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Though we don’t celebrate Christmas, we do love to enjoy the holiday season and find our own ways to celebrate that. Honestly, with our gloomy winter and having no family nearby to spend time with during winter break, it helps to find little traditions/things to do. Especially for Anya who still has a hard time with the fact that we don’t celebrate ‘Christmas’ (maybe that makes for a separate discussion or post for another time?).
In recent years, we’ve done a few things like getting holiday pjs for Anya, sending out holiday gifts for our neighbors and A’s teachers, of course checking out all the lighting displays in town.
And for the last two years, we’ve also hosted a holiday party so we get to hang out and enjoy winter break with our friends who’re in town. Just wanted to share from that today, photos + maybe some ideas you can use if you’re having your own this year.
OUR HOLIDAY POTLUCK BRUNCH
For me personally, pot-luck (or one-dish style) is the only way to go because while I do enjoy planning and hosting parties like this, planning the menu and making the food isn’t my strength. I know I am surrounded by friends who are wonderful cooks and who happily contribute towards the menu so it works out okay!
My inspiration for this one was a simple menu which was easy for everyone to contribute to but also maybe a little different & fun for everyone especially the kids.
I really felt like keeping a brunch/snacks kind of menu and so when I sent out the invite, I also included options/ideas on what everyone could bring to contribute towards the menu. Want to know what our whole menu ended up being? Here it is!!
THE MENU
Breakfast casserole with eggs & hash browns (lost the recipe but if you search that you will find many variations), mini pancakes, yogurt parfaits, croissant sandwiches, salmon, vegetable quiche, apple pie, lasagne, banana bread, donuts, fruit, Madelines, Avocado Salad. Also : Sliced french bread + Dips (Butter, Almond Butter, Maple Syrup etc)
DECOR + DETAILS
My go-to decor for parties is becoming just tealight candles in jars (I go for unscented ones so they don’t overpower the smell of food), flowers & making the food table be the main focus of the event. I really wanted a dark tablecloth and loved this linen look one I found without the linen price haha (sharing it below). It’s the same one you might have seen on this post too.
RESOURCES
Tealights : Love the Ikea ones but use these ones when I run out and don’t have time for an Ikea run / Tablecloth : this one / String lights : these ones / Cute & compostable wood forks : these ones / Compostable plates : these ones / Felt flag buntings : DIY
SOME IDEAS FOR PARTY ACTIVITIES
– Turn it into a holiday movie party for the kids with an old favorite like a ‘Home Alone’ series or maybe ‘the Grinch who stole Christmas’.
– Make time for a Quran story time to link Christmas with the story of Jesus/Prophet Isa for the kids. We did this the first year and it was so sweet! We used the story from this ‘My Quran friends storybook’ and loved the cute questions and comments they made. Really need to do this again. My friend read out the story so well and even encouraged the older ones to add on what they know already.
-Have the kids decorate gingerbread houses kids. Did this the first year too and it ended up requiring a lot of prep in advance. Kids were pretty excited about it and it was fun but don’t think I’ll be doing that again. It was definitely fun for one time.
– Have no photos of this but last year my friend brought out my conversation starter cards and we ended up with some heart-to-heart discussions which is always my favorite. These are the ones I have.
And I guess that is it for this one! I have at least one more hosting related post coming out and for that one will go more into the behind-the-scenes of how I love to plan and execute a gathering :):)
Are you hosting this holiday season?
Warmly, Nataliya
(Except for the photos with the activities, all of these beautiful photos were taken by my friend Sumaira. Go check out her work. )
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