’Tis the Season... for a Hallmark-Inspired Christmas Party!
I like to approach the Christmas holidays with the idea that I live in a Hallmark movie. I envision my house overdecorated, tins of cookies so plentiful that I’m giving them away to strangers on the street, evenings spent stringing popcorn and crafting homemade ornaments for the tree, hot cocoa as thick as melted chocolate bars always ready for anyone who knocks at the door, and me wearing cozy chic lounging ensembles without a tear or stain to be seen. Naturally, reality never quite measures up to the ideal, but I’m usually quite satisfied with the effort and the result, regardless.
So here I go again, ready to attempt a movie-worthy Christmas once more, beginning with a fun gathering for a few friends and family members who enjoy sharing in my Christmas craziness as well as a few cynics, whom I’ll do my best to win over. It’s time to inspire some holiday spirit!
Setting the stage for this party will be like no other. A cozy living room with plenty of comfy blankets and pillows. If possible, a crackling fire would certainly add to the ambience. Let guests know ahead of time that they can wear their coziest lounging attire, which is just a polite way of saying PJs. When inviting guests, maybe offer a prize for the best Christmas jammies. Because we will need space to work on a Christmas craft, plan to have a decent-sized coffee table or two around which to gather and work. Of course, access to a TV would be nice, so we can tune in to a Hallmark movie for a little inspiration. The most time-consuming preparation will be for the Christmas ornament crafts we’ll do. More on that later. Let’s talk food first.
Easy finger foods will work best since we need table space for crafting. Just appetizers, desserts and drinks will suffice, beginning with a couple of apps. Pastry-wrapped baked Brie looks festive and tastes delicious. I’ll use crescent-roll dough to wrap the Brie and bake it before topping with cranberry pepper jelly. It has just the right kick combined with sweetness. You might need to order this online if you can’t find it in the grocery store, but it is worth the extra effort. If you really can’t find it, use raspberry jelly. Splurge on the good table crackers for serving, too. Along with the brie, I’ll serve some bite-sized crab-stuffed mushrooms. Guests can just pop them in their mouths and continue their crafting.
Popcorn is also a must for this party, particularly if we include a little movie watching. Let’s set up a popcorn bar at our dessert station so guests can self-serve popcorn in cute containers after adding their choice of chocolate chips, M&M’s, peanuts, or chocolate raisins. They can return for refills as necessary.
Of course, there must be cookies. Hopefully, you are well on your way to a nice stash of decorated sugar cookies, but I’ll offer another easy recipe, too. I call them Terri’s Ritzy Thin Mints because they’re made with Ritz Crackers and melted mint chocolate candies. The salty sweetness is amazing. Simply melt the mint chocolate candies in the microwave and then dip the crackers, shake on some sprinkles, and then let then cool and set. So easy, so good and so festive.
Our gathering would not be Hallmark-worthy without some spectacular hot chocolate. You can make it in the slow cooker and then set on warm so friends can serve themselves from the hot chocolate bar. Display candy canes, marshmallows, cinnamon sticks, whipped cream, caramel sauce, even coarse salt for guests to customize. It’s both fun and satisfying. For those who prefer a more adult drink, you can also provide Kahlua for a nice addition to the hot chocolate.
I’ll also offer one more holiday beverage because nothing says wintertime and comfort like a hot toddy garnished with a lemon slice. The season for this is short, so let’s take advantage of it now. Perfect for sipping and crafting.
Now, let’s discuss those crafts. I’ll prepare for guests to make two Christmas ornaments. One is an easy ribbon Christmas tree. Ribbon pieces are cut to 9-inch lengths and tied to a 6-inch twig, then trimmed in a tree shape (see the photo). So easy the kids can do it, but it is really cute. The second ornament requires a bit more effort – a macramé ornament on a cinnamon stick. I admit it seems a little daunting, but it really is much easier than you would expect. All you need is macramé cord and a cinnamon stick or twig. A board and some pins to secure it while working make it much easier. Learning only two different knots is required to make it, and I’ll provide a link that easily teaches these two knots. I’ve always wanted to learn macramé, and am so happy I finally made the effort. I’ll make several of these to give as gifts or to tie to Christmas packages, and maybe I’ll even attempt a bigger macramé project this year. Try it and see what you think.
