Hosting a Christmas in July Dinner Party

Planning a Chrissy party in July let’s you enjoy all those winter-inspired festivities that our friends in the Northern Hemisphere get to experience in December. We’re talking savoury roasts, delicious winter wines and lush green centrepieces.

Here are Lisa’s top tips for an elegant Christmas in July dinner party:

Deconstructed Winter Centrepiece

Bring the outdoors inside and decorate a stylish table with organic shapes. It could be as simple as picking up a beautiful branch on your next walk. This textural discovery can be laid as a statement centrepiece or grouped in a bunch and showcased in a tall vase. Pairing branches with candles, ornaments or some pops of metallic always look very elegant.

Winter Wines

A beautiful soul warming wine is a festive cure to to a cold winter night. Nothing beats a full-bodied red by the fireplace. A medium bodied Shiraz and Cabernet are wonderful in winter weather or consider a well-structured red blend; Lisa just loves Symphonia’s Quintus. But just because it’s cold, doesn’t mean you have to forget about white wines. A crisp Riesling or a nice-rounded Chardonnay would go perfectly with crackly roast.

If you are feeling really festive, consider brewing some spiced mulled wine. It looks beautiful and will warm up your guests and make the room smell divine!

Dinner Menu Ideas

Winter weather calls for a warm, savoury roast. Think about planning dishes that have robust flavours that are warm and comforting. Don’t forget about the sides. Roasted root vegetables and potatoes always pair well. You can branch out from there and add chestnut stuffing, pigs in blankets (sausages wrapped in bacon) or homemade apple sauce.

Dessert Menu Ideas

When it comes to dessert, it’s hard to pass up some good old fashioned figgy pudding and brandy sauce. Apple crumbles are always delicious in the colder months, especially when served a la mode.

Fun Activities

For your dinner party, you can incorporate a bit of fun into it as well! Encourage guests to come dressed in Christmas sweaters or have everyone take part in a secret Santa gift exchange. You can do the gift exchange the traditional way, where each person picks another “secret Santa” to buy a gift for, or you could mix things up with a White Elephant Swap. This is where guests bring a generic gift to the party, each guest then chooses a present to open and at the end guests have the opportunity to 'steal' the gifts they actually want. Make sure to set a spending limit.

Whatever you decide, just remember that the day is about enjoying warming, delicious food with those you love. So be sure to enjoy it and if you need help planning, Lisa is happy to provide a helping hand. Click here to schedule a consultation.