What is a Favorite Things Date Night Party? It’s Christmas fun, grown up style. Couples all bring three gifts–anything from Adele CDs to selfie sticks–and leave with Santa sacks full of presents! For additional fun, Jenny Keller mixed in a garland making contest and holiday themed bar. We’re fairly certain that these couples were calling their babysitters for an extra hour or two so they could stay at this fabulous event a little longer!
Want throw your own Favorite Things Date Night Party? Here’s how.
Getting Ready
Jenny sent these classically seasonal invites from Tiny Prints in early November. Since December gets so busy, she wanted to make sure her guests could reserve the date before their schedules got too chaotic. The invite gave the couples instructions to bring three gifts valued at $10 and an unwrapped toy for a local charity drive.
When guests arrived at the party, the Jenny’s farmhouse was transformed into a Christmas wonderland! Jenny used real greenery and wreaths for their natural beauty and aroma and incorporated them with her Christmas decorations, like these frosty village homes and trees.
Since she has an artificial Christmas tree, Jenny also lit Illume candles to imbue the party with even more holiday scents! Yummy wintry flavors like balsam and cedar burned throughout the night and cast warm glows within their glass holders.
Bark Bar and Christmas Cocktails
How deliciously gorgeous is this “bark bar”? Jenny placed various types of chocolate bark on cake stands. Since the stands all had different heights, the display automatically had dimension and height. She also pinned pine branches and holly to a string, creating a greenery clothesline backdrop.
A Christmas cocktail bar was set up on a distressed white dresser. Jenny intentionally placed it in a different area than the bark bar. This way, guests were encouraged to circulate throughout the room, giving the party organic movement. In order to free herself up for other hostessing duties, Jenny hired a bartender from The Invisible Hostess to create cocktails and serve them in shiny moscow mules. The beverage menu featured Sound Spirits vodka, Cranberry Spritzers, Lolea Sangria and Orange-Cranberry Gin and Tonics.
There was also a water station for guests’ ease and convenience. In order to keep the spirit of the holiday alive, Jenny did a Christmas twist on spa water by adding cranberries and mint leaves to the water. Not only was it visually gorgeous, but it added a zesty taste to the water!
Favorite Things Fun
As the guests arrived, they all put their unwrapped toy for the local charity drive in a designated chest. With all the flurried busyness of the season, it was a sweet way to give back.
Everyone got a small Harper Gray Designs packet containing three “Favorite Things” tickets to keep track of how many gifts they would receive.
Then the highlight of the party began! All the presents were assembled in a jaw-dropping display on a table. The gift selecting was broken down into three rounds. At each round, guests could pick one present from all the creative offerings which included zany items (full tubs of licorice and Red Bull) and delightful picks (like cookies in reusable jars, daily planners, and Lulu Lemon products).
Everyone got to store their goodies in a custom Santa sack!
Cranberry and Popcorn Garland Competition
A little competition added some friendly rivalry to the party. Couples had ten minutes to make the longest cranberry and popcorn garlands possible.
Jenny put out oodles of supplies, including fishing lure, non-buttery popcorn, and cranberries. Before long, garlands were strung all about the kitchen!
A Gift to Go
Everyone also received an Illume candle as a favor. Since the guests had enjoyed the smell of Illume candles all night long, it was a delightful surprise to get one of their own! Jenny tied them with a striped ribbon and pine sprig. It was a special way to take a bit of the party home with them.
After-the-Party-After-Party
After the gift exchange, everyone was invited outside to the porch for some late-night festivities and the best nightcaps of all–hot chocolate! With candles, a blazing fireplace, and overhead strings of lights, it was the perfect way to enjoy the dark Seattle night while cuddling with friends.
Jenny set up a hot chocolate bar, complete with candy canes for stirring and adorable printed napkins.
Of course, everyone worked up a good appetite during the garland making competition so Jenny served pie from Snohomish Pie Co.
The pies all offered a spectrum of tastes and textures and paired perfectly with the hot chocolate!
Finally, at the end of the night, everyone made their way home with their Santa sacks, cranberry and popcorn garlands, and candles. And while they all got a lot of “Favorite Things” gifts, we imagine that they were second to the time spent with favorite people.
Photography Laura Marchbanks//Invitations Tiny Prints//Drinks Sound Spirits, L’olea Sangria//Bartender The Invisible Hostess//Favorite Things Tickets & Cards Harper Gray//Pies Snohomish Pie Co.