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Christmas is such a sociable time of year thatit really does pay to plan parties long inadvance of the date. First, decide upon thetype of engagement that is desired – and for whom.Secondly, consider whether the event is to be seatedor standing; with a plated meal, a buffet or canapés.Making these two important distinctions will helpwith the next step of deciding upon a guest list andsending out invitations.Whilst email is expedient, it is always a pleasure toreceive a printed invitation in the post, be it gilt-edgedand embossed, or bearing one of the quirkier designsof contemporary letterpress. Anthony Eyre from TheLetter Press of Cirencester, in operation since 1986,advises ordering invitations from the beginning ofOctober, allowing for two weeks’ delivery time and sixto eight weeks’ notice on the event. “You might killtwo birds with one stone and have Christmas cardsprinted at the same time,” he suggests.Managing large events can be terrific fun orfrustratingly chaotic, depending on the amount of timeat hand, degree of organisation, and how much onemight relinquish to a third party. Snapdragon andTable Talk, two of London’s top events planners, willtake care of an occasion from start to finish, whilstcaterers such as By Word of Mouth offer a scaledservice, providing full planning, a simple eventconsultancy and last-minute management. Hiring stafffor an evening will make light work of cleaning up,and it can be helpful to employ the grown-up childrenof friends as waiters – but do not ask them to mixdrinks if they are under age.If the approach is to be more hands-on, considersupporting one of the many smaller providers ofartisan food: Emmett’s in Suffolk for ham, The GingerPig for red meat, Paxton & Whitfield for cheeses.Forman & Field offers smoked salmon alongside blinikits scaled to suit. Demand over Christmas isincreased, so it is sensible to factor this in by placingmost orders by 15 December.There are often discounts on bulk orders of drink atthis time of year, and calculating general consumptionis sensible. Most guests will have two drinks withinthe first hour of the event and one drink an hourthereafter (see page 94 for a selection of festive tipples).Independent merchants such as Berry Bros & Ruddand The Oxford Wine Company can advise on qualitychoices. Majestic Wine offers glass hire.Finally, remember to include a little sparkle indecorations, introducing special touches such asdecorative place names and Christmas crackers (seepage 91) if guests are to be seated, and fairy lights toenhance the mood of the season. You might also liketo arrange a ‘secret Santa’ present swap between guests.LARGE-SCALEGATHERINGS### THE ENGLISH HOME 89TEH UK DEC15 Packaged to suit v2.indd 89 16/10/2015 14:47