It’s been ages since I’ve posted, but not for lack of trying. Every entry I drafted was whiny in tone, complaining about how overwhelmed I was feeling. I don’t know why I allow things to happen in such a way that I end up stressed and extremely cranky. The only reason I could come up with is that I secretly hate myself. Why else would I plan multiple things at the same time and not give myself enough time to do it all? Strange, I tell you. Because I didn’t feel like posting variations of the same whiny entry, I kept mum.

But enough about that! I hosted my Christmas fête this past weekend and I think it was a good time. My sister showed up for me in a big way that day and I’m forever grateful. She helped me move furniture around, cleaned, cooked, picked up missing food items, and decorated cookies. She kept me on track time-wise. She basically saved the day and prevented a full-on panic attack.

Number of adult guests: 19
Number of guests under the age of 5: 4
Ratio of food to guests: way too much
Food highlights: bacon-wrapped waterchestnuts, seven-layer dip (served with tortilla chips), a cheese platter (more on that later) served with pita triangles and baguette slices, a veggie tray with dip, my mom’s akara (a Nigerian delicacy made from black-eyed beans), meat pies, cheesecake, sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookie squares. I supplemented these made-from-scratch items with a “heat and serve” appetizer assortment and mint M&Ms.

Because I was so rushed, I didn’t have time to take pictures of any of the food that was served…it was quite a spread when all was said and done. I have hosted three “big” parties in my home in the past two years and almost eight months I have lived here: a house warming, my 30th (dessert only) and this party. At one of the earlier parties I decided I had to have a candy buffet or the event would not be complete, and I spent more time than necessary finding a nice mix of glass dishes to put various candy in, and I bought a Lazy Susan to put the varieties of candy on. This time my obsession was on creating a cheese platter, which incidentally was also displayed on my Lazy Susan. My colleague Wendy is a cheese-aholic so I think it was the yummy cheese that I had at her house a month ago that put cheese on my brain. I spent far too much time researching how to create a cheese platter and I went on two cheese scavenging trips with my friend Eli’s wife before I was satisfied with my selection. I spent far too much time agonizing over how the cheese platter would be received, but just like the candy buffet I’m glad I did it. I wish I had a picture of the cheese platter though!

The party was a learning experience like everything I do, so here’s what I’d do differently next year:

• do as much of the baking ahead of time as possible (even if I don’t want to bake things several weeks before the event, just having the dough made would save time)
• do a deep cleaning (dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing) of the house a few days before rather than the night before
• prep as many of the dishes I want to serve ahead of time, rather than while my guests are hovered around me
• have little flags identifying the varieties of cheeses—I really wanted to do this but just ran out of time

Though it wasn’t a perfect event, people seemed to enjoy themselves so I want it to be an annual event: I’ve already put a reminder in my phone that on November 3, 2012, I’ll send out an invitation for the second annual Christmas fête, to be held on December 1. I like the idea of developing traditions: Christmas tree up the last weekend in November and now a Christmas fête the following weekend (first weekend of December). Fantastic!

Filed under: Celebrations by jummy