Host: It’s the holiday and you feel like having a party but your way to stress and
have no time. One I did is simple way with friends. Throw up aggressive
party; it’s a great way to socialize with neighbors and the community
where the efforts and expenses will across all of distance.
Andrea Testa: Progressive party is party where everybody gets involve. What we do is
somebody’s in charge of a wine, some is in charge of an appetizer, a
dinner and what we is we basically got from one house to the next.
Host: Andrea and Richard Testa are celebrating New Years Day. They’re having
a progressive party with there neighbor. A progressive party is where
individual courses of a dinner are held in different location and hosted by
different people.
Richard Testa: We try this putting up with the different houses so this way just one person
is in swank whatever you think and each person gets enjoy a little part of
New Year.
Andrea Testa: With the progressive party it does make entertaining extremely easy. The
burden is not all on me.
Host: Not so fast, a good party takes planning.
Andrea Testa: You don’t have to cook for 20 people; you don’t have to bring wine for 20
people, preparing the table yet, here.
Host: Elizabeth Mayhew from Real Simple Magazine explains how they throw a
progressive party.
Elizabeth Mayhew: Make sure that when you have a progressive dinner that everyone knows
not only the location, but what they responsible for. Under imitation you
want the time, the location, begin time and time and really who is included
in the party.
Female 1; I’m having a New Years Day party and we like to invite you and I hope
you will come.
Female 2: Thank you so much.
Elizabeth Mayhew: For decorating during the holidays a big ball of clement times are oranges
are can be as beautiful centerpieces as cut flowers. It will save you time,
you can buy it at the grocery store.
Female 1: I used a lot of candles just to make the atmosphere a little bit more light
hearted and you are not sitting on the bright lights. I think the flowers kind
of soften up the room. That usually what I do for my flowers arranges is
start up with just a glass bowl and basically just pick out flowers that I
like. Okay, we probably have the same as usual like eight couples that
usually what it is. Okay how about if I call side of the black and do
appetizers and wine and you call your side the black and do desserts and
wine for your house. For tonight’s party everybody will bringing an
appetizer and which is finger food type appetizer and a bottle of wine. And
then after we’ve eaten and drink we are move over to Melissa and Dave’s
house and we will have dessert and champagne. You can actually skip on
trace if you don’t, you can have an all appetizer party.
Elizabeth Mayhew: For a holiday entertaining we think that the best way to go is to use one
plate, on fork. So much easier if there food is bite size and fits on one
small plate that you can use with the fork.
Female 1: We have lots of food and something you brought and you can enjoy some
food. Okay, come on.
Elizabeth Mayhew: When you are arranging your plan for where you can put your food, make
sure that you can access what ever buffet you are coming up from both
sides.
Richard Testa: Anybody care for an artichoke dip?
Elizabeth Mayhew: It’s best to keep your beverages at the separate place, the last thing you
want is people at the play table to get there drinks when people are also
trying to get there food. Take it on the inside of yourself, don’t serve a
billion different kind of beverages why not just instead reduce it to wine,
beer, maybe fridges. Obviously you are going to send your invitation out
four weeks before, and when you send that invitations always put on end
time. The last thing that you want is somebody to come after the party and
yet and so include whether or not kids are invited. At the same thing you
send the invitations out make a plan about what you are going to serve,
who are you going to ask to participate in this party about beverages, order
your wines, anything that you can do a head of time it will be much better
for you in the long run and you won’t be left the night before rushing to
get things done.
Host: Time for dessert and on to Melissa and Dave’s house.
Elizabeth Mayhew: Way to progressive dinner works is everybody takes up the close of there
appetizer, there wine. We are all in spending the same amount of money
and you can do it for $20 or $30.