Food & Drink

Hosting family and friends over the festive season can be intimidating and exhausting, but good planning can make the process smoother. There are a few steps you can follow to make the party planning process easier. We break down everything you’ll need to do in order to plan your perfect party this festive season, whether it’s a family Christmas function or a New Year’s Eve extravaganza.

PLANNING IS KEY

For little kids, there are several popular fun and interactive toys to choose from this Christmas. You can’t go wrong with Paw Patrol and this Christmas the Paw Patrol Sea Patroller Vehicle is one of this year’s must-have toys, so put it on your list along with the Paw Patrol My Size Lookout Tower.

No matter the event you are hosting, planning is the key to ensuring everything goes off without a hitch. These are the basic points to keep in mind:

• The theme – A theme does not have to mean costumes, but having a universal colour palette for your party will help to create the perfect party atmosphere.
• Who are you inviting? – If children will be coming, you need to accommodate for their tastes and entertainment. Have child appropriate movies on hand and maybe a separate table for the children to eat at.
• The menu – Are you organising a sit-down meal or will it be canapes and finger foods? And don’t forget to include vegetarian and vegan options for those who don’t eat meat.
• Buy everything in advance – If the food and décor you are planning to have can be bought ahead of time, this will ensure you don’t struggle to find what you need in a last-minute dash to the shops.

While everything you have to achieve could be overwhelming, creating a check list is a great way to keep on top of it all, and you will also enjoy a sense of accomplishment when you check things off the list.

GO FOR GOLD WITH DÉCOR

The colour of the season is gold, adding elegance and sparkle to your Christmas. There are great offers on Christmas décor, from baubles for the Christmas tree and garlands to adorn the house, to tableware and napkins. Pick a theme and let it run through all your décor to create maximum impact and wow your guests.

Home 100 piece Christmas decorations pack in gold £8.99 at Argos
12 pack of shaped baubles £2.00 at Poundworld
36 pack of mixed gold baubles £5.00 at Adsa
Rustic glow Christmas beadchain in gold (4m) £0.80 at Wilko
Gold glitter sparkly star Christmas tree topper £8.00 at Tesco

And don’t just keep the decorations for the tree. There are gorgeous lights and garlands on offer that will add extra pizazz to your festive decorating so your party will sparkle with style.

3D light up static reindeer £59.99 at Argos
Jute sack £3.00 at Poundworld
4 pack of glitter Christmas tree tealights £4.00 at Asda
Pre-lit snowy garland with cones and berries £16.99 at B&M
Nordic Country Christmas musical wooden village (battery operated) £12.00 at Wilko

A FEAST FOR THE EYES

When it comes to decorating your table, you don’t want to go overboard so people can’t see each other, and your food gets lost in the decorations. Keep it simple and elegant, with small decorations that will add festive spirit to your table without overshadowing the food, which should be the real star of your Christmas table.

Reindeer table decoration £4.00 at Poundworld
Glitter Noel table decoration £8.00 at Asda
Christmas metallic jacquard table runner – gold snowflakes on cream £4.99 at B&M
Cut out charger plates (4 pack) in gold £4.99 at B&M

And when dressing your table, don’t forget the Christmas crackers. There is a broad selection on offer in a range of stores, so you’ll certainly find beautiful festive Christmas crackers to match your colour scheme and your budget.

Christmas gold family crackers (12 pack) £4.00 at Sainsbury’s
Luxury gift crackers in gold (10 pack) £4.99 at B&M
Gold confetti spot dinner party Christmas crackers (12 pack) £10.00 at Tesco
George Home gold luxury crackers (6 pack) £8.00 at Asda

Another item not to forget when layout out your table and the food is napkins. There are different festive designs on offer, or go for something simple in plain colour to match your décor.

Christmas tree napkins (25 pack) £1.49 at Poundstretcher
Joyful snowman napkins (16 pack) £1.29 at Card Factory
Holly Christmas scalloped 33cm napkin (20 pack) £1.75 at Tesco

DON’T FORGET THE CHRISTMAS TREATS

And what Christmas or New Year’s Eve party would be complete without enduring seasonal favourites like mince pies, or toasting in the New Year with a glass of Prosecco?

