HOLIDAYS : Joyful Times Costing Little : Professional party planners come to the rescue with a variety of low-cost ways to celebrate.
Are you afraid you’ll have to play Scrooge because you’re down to your last farthing?
Does “bah humbug” pretty much sum up your philosophy these days?
It’s beginning to look a lot like this holiday season will be characterized more by frugality than festivity. But you don’t have to give in to the Grinch. You can feed and entertain family and friends in a jolly atmosphere on even the most miserly budget.
Professional party planners have a variety of low-cost ways to celebrate. After all, their livelihood depends on merrymaking--and they can’t let a little recession spoil the fun.
Think Green
To decorate your home at almost no cost, visit a Christmas tree lot, says Fran Chernus-Cutler of Parties Plus, an event planning company in Los Angeles and Studio City.
“Pick up the branches from the trimmed trees,” she says. “Those boughs are wonderful to decorate with. And you can get pine cones for nothing if you drive out to the country.”
Parties Plus designer Paul Glaser arranges pine boughs and cones on a mound of sugar that looks like a snow mountain. He intersperses the greens with nuts, cranberries and red candles. “Create your own winter wonderland,” he says. “The pine gives a wonderful, pungent smell to the house. You’ll feel like you are up in the mountains.”
Farla Binder, owner of Creations by Farla in Chatsworth and Beverly Hills, also starts with pine boughs and cones. She adds fruits, fancy cookies, bows and inexpensive ornaments to create a ridiculously cheap but beautiful centerpiece.
To complete the look, Binder visits fabric shops or textile outlets to pick up a swatch of brightly colored cloth or lame. The material can be used as a runner, draped over a table or mantel.
If you buy only one decoration this year, let it be light, Binder says. “Put twinkle lights on wreaths, use them to highlight fireplaces, hang them along windows. Add a few candles. Before you know it, your house is glowing.”
A Family Festival
Binder believes the best Hanukkah decorations are made by or for children, such as clay menorahs crafted by little hands, cookies cut in traditional shapes such as Stars of David, bags of shiny Hanukkah gelt and lots of dreidels scattered about.
Informal family celebrations call for casual decor, according to June Berger, owner of Balloons and Flowers by June in Van Nuys.
For centerpieces, Berger suggests potted plants in baskets. “Spray the baskets with silver paint, add a few cut flowers to the greenery and arrange dreidels and gelt around the plant,” she says. “It looks pretty, and it’s a lot less expensive than a full flower centerpiece.”
Low-priced flowers can be purchased at the Flower Depot in Woodland Hills. Most of the week, the company wholesales to retail florists, but remaining stock is sold to the public on Fridays and Saturdays.
Feed the Hungry
No matter how great your home looks, your guests won’t be content to just sit and stare. They expect holiday goodies.
Party-givers can cut food costs by timing their event right, Chernus-Cutler says. “If you throw a party after lunch but before dinner, you are not serving a meal; you are snacking your guests,” she says. “You can get away with an inviting display of crudites, fruit and cheese.”
Or host a dessert-and-eggnog “caroling party.” “Give songs sheets to guests as they walk in the door,” Chernus-Cutler says. “Everyone will join in.”
Old-fashioned potlucks are one way to feed guests without busting the budget, according to Judy Kaufman, president of Encore Catering in Van Nuys. “It’s fun for people to show their friends what they can do,” she says.
“Use as many interesting serving pieces as you can find. Use colorful plates, old teapots or ceramic pieces with personality. I always enjoy going through garage sales and finding artifacts that make conversation pieces.”
Kaufman decorates the buffet with fresh flowers, along with pine boughs, pine cones and brightly colored vegetables and fruits.
Let’s Party
Pay attention to your guests. “I have had clients spend a lot of money and still have a dull affair because they did not take the time to introduce guests to each other,” Kaufman says. “Offer people punch or eggnog as soon as they walk in the door. Make sure they are comfortable, make sure Grandma Sadie doesn’t get stuck sitting next to Zena from Melrose.”
Party pros agree that music is essential. A jukebox can be rented for a fraction of the cost of a live band and is guaranteed to be a hit.
“At least have a hi-fi going,” Chernus-Cutler says. “Nice background music softens the evening.”
Robin Doniguian, a West Los Angeles event manager, says activities that get guests involved make for a successful party.
Doniguian has held tree-decorating parties, Christmas stocking contest parties and build-your-own dessert parties. She also recommends lining walls with bolts of paper and inviting everyone to write their Christmas wishes, New Year’s resolutions or holiday greetings. “Everyone participates,” she says, “and that’s the whole idea of celebrating.”
