5 ENTERTAINING TRICKS FOR AN EFFORTLESS PARTY
02 Aug 2021
Entertaining family and friends makes some people run for the hills! While it may seem like a mountain of work, I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be hard. Any party or get together can be super simple and successful at the same time. As a founder of Red Cup Living, entertaining is something I’ve done every week for years. Oftentimes, I am faced with “hey honey…they will be here in 30 minutes” so I know a thing or two about pulling off a party at the last minute. Follow my simple entertaining tricks so you can effortlessly create an instant party anytime. These tricks will help you entertain effortlessly!
- Food. Food. Yes, you need it but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple things like nuts, cheese, deli meat, crackers, olives and fresh bread/olive oil make easy appetizers your guests will love. Simple hot dips are also so easy to put together. Plus, don’t forget great places like the deli counter or my personal obsession Trader Joe’s. One of my favorite things to do is put together an antipasto plate 100% from Trader Joe’s. Gourmet salami, prosciutto, cheeses, crackers, olives, roasted peppers, marinated mushrooms or artichoke hearts and tapenade are all great choices. The options are nearly endless! That’s zero cooking with the added bonus of looking fabulous. Just buy a fun selection of the items above and artfully arrange on a large platter. Food check!
- Drinks – well that’s the easy part. Our current favorites are craft beers, prosecco, rose and of course mixed drinks. We keep a dedicated cabinet to all our mixers and alcohol. Having lime and lemon wedges or fruit like raspberries, blueberries and blackberries make for fun mixed drinks too. Oh, and don’t forget the kids! Keep individually packaged drinks for kids handy all the time and you won’t go wrong! For us, all drinks are best served in our red party cups. Our red plastic cups were created to look just like the disposable red solo cups everyone has grown to love over the last 50 years. However, our red plastic cups are reusable and dishwasher safe. You can check out our full line of red party cups here.
- Create and instant party kit. Dedicated one shelf in your kitchen or a tray in a closet you can pull out at a moment’s notice and voila…instant party! It has everything you need except for food and drinks to serve your guests. I suggest having extra utensils (not the ones you use daily), simple serving bowls and plates, small guest plates, cocktail napkins, ice bucket (have you seen our red cup party bucket?), tongs, wine opener, stoppers, wine charms, carafe, cups (we love using our reusable red party cups). Instant party kit check!
- Set the scene. Hands down, candles are the best way to achieve setting the mood for a party! On my tray I mentioned above I have small clear votives ready to go with candles. I also have a torch lighter. Dim the lights, light the candles and turn on the tunes. Another great way to get the candle affect are lanterns. They come in all shapes and sizes. I put programmable faux candles in each lantern. They come on every night and turn off automatically. Instant ambience check!
- Remember you make the party. After everything is said and done. It’s the friendships that matter. Never get too caught up in the party where you cannot interact with your guests. Trust me, no party preparation is worth it if it takes you away from the party. Having fun and building relationships with people we love is the ultimate sign of any successful party!
