Cutting back doesn't mean missing out on fun this holiday season. If hosting a holiday party is a tradition, change traditions this year by throwing a Sunday brunch instead. The cost savings can be enormous....less food, less alcohol, and less stress!
How to Host an Inexpensive Holiday Brunch:
Prepare food ahead of time. Eggs are pretty inexpensive, especially when purchased on sale. So find a free recipe that feeds a lot people and uses lots of eggs! Eggs Goldenrod is an unusual take on Eggs Benedict. Casseroles are also inexpensive make-ahead dishes. Peruse the internet for interesting, yet inexpensive side dishes as well. The deli department at the supermarket offers some easy take-home salads that would work well on a buffet table.
Shop Warehouse Clubs ahead of Time:
Sam's and Costco are great places to buy quantities of finger food. Appetizers and assorted cheesecakes make great brunch items and can be found in the frozen food section. So buy these well ahead of time and store in a freezer until the party. Festive foods go fast and the warehouse clubs might be out of them right around the holidays. Also, wine and cheese usually cost a lot less at warehouse clubs. And they are pretty plentiful around the holidays.
Consider a Potluck Brunch:
Ask all the guests to either contribute a side dish or a dessert. Tell people not to bring anything fancy, just ask them to be original. Even get the kids involved and bring something easy to make yet festive. Once everyone arrives, set all the items on a table buffet-style. Even create a theme if possible. An idea might be vegetarian, (if this is a healthy crowd) or make it a red, white and blue holiday event! All the side dishes must contain one of those colors! Think cranberries, blueberries, angel food cake. This will make for some creative thinking and a colorful table!
Finally, keep the brunch small. This is not the year to host a big blow-out event. It's a time for friends and family to get together. Intimate gatherings are better anyway. People really get to know each other when there aren't big crowds to wade through. And the whole gathering will cost a lot less than a fancy dinner involving a lot of food and alcohol. People will be grateful to be able to go to a party...They won't care who spent what or how elaborate the meal was. The memories are what count.
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