Asda Extra Special 6 luxury all-butter mince pies £1.85 at Asda
Tesco Finest mince pies (6 pack) £2.00 at Tesco
Sainsbury’s deep filled mince pies (6 pack) £1.00 at Sainsbury’s

Prosecco Extra Dry £6.00 at Asda
Plaza Centro Prosecco £7.00 at Tesco
Sainsbury’s Conegliano Prosecco, Taste the Difference £7.50 at Sainsbury’s

Easter Sunday, 16 April is almost here, and it’s time to get ready to feast on your Easter treats. Tis the season of the chocolate egg and this year you’ll find Easter eggs of every variety, including gluten free, nut free, dairy free, sugar free and guilt free – well almost. They’ve been on the shelves in supermarkets and cut-price stores, health food shops and department stores since after Christmas but now is the time to buy.

If you’re a serious bargain hunter and looking to reap in extra savings then you’re in luck, because Easter is just as competitive at Christmas for retailers and there are may offers just waiting to be snapped up. Make sure you’re a smart shopper and look out for price reductions this week and after Easter, plus a host of multi-buy offers in-store.

BARGAINS ON BRANDED

If you’re looking for deals on high-end branded Easter eggs check your local discount stores first. Poundworld, Poundland and Poundstretcher are not to be missed but also think about places like Wilko and Home Bargains. You are more than likely to find luxury eggs here at a fraction of the price than you would in some other shops.

LUXURY FOR LESS

For the most luxurious of Easter eggs you needn’t spend a lot and no longer do you only have the choice from leading chocolatier brands. Companies such as Iceland, Aldi and Tesco are producing their own, and even winning awards for it. This Iceland Luxury Chocolate Eggs in Honeycomb & Caramel is a snip at £4 and endorsed by the Good Housekeeping Institute, Aldi’s Exquisite Easter Egg shimmers gold and is only £7.99 and Tesco Finest* Belgian Dark Chocolate and Butterscotch Egg is a mouthwatering £7.00.

FREE FROM?

Don’t miss out on scoffing an Easter egg due to dietary restraints. Whether you’re looking for an egg free from dairy, wheat, gluten or sugar, you will find it. What’s more it will not only look as good as a traditional chocolate Easter egg it will taste as good too. It’s not just health food shops like Holland & Barrett that are providing this range, most major supermarkets are also jumping on the free from bandwagon, offering alternative options as part of the full Easter egg ranges. Holland & Barrett have a No Added Sugar Easter Egg at £3.99, whilst Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury have selected own brand ‘free from’ eggs priced from £2.50 as well as stocking brands such as Choices and Moo.

MULTIBUY MORE

Make use of the multibuy offers in supermarkets and stock up on chocolate Easter eggs for the whole family. Just make sure you don’t scoff the lot yourself!

Asda has branded Easter eggs in 3 for £10 deal. The offer includes favourites by Cadburys’ and Thorntons, and novelty offerings such as giant Kinder Eggs, Peppa Pig and DC Comics eggs.

Tesco has a range of Easter egg deals including two for £6 on selected branded eggs, which features Nestle’s popular Kit Kat and Aero ones alongside Cadbury’s classic Creme Egg and Mini Eggs. There is also 2 for £10 on large Easter eggs and 3 for £10 deals on medium size eggs.

You can currently get two for £5.00 on large Easter eggs at Iceland. This deal includes a wide range of popular brands from Quality Street to Galaxy and Celebrations.

Sainsbury has reductions on £1 and £2 on luxury Easter eggs from Thorntons, Green & Black, Lindt and their Taste The Difference range. Their own brand range of medium sized Easter eggs are only £1 and due to be reduced just before Easter.

Poundland and Poundworld do exactly what they say. You’ll find Easter eggs from Cadbury, Nestle and more, including M&M’s, Smarties and novelty character eggs, all for just £1.

Lastly, chocolatier Thorntons has some amazing deals on luxury smooth chocolate this Easter, with 5 for £15 on small eggs and 5 for £20 on large eggs. Delicious.