Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Service piece for Oh, George! 2011/2012 issue

Decking the Halls

With every holiday season comes the same, typical holiday party, with typical decorations, typical food and the typical tacky sweaters that were knitted by a close relative.

Just as typically, the host, the person who should be in the spot light, shining like a bright star, is usually the one in the background making it all happen, occupied in the kitchen making the best turkey two hands can make.

Well, this year, bring the old traditional style of a holiday party and blend it with these modern and fresh ideas, all while twinkling like a star and taking centre stage.

Every holiday party is incomplete without a giant turkey sitting in the centre of the table. It is the main feature that all the guests look forward to, but also the most time consuming part of the whole cooking process.

What to do? Mix the old with the new! An 18-20 pound turkey takes approximately four and a half hours to cook in the oven. This is far too long for this year; you need to focus on you!

Instead, satisfy your guest’s taste buds with the bold move of deep frying your turkey. Deep frying your turkey promises a delicious crispy outer skin, while keeping the meat on the inside as juicy as can be. Using this technique, it only takes about 45 minutes to cook an 18-20 pound turkey.

Since you just saved yourself three and a quarter hours, it is time to worry about decorations and décor! Normally you will see garlands, mistletoe and an array of poinsettias.

This year, mix these ordinary traditional decorations with something new and fresh. Instead of spending lots of money on expensive poinsettia arrangements, opt for bowls filled with fresh lemons and limes with decorative holiday carvings (you can create this yourself with a butter knife or potato peeler by carefully scraping a design into the skin of the citrus fruit).

Instead of the usual mistletoe, try hanging an arrangement of handmade glittering pinecones. All you need is pinecones, some glue and sparkles. Tie them all together with a festive ribbon and you have a new twist on the typical hanging bunch of mistletoe.

Finally, freshen up your old garlands and wreaths by adding a string of cranberries and some birch bark. You can easily string the cranberries yourself with some nylon string and a needle. With the bark, just take small pieces and using the same nylon string, gently tie them to your garlands.

With that, you have put a new, festive twist on the old classics of holiday party décor, all while saving time and money.

Now it is time to focus on you- the real star of this party.

Instead of the usual, woolly sweater you normally wear, awe everyone with a festive, beautiful and elegant outfit, with accessories to match.

Put a new spin on an old idea- instead of a big, warm, woolly sweater; wear a mid-length knitted long sleeve dress, with a wide belt with some festive sparkly rhinestones to synch at the waist. Match it with a pair of black pumps and pitch black tights to really make a lasting impact. Wear your hair in a tight bun, or wear it down in heavy waves with a dark, smouldering smoky eye.

Or if you really want to make a statement, wrap yourself in a vibrant red dress. It still holds the traditional holiday colour but adds a touch of sex appeal. Pair this with your favourite pair of shoes, black tights, subtle make-up and hair, and a barrage of shiny accessories to really deck the halls.

With all these helpful hints, your party, and you, are guaranteed to be the talk of the town for many holiday seasons to come.

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