How to Host a Winter White Party

Fashion may dirty up the crisp summer hue of white for its winter ready-to-wear collections, but white really is the color of the winter season. Blankets of snow being nature's lush reminder of the fresh, natural glamour the color represents. Cultivating the timeless look into a winter white party theme helps focus your planning efforts so when hosting this one remember to be cool, be clean but don't behave! The color white may represent innocence, but this party will still rock!

Things You'll Need

• Tray, porcelain white elephant figurines, shot glasses, 5" x 7" frame, paper for sign
• White Flokati rug
• White paper flowers, fishing line, tape or tacks
• White candles, candelabras, glass containers, tea lights
• White linens and dinnerware
• White sheets
• White flowers
• Trays to pass food, food
• White paper, computer, printer for homemade labels
• Include the white elephant exchange in the invitation if you are going to do this so guests can come prepared
• Fake snow, deep trays ( about 4"), treasure to hide in the snow
• Spider shot ingredients: vodka, white crème de menthe
• White cocktail ingredients, white zinfandel, white cranberry juice, beer, water, soda, ice, etc
• White or silver fabric, karaoke machine, Beatles' White Album

Instructions

Invitation

1. Checkout the 99 cent store for white mittens, a scarf or earmuffs. Send along with a box of fake snow and a note with the party details tied with white ribbon.

Decorations

1. Scatter a ton of white candles everywhere: varied sizes of pillars lined up on trays, floaters in clear glass containers, tapers in candelabras (buy cheap ones and paint the them white), tea lights lining walkways, etc.

2. Feature white flowers like camellias, paperwhites, roses, primroses and carnations (see related ehow-How to Make a Centerpiece Vol. 1- Floral Pillow).

3. Toss white sheets over furniture.

4. Hang white paper flowers from the ceiling with fishing line.

5. Break out the white linens and dinnerware.

6. Lay white Flokati rugs (those fuzzy rugs that look like super high shag).

7. Include silver as an accent color.

Food and Beverage

1. Cocktails: White Chocolate Martinis, White Russians or White Ladies. Garnish with white flower petals, or shaved white chocolate. Round out the bar menu with white zinfandel, beer, water (cover the labels with white custom ones printed on your computer) and white cranberry juice. See Resources below for recipe links.

2. Nibbles: Decide if you want to serve heavy hors devours or a full menu. Waves of small bites is a great way to go because it keeps the energy of the party alive; guests don't stop to sit down and eat, then get tired from over indulgence. This is one long cocktail party with plenty of nibbles. Here's some ideas for clean, fresh bites:
   •cups of white asparagus soup
   •mini-cucumber salad
   •individual crudité cups with hummus
   •seared tuna on a bamboo skewer
   •smoked salmon with dill cream cheese English tea sandwiches
   •Dessert is all about the white chocolate tasting bar: hot white cocoa, melted white chocolate fondue with angel food cake, white chocolate filled with liquors, white chocolate chip cookies, etc.

Interaction

1. Guest entry-fill a tray with a porcelain white elephant figurine, some spider shots (1 oz. vodka, 1 oz. white crème de menthe) and a framed signed that reads "Rub the white elephant for luck, then take a shot and come on in!"

2. Pile fake snow onto deep trays, bury little treasures in the snow and invite guests to search for the buried treasure. To find fake snow on-line type "snowonder" into your google search bar.

3. The White Album Karaoke: Hang a piece of white and silver fabric as a backdrop and encourage guests to sing karaoke featuring songs from The Beatles' famous White Album (this is best started after a few cocktails).

4. Classic white elephant gift exchange. Have each gues bring a ridiculous, often inconvenient gift that nobody will really want.