Plan A Cocktail Picnic Brunch And Pack An Elaborate Hamper With 5 Handy Hacks
Put on your party hats, sparkly clothes and twinkly shoes: the festive fever is slowly descending upon us! Christmas time means planning for festive gifting, hosting memorable galas and sipping on eggnog to wind down after a long day of revelries. The holiday season demands that we put thought and effort into our party planning ideas so we have some new way to celebrate every turn of the clock.
As you get down to making lists and creating mood boards to ease into your hosting game, why not ponder upon the idea of putting up a lovely English garden style picnic on Christmas morning? Instead of laying out a lavish spread in the dining room, opt for a rustic scene and dine out lounging on fresh cut grass, especially if you are hosting the season’s festivities in the tropics.
Winters in tropical climes mean cool breezes and pleasing sunlight, both ideal for an outdoorsy morning. You can host a cocktail brunch on such perfect days either in a public park which allows picnickers or in your society or club lawn or in your own home garden. Here’s how you can go about planning a cocktail brunch and pack the perfect festive hamper filled with all your picnic needs:
Christmas Cocktails
Infuse cocktail recipes with the festive spirit because they have to obviously be absolute showstoppers at a cocktail brunch. Plan for drinks according to your guest list so if you are hosting many people, serve a classic Christmas punch or eggnog infused with Captain Morgan dark rum at the brunch. Turn the picnic into a more elaborate affair to host an intimate group and go for a couple of festive concoctions like a cranberry mimosa or apple cider sangria, which celebrate the season’s most favoured ingredients.
Serve Finger Food
At a picnic brunch, you should be able to lounge on cosy mats or rugs as you nosh on appetisers or quick munchies. Finger foods like prawn skewers, potato salad or mash, warm tostadas, breads and cheeses are perfect for such a leisurely morning. For a bit of crisp you can also pack crackers or nachos and guac, all of which will nicely complement festive cocktails. Plan for sweets too and serve gingerbread, rum and raisin cake, mini cheesecakes, cinnamon rolls and more.
Bring Pillows!
This one is especially sound if you throw a picnic brunch on Christmas morning. Your guests will want to enjoy a lazy and comfortable day so bring soft pillows and rugs to arrange them on mats, or soft cloths on which you would spread out the food and drink. Pillows will give a more comfy and homely vibe to the party, without spoiling the effect of being outdoors.
Mow The Lawn
If you are throwing a party in your home garden, make sure the lawn is clean, inviting and smells of fresh cut grass. For an outdoor decor, you can use reds and greens in abundance and fill the place up with streamers and gypsy flowers to add bold splashes of colour to your morning party.
Pack Your Hampers
There are two very simple techniques involved in ensuring you carry everything for your party. First, make a thorough list of everything you need and assemble all the goodies. Next, pack your picnic hamper in a big, roomy basket which will carry all food and drink without spilling. Wrap champagne, wine and other spirit bottles in soft tissue or cloth and carry an ice box to serve cool drinks. You can also pack the food and drink in two separate boxes so laying out the bar and the food station at the picnic becomes a smooth process. Carry patio chairs for those wary of sitting on mats and a patio umbrella if it’s too sunny out
