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Classic Christmas Cocktail Party in Red

Red never goes out of style as the colour of honour for Christmas celebrations of every kind. 

Red is traditional, fun, frivolous and very, very hot all at once.  If you're planning a Christmas party for friends, loved ones or colleagues this year, here are some seriously good decorating and planning tips for creating a classic Christmas cocktail party in red on a frosty white background.

Decorating and styling

Your Christmas tree will be the centre of attention.  Styling a Christmas tree in white and red is a cinch - your options are virtually limitless.  From contemporary hand painted white and red baubles and candy canes, to more traditional metallic reds with glittering white snowflakes, simply follow this one rule: use only the two colours of crisp white and hot red on a blank canvas of either a white artificial tree or a natural pine tree.  Place perfectly styled red and white wrapped gifts under the tree for a truly professional look.

For your table, buffet and serving areas, start with a frosty white canvas.  Tablecloths should be crisp and white, napery all white linen ironed to perfection and chairs covered in white cloth.  Then, add your red accents.  Bright red glassware, matching red glass plates and pretty red satin ribbons.  Instead of a classic table setting, cutlery can be tied together with satin ribbon and placed into Moroccan inspired red tumblers.  Wrap your white chairs in a swathe of satin red ribbon, accessorise with pinecones and Christmas bells, and secure with some kitchen twists.

Use classic white serving ware, bowls and accent with contemporary or Moroccan inspired red glassware.  Place generous bowls of ripe cherries around your room so hungry fingers can pick at this classic Christmas fruit.  Because everyone feels child-like at Christmas, vases can be filled with giant red and white candy canes and paper pin wheels wrapped in red satin ribbon.  If you have spare Christmas baubles after you've decorated your tree, hang them from white branches that sit in multiple glass vases.  And don't forget to herald the holiday season on your front door, with a red raspberry wreath. 

Menus, catering and cocktails

Perfect summer Christmas finger food comes from the BBQ or fridge.  Skewered king prawns, macadamia encrusted mini salmon cakes and bite sized barbecued pizzas are perfect.  If you're following cocktails with a sit down dinner, nothing surpasses a roast as the perfect Christmas dish (and it's easy to cook too, while you are entertaining), but you could equally serve summer seafood as your main dish.  Imagine barbecued lobster with a crisp green salad as the perfect complement to your red and white theme.  Sorbet, raspberry panna cotta and fresh cherries are the perfect dessert.

Berry infused cocktails are perfect for a red Christmas soiree.  Serve cranberry cosmopolitans, raspberry spider virgin cocktails and pink champagne cocktails to your guests.   Mulled wine and port to follow finish off the night warmly.

Favours and gifts

Send guests away with their own Christmas ornament to remind them of your cocktail party.  Either wrap in red and white striped paper, or simply tie a red satin ribbon to the top with a miniature thank you tag attached.

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