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Throughout this festive period, while there's so much going on which even lively individuals might sometimes look forward to a calm respite in the new year, it is all too simple to forget details. I'm sure I cannot be the only person who has once been jolted back to reality while at work by a message from a friend wondering, "What time are we expected over later?" No worries; if you are distracted, and simply prone to spontaneous plans, I've got you covered.

The Key to Great Get-Togethers

First and foremost, though I cannot emphasize this enough, whether you have been planning for a year or only a short while, the best events tend to be the easiest. What anyone is hoping for is engaging talks, a drink to sip, plus sufficient nibbles that they do not end up gnawing an arm off on the bus home. If you're not you are Jay Gatsby, no one anticipates a full bar, fancy catering or a live band.

The greatest gatherings are the most basic. Still, a theme helps to disguise the fact you've just put the party together on the way home from work.

Picking a Concept to Direct Your Shopping

Still, an overarching idea is helpful to conceal that you've only put the party on while returning from the office. By concept, think of for example Christmas. Getting slightly more specific (Nordic holidays, say, featuring mulled wine, aromatic cocktail, smoked fish and crispbreads, Scandinavian music selection; or Latin American celebration, including holiday punch, chilled brews or margaritas, and plenty of corn chips, salsa & green spread, and upbeat tunes on the stereo) helps direct your options on the inevitable supermarket sweep.

Strategic Shopping to Support Your Gathering

In the store, select one or two beverages (one alcoholic for those who do, one not for some avoid alcohol) and a few appetizers that fit your concept, then get as much of them within your budget, instead of fretting about providing a wide selection. No thing appears more welcoming and as festive than a bounty – I would consistently rather to arrive by a container full of chilled bottles with affordable crémant or cava than a single glass of swanky bubbly. (Chuck in several packs of ice, as well; you'll find never sufficient ice.)

Drinks & Punch Streamlined

If you must show off and offer a special beverage, then mix in advance a large batch in a container so you're not stuck messing about with it when you ought to be having fun. After starting, enlist a significant other or helper to keep an eye on the drinks then replenish as necessary until it's gone. Apply the same for the alcohol-free option; people enjoy to be given a role at a party so they can share in a share of positive vibes.

Regarding punch, whatever mix you go for (they abound via search), skip anything excessively sweet – children there should have their own drinks – and if you have one, plonk aromatic bitters within reach (avoid adding any in the mix as they're inappropriate for those who avoid alcohol altogether). Make an effort in presenting it so the soft punch isn't perceived like an afterthought; it doesn't take a minute to cut a few rounds of lemon or orange into the bowl.

Snacks That Shine With Minimal Effort

In my view, I'd skip the store-bought platters with "party foods" that pop up in shops seasonally; they come across as fussy, and often require turning the oven on (if you must do this, remember that all guests quietly prefers toasted bread or mini sausages anyway). I'm convinced nothing beats several sizable bowls of tasty snacks (plain salted will offend no one), plus, assuming no allergies, one of those big and excellent value packets of mixed nuts often sold with global foods at the market, along with a few pitted olives for colour (try not to discover pits in your pot plants in the future).

If, like my mum, you don't consider crisps substantial fare, one large piece of good cheese served simply with crackers and some beautifully placed grapes always looks artistic. A serving dish featuring preserved or ready-to-eat meats or fish laid out on it (a single variety, unless money is no object), or an attractive store-bought tart, like those that pop up at delis at this time of year, is even more satisfying, while you truly can't go wrong with artisanal slices of flatbread, because they require no additional preparation.

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