Alie & Georgia dish on Holiday Party-Planning

Savor the dolce gusto of success with Alie & Georgia's holiday entertaining tips

From the LifeMinute Team

December 16, 2014

The Cooking Channel's Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark know a thing or two about throwing fabulous holiday parties from beginning to end, and their recipe for success without stress is super simple...

"Plan ahead," explains Georgia, "So put up the holiday decorations, pull on the tablescape, get everything out of the way a couple of days ahead of the time. That way, the day of the party, it's stuff you don't have to worry about."

Alie agrees, "Yeah, I even like to chop vegetables for a veggie platter the day before. And we pick out our outfits the day or two before the party. That way, you're not trying something on and throwing clothes when people are coming to the door. That is the worst feeling."

And forget what you think holiday parties "should" be like -- the duo insists that keeping your bash true to YOU makes all the difference. Alie says, "Really make it your own. Just because most holiday parties you see tend to have the same color schemes...like, do something a little different. If you're funky, make your party a little funky." Adds Georgia, "Yeah, you can use creams and silvers and golds and any kind of weird colors you want to add; it doesn't have to be traditional."

Same goes for the music mix... "You can go traditional, like, we like vintage old holiday carols because a lot of people know all the words and they'll sing along," says Alie, "But you know, we throw in some Pop there, too. You can do a little new Taylor Swift [with an] old Mariah Carey holiday album." And Georgia suggests the playlist is another one of those things that should be thought out ahead of time so you're not scrambling for music while your guests are arriving. Adds Alie, "Yeah, you can always use an Internet radio station, or you can have the playlist totally set, all you have to do is press play."

As for the mix of people on your guest list, Alie and Georgia say you can take the pressure off yourself to make sure there's mingling by letting social media do some of the work. "We also love having a hashtag for our party; that way, everyone can post the photos that they're taking of that night," explains Georgia, "The next day they can look at the photos and find the guy that they thought was cute and follow him on Instagram, you know." Alie adds, "I mean, you want to connect people at your party. You want your friends to make friends with your other friends. So using social media to kind of connect people is a really awesome way to do that; it's also kind of a good way to reminisce, even if it's just the next day. So we love doing that."

And Alie and Georgia's hottest tip on how to make a lasting impression that will send your guests home happy is literally a hot drink. Georgia explains, "We also love serving something before everyone hustles out the door, so a hot coffee or a tea, some Chococino for the kids..." Alie agrees, "Oh, that's perfect and wonderful! And we're obsessed with our Nescaf Dolce Gusto machines. I use mine every morning, but we also use them at parties all the time. It's great that guests can pick a flavor they want...anything from a simple Espresso to a Caramel Macchiato Latte, whatever flavors that you have. But they're really easy to use. My guests have been to my house enough times to know, they just pop a pod in; they make their own."

And for those who aren't driving home and will be sticking around, Georgia says her Dolce Gusto doubles as a bartender. "You can actually make cocktails out of them, too, which is really awesome," she shares, "A nice coffee cocktail at the end of the night is perfect. You can find our Almond Rum Caramel Latte recipe on our YouTube page at Alie and Georgia." Alie is a fan of their caramel concoction as well, explaining, "Spiced rum, a little bit of almond liqueur...it tastes kind of like a marzipan latte with a little bit of a kick. So yeah, that is great. And it makes holiday entertaining really nice to have something to bookend the night. Maybe everyone starts off with a glass of champagne, but to have a nice coffee at the end of the night, where you can kind of just sit and relax with whoever is last to leave the party. It's when you get the best stories; I feel like, over a cup of coffee, people tell the best stories."

"Plus, it's easier to have people help you with the dishes if you hand them a drink beforehand," Georgia says with a smile as she offers a coffee drink to Alie, "Like, 'Alie, would you do the dishes with us?' Probably." And if that isn't enough to entice your best guests to pitch in, maybe the promise of a delicious dessert will do the trick. "You can actually use the Nescaf Dolce Gusto to make desserts as well," adds Georgia, "This is our Latte Macchiato Cheesecake, and we made some Espresso Intenso Fudge over there, which you can hand out [to your guests] in little bags on their way out."

But of course, the most important ingredient of them all is fun. "Don't forget to have fun," reminds Alie, "It's a party. So, relax, enjoy yourself. Your party does not have to be perfect; it just has to be you." Georgia agrees, "And hostesses, when they're having fun, the rest of the guests are having fun as well."

For more information, check out LiveWithGusto.com, and visit Alie and Georgia's website for fantastic recipes for holiday entertaining and beyond.

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