It sometimes seems like you’ve attended or hosted the same holiday party 100 times. You’ve eaten the same mundane food, heard the same holiday tunes and been surrounded by identical decorations, year-in and year-out.
This year, spice up your holiday party -- literally! Add some hot peppers to both food and drink, alike. Heat up your dance floor with twists on old favorites. And wow your guests with dramatic decorations.
Heat Up The Fare
Liven up those holiday casseroles by adding hot peppers and you’ll be sure to wake up your guests. Serving stuffing? Try some Creole cornbread stuffing, which brings cayenne and other spices to the table.
Nothing says Christmas like green and red. So why not jazz up your victuals with Southwestern flair by serving spicy guacamole? Grab some avocados, tomatoes, limes, salt and the spiciest jalapenos you can find. Put this out for Santa and he’ll rocket back up the chimney!
Ditch Eggnog For Spicy Cocktails
Hot apple cider? Boring eggnog? Instead, wow your guests with spicy twists on seasonal cocktails. Whip up a Mexican Hot Chocolate with chili powder. Mix some spiced rum and chipotle powder into store-bought eggnog and you’ve got a "Sucker Punch" Eggnog.
"Fiery flavors get the adrenalin pumping, whether it’s a drop of Tabasco in a Margarita -- the afterglow of a feel-good run in the park -- or a fiery habanero sizzle, which is more like an extreme daredevil sky-diving adventure," says Kara Newman, author of the new cocktail cookbook, Spice