Your evening can continue with crafting, cocoa and popcorn while you tune in to the latest Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas flicks that, by now, play 24/7. All this should be plenty of merry-making to kindle the spirit, but if you still have a few Christmas cynics in the house, pray for snow and take the party outside for some snow angel making – it always works for Lacey Chabert!
Baked Brie with Crescent Crust and Cranberry-Pepper Jelly
Ingredients:
1 can (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 round (8 ounces) Brie cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 jar of cranberry-pepper jelly (or raspberry jelly)
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Unroll dough; separate crosswise into two sections. Pat dough and firmly press perforations to seal, forming 2 squares.
Place one square on ungreased cookie sheet. Place cheese on center of dough.
Place remaining square on top of cheese round. Press dough evenly around cheese; fold bottom edges over top edges. Gently stretch dough evenly around cheese; press to seal completely. Brush with beaten egg. Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes.
Top with cranberry-pepper jelly. Serve warm.
Hot Toddy
Ingredients:
¾ cup water
1½ ounces whiskey
2 to 3 teaspoons honey, to taste
2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
1 lemon round
1 cinnamon stick (optional, for garnish)
Directions:
In a teapot or saucepan, bring the water to a simmer. Pour the hot water into a mug.
Add the whiskey, 2 teaspoons honey, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Stir until the honey has disappeared into the hot water. Taste, and add 1 teaspoon honey for more sweetness, and/or 1 teaspoon more lemon juice for more zing. Garnish with a lemon round and cinnamon stick (if using). Enjoy!
Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
16 large fresh mushrooms
4 ounces cream cheese softened
6 ounces crab canned or frozen
2 green onions thinly sliced
1 chopped red pepper
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Topping:
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter melted
Directions:
Thaw crab meat if frozen (drain if canned). Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Mix cream cheese until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove any debris.
Remove stems and spoon out the insides of the mushroom.
Divide the filling over the mushroom caps. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over mushrooms.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until cooked through and tops are golden.
Best Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup (6-ounce package) semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
2 quarts (8 cups) milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
Directions:
In 3½- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine unsweetened chocolate, chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk; mix well.
Cover; cook on high setting for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or until chocolate is melted.
With wire whisk, stir in 2 cups of the milk until smooth. Gradually stir in remaining 6 cups milk and vanilla.
Cover; cook on high setting an additional two hours or until hot.
Just before serving, stir mixture again with wire whisk. Reduce heat setting to low; have guests ladle hot chocolate into cups and top as desired.
Macrame Christmas Ornament
Materials:
Thin macramé cord: six 2-foot strings
Cinnamon stick
Straight pins
Board to work on
Directions:
Go to this link for tutorial: macramé square knot and double half hitch: youtube.com/watch?v=4Ti2NDfP_Ow
Ribbon Christmas Tree Ornament
Need:
Straight twigs (6 inches long) or cinnamon sticks
Ribbons (cut into 9-inch strips) (About 13 to 16 ribbon strips)
Hot glue gun
Twine
Scissors
Directions:
After gathering supplies, tie the scraps of ribbon down the twig or cinnamon stick. Wide ribbons, tied into single loose knots, give the best coverage.
For best results, bunch the ribbons close together. The ribbons will bend and slightly overlap. Gently tug them into place until you are satisfied with their placement. Use 13-to-16 strips of ribbon for each ornament.
Use sharp scissors to trim the ribbon scraps into the shape of a Christmas tree. If desired, melt the edges of the ribbons with a match so the ribbon doesn’t fray.
Hot glue or tie a loop of twine to the top of the tree. If desired, top the tree with a button or star.
