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The first weekend in December, I hosted a small holiday social at my home. It was just adults, just my lady friends and it was fantastic. I love hosting gatherings, especially this time of year. Even though it’s so busy and hectic, setting aside time to just be with friends is the best. It was absolutely freezing that weekend so we reveled in being indoors, enjoying sweets, hot beverages and chatting the morning away. I kept it simple, as always by using the food (cookies) and beverage (hot) of the season. The decor was the little bits of holiday we put up. Easy peasy.
In the week leading up to the social, I made a different batch of cookies each day. Graham cracker cookies, chocolate snowquakes, raspberry almond shortbread thumbprint cookies and peanut butter cup temptations (will share in future!). Yes, it was very hard not to devour them before the party. :) I made the cinnamon coffee cake the morning of the social because it is SO GOOD right out of the oven. Plus, it makes the house smell amazing. A bowl of clementines added some much needed color to the table. This inexpensive tray DIY held the cookies and the coffee cake sat on a cake stand. I adore the ruffles on this gorgeous glass number.
With a couple of borrowed thermal pitchers from my church, the three hot beverages I served – coffee, Nutella hot chocolate and cranberry tea – stayed hot. It was fun to use all my little dishes to serve the half and half and sugar for the coffee and the marshmallows for the hot chocolate. This matching pair of dishes, a creamer and a sugar bowl is perfect! Nice curves and design. And any beverage will stay hot in this lovely thermal pitcher!
One of my favorite parts of having people over is seeing the aftermath. The food, eaten. The drink, drunk. The plates and cups, used and ready for washing. It’s a sign of the fun that was had. Good food and hot beverages are all well and good but nothing compares to laughing with friends. I often think if we were to chat long enough, we could probably fix the world’s problems. I mean, we end up touching on a little of everything. I have quite the eclectic collection of mugs but I wouldn’t mind a few more – red, scribble and silver-lined.
Gatherings don’t need to be expensive or complicated soirees. Invite the people you want, make some easy foods (I promise everyone loves cookies) and drink and ENJOY yourself!
If you are thinking about a holiday social yourself, here are a few things you could use:
Thermal Carafe | Porcelain Plates with Designs
Creamer | Sugar Bowl | 3-Tiered Serving Tray
Glass Pedestal
Silver Line Mug | Scribble Line Mug | Red Mug
Happy holidays!
Your photography is fantastic! It all feels magical.
Nutella hot chocolate, how dare you! :D and I can see that you put your new kitchenaid mixer to good use already with all these cookies, so awesome. I am like you, love these gatherings – I think *especially* because everything else is so hectic!
So bummed to have missed this – sounds so relaxing AND delicious! Love the look of that 3 tiered tray!