The look, the food, the entertainment, an element of surprise and basic creature comforts: these five fundamentals will make or break your next holiday party.

 Impress them with a look
that stirs the holiday spirit.

Red and green Christmas color schemes are a definite no-no as organizations become increasingly sensitive to diversity in the ranks of their employees and customers. Which means buoying holiday spirits without offending religious proclivities is the order you’ll have to fill. White on white and blue and silver color schemes are hot color combos, but anything that doesn’t say Christmas works. “We used to have carolers and Christmas trees,” says Janet Elkins, president of EventWorks, and a 27-year veteran of the business, “Now it’s winter wonderlands.”

The winter wonderland is the answer most event planners have used to successfully sidestep the whole loaded Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza issue. But how you present your wonderland is where your creativity blossoms. Polyurethane floors with professional skaters, falling snow and virtual fireplaces will put your guests into the spirit of the season. Conceptual events like an Unforgettable Holiday with a tribute to Nat King Cole or The Holidays in New York with a salute to Broadway offer musical textures for the physical elements of an event to wrap around.

“People are looking for conceptual looks, architectural elements, more out-of-thebox cozy celebrations that don’t fit into a theme,” says Thomas Budas, account executive and director of marketing for An Original Occasion, who has used all of these approaches. His company creates “the look” by working off color, style and architecture. Arranging tables around faux ice rinks conjures fond memories of a favorite holiday pastime. Creating holiday dinner theaters featuring playbills on tables, gobo projections of Broadway show logos and the atmosphere of a happening New York club invokes a longing for cold weather delights like chestnuts roasting on sidewalk carts, steaming yellow cabs and decorated holiday storefrontson Fifth Avenue. Budas suggests booking a snow machine for the show’s finale. This effect is guaranteed to bring the house down when your singers belt out “Let It Snow.”

“I always start with the venue because every one has its limitations,” says Elaine DeLong, event planner for Good Gracious! Her company has produced corporate parties in office buildings and high rises using the twinkling view below as a magical starry backdrop. “You just can’t build that,” says DeLong. “We spend a lot of time designing the look, linens and chairs. Trying to not make it look like a rented situation.”“

People are looking
for conceptual
looks, architectural
elements, more out of-
the-box cozy
celebrations that don’t
fit into a theme.”

—Thomas Budas, An Original Occasion

Parties continue to split 50-50 between sit-down dinners and buffets, but there is a distinct move toward creating more lounge areas. Many planners are transforming predinner cocktail areas into after dinner lounges as a matter of course.

Feed them with a new
twist on familiar favorites.

More than any event, holiday parties induce a hankering for comfort food. Dessert soups served in cocktail glasses are a hot new item. Panini and sandwich bars always satisfy. And new twists on old favorites, like Good Gracious’ signature mac and cheese cupcakes topped with a crispy gratin layer, or their popular mini gourmet meat loafs, invariably hit the spot.

Clients like cuisine that is recognizable and comforting. Which may explain why, despite reports of the demise of the mashed potato bar, it’s still showing up on menus. Served in a martini glass with an array of fun toppings, taters never tasted so good. At the end of the evening milkshakes and cookies comfort the inner child lurking within us all… even that hard-boiled CFO who’s signing your check.

“We don’t need fois gras and truffle oil,” says DeLong. “People are coming back to good, natural, organic food.” Hospitality professionals across the board are reporting on this trend and clients are demanding the particulars on the origins of the food being served.

As for holiday spirits in liquid form, cash bars are out. Fine wines, bourbon and tequila tastings are in. Since having a few too many drinks at corporate events is being frowned upon more than ever, many party planners are resorting to issuing bar tickets with a limit of two or three drinks.

Entertain them by making
them part of the action.

“What’s a party without a show?” says Janet Elkin of EventWorks, who regularly books tribute bands, explosive-energy Krumpers and Cirque De Soleil acts for her events. At larger parties she creates entertainment stations in different rooms that offer a range of musical and entertainment styles for different ages and tastes, including Latin music, karaoke, alternative and big band.

While great stage performances are imperative, Elkins insists guest participation is the key to a successful event. Casino nights, game shows and “anything virtual that gets people involved is a hit,” whether it’s the old standbys like dancing heads, (www.danceheads.com) golf and racecar simulators or novelty activities like oxygen bars or retro photo booths. Elkin often suggests costume parties for this reason. “It helps people come out of their shell and promotes the theme of the event.”

During a recent white dress code party, Elkins played off the popularity of the TV series, Dancing With the Stars, by having guests literally dance under the stars outdoors while receiving lessons from professional dance instructors. She’s also staged an audience-drivenAmerican Idol-type competition with secretly pre-rehearsed singers from the client’s company. The supposedly randomly picked vocalists gave staggeringly slick performances and knocked the audience’s socks off.

Good Gracious! insists little things like dressing wait staff in T-shirts with the name of hors d’oeuvres they are serving can energize staff and open up a dialogue between guests.

Surprise them with
memorable moments.

Stimulating entertainment, striking table settings and inventive menus are essential, but in the end, it’s not the truffle infused demiglace or spring vegetable mélange that hangs in guests’ memories. It’s those unexpected moments that no one anticipated that makes an impact and generates repeat bookings.

 Halfway through the party is the perfect time for an element of surprise, says Elkins, who has booked surprise guests like Sheryl Crow or suddenly opened a curtain to reveal a holiday gift shopping experience for invitees. Jaw-dropping moments always ensure success.

Care for them with
creature comforts.

Besides the bells and whistles, creature comforts are crucial. “If guests can’t get to food lines or the bar, have difficultly accessing bathrooms or get hung up at the valet, it puts a damper on the whole event,” says Elkins. “Everything else is secondary to those things.”

Event staff should make regular sweeps through these areas to check for and remedy backlogs. Long lines at the ladies room are often a source of frustration for female guests. 

Be sure to add this item to your location scout checklist and consider repurposing extra men’s rooms if necessary.

 Good traffic flow around food stations can be achieved with creative solutions like Elaine DeLong’s food library, a series of open bookshelves with food items in different cubbies. The food library is both a décor item and a working buffet that allows access from both sides. This inventive idea is bound to be a conversation starter as guests mingle amongst the stacks.

Good Gracious! also builds in safeguards like “coffees to go” to occupy guests as they wait for vehicles to arrive. And it doesn’t hurt to arm staff with trays of cookies as a way of calming impatient tempers. A delicious solution!

The Art of Mixology

Five fun drinks from Good Gracious!

The Life Support
Green tea vodka with ginger mixer Elixir G gives new meaning to the
maxim “go for the burn.”

The Cherry Vanilla Kiss
Vanilla vodka and cherry cider in a martini glass rimmed with vanilla
scented sugar bestows a sugary kiss to the lips with every sip.

The Code Blue
Grey Goose vodka and Hpnotiq liquor blended together are like
defibrillator paddles to the chest.

The Vintage Martini
Riesling, vodka and Cointreau stirred, not shaken, will speak to the
sophisticates in the crowd.

The Russian Mud Bath
One slug of this vodka, Kahlua, milk and Bailey’s Irish Crème makes
the insides feel like they are at the spa.

Dessert Soups
Sweeten the Night
+5 tempting dessert “soups”
from Good Gracious!

1. Chocolate soup with whipped cream and graham cracker rim

2. Mango smoothie with lemon crystal stirrer

3. Vanilla milkshake with cinnamon dust

4. Kiwi cooler

5. Muscat berry soup

Venerable Venues

Deck these halls for
spectacular holiday
events.

Mission San Juan Capistrano
Located halfway between San Diego and Los
Angeles. Ten acres of Old World charm with
adobe structures, lush gardens, Koi fountains,
and museum areas. Accommodates groups
from 50 to 800. { Rita Gibby-Granard /
rgibby@missionsjc.com / 949.234.1321 /
www.missionsjc.com/corp_events.html }

The Highlands
In the heart of Hollywood at Highland and
Hollywood Blvd. 30,000-square-foot area
with indoor stages, state of the art sound
system, video screens and outdoor terraces.
Accommodates 25 to 1400 guests. Wolfgang
Puck caters. { Elsa O. Winter / elsa@thehigh
landsla.com / 323.461.9820 / www.thehigh
landshollywood.com/special_events.html }

Cabrillo Pavilion Arts Center
East Cabrillo Boulevard in Santa Barbara.
A landmark facility built in the 1920s with
a beachfront patio promising sultry sunset
views. Ballroom accommodates 200 seated,
250 for cocktails. Small conference rooms
seat a dozen. { Leslie Lund / eRecreation@
ci.santa-barbara.ca.us / 805.897.1983 / www.
santabarbaraca.gov/Beachfront/cabrillo.htm }

Fess Parker’s Wine Country Inn and Spa
On Grand Avenue, Los Olivos in Santa Ynez
wine country. A 714-acre ranch surrounded by
rolling hills of vineyards. Outdoor veranda and
tented events for groups of 50 and indoor
fireplace tasting rooms for intimate gatherings
at the winery. Or book executive boardrooms,
the banquet hall and garden room at
the stunning boutique inn, fully catered.
{ carlos@fessparker.com / catering@fess
parker.com / 800.446.2455 / www.fess
parker.com/html/wine_country_inn.htm }

• IN TOUCH

AN ORIGINAL OCCASION
Los Angeles / 323.467.2111
www.aooevents.com

EVENTWORKS
Los Angeles / 323.321.1793
www.eventworks.com

GOOD GRACIOUS!
Los Angeles / 949.250.6326
www.goodgraciousevents.com