we’ll show you how to take that punch bowl from holiday to every day.

Hosting a party this holiday season? Guests inevitably and naturally end up congregating in the kitchen. It's the heart of the home and party central! So let us help you prep the space so you can enjoy the festivities instead of trying to make room in the fridge, searching for an extra serving tray or telling your brother-in-law where to find the trash bags. The best part? Prepping the kitchen beforehand will also make the after-party cleanup a piece of cake! Here are some tips we love!

• Each week in November and December on the night before your trash is picked up, do a quick clean out of your fridge so you'll have room for the food for the party and for leftovers. Plus, people bring stuff. And you’ll need a place to put it all. 
• Stock up on to-go containers for sending food home with guests and for storing leftovers in your fridge. And keep them close at hand. Midnight is not the time to be searching for matching lids. I usually stash mine and some Ziploc bags in a basket on top of the fridge.
• Take a quick inventory. Do you have dish detergent and pods, paper towels and sponges? A supply of clean dish towels? 
• Clean your microwave. Seriously, clean it. At some point your sister-in-law or friend of a friend or neighbor will decide they need to use it, so empty it and clean it and save yourself the embarrassment.
• Descale the coffee pot the day before the party. 
• Clear off your countertops and every other surface. People. Bring. Stuff.
• Prop a couple of decorative trays or cutting boards against the backsplash or have them at the ready. Reason? See above.
• Have a vase or extra-large mason jar handy. Same as above.
• In addition to your ice bucket, put out a champagne bucket or bowl and fill with ice. People. Bring. Wine. And if they don't? They'll bring beer! And you'll be ready for it.
• Speaking of alcohol, pre-mix a second batch of your signature cocktail or punch and stash in the fridge so you don't have to make it during the party. 
• Right before guests arrive, put a dishpan in the sink and fill with soapy water. It's a visual clue-guests will know where to put their glass, dish or utensils without asking you. And if someone at the end of the party starts washing or loading the dishwasher, make sure you invite them next year! If not, your dishes have been soaking in the bin instead of being haphazardly piled up on your counter.
• Speaking of the dishes, empty your dishwasher before the party-you'll need all the room you can get. And, while you're at it, put in a pod and set the delay start/delay hours feature. Most dishwashers allow you to delay the start of the wash cycle up to 8 or even 12 hours. So put in the pod and set the delayed start function. Then, even if you're tired or had a little too much fun and forget, no worries!
• Last but not least, before the party starts, empty the garbage bin and recycle bin. And go ahead and stash three or four garbage bags in the bottom of your bins so they're easily accessible. If someone is kind enough to take out the trash, they don't have to ask you where the bags are.

Do you have party prep ideas that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you, so please drop us a line. And be sure to check our other posts for more tips on how to make entertaining #simpleeasyorganized! Cheers! And best wishes for a merry and manageable holiday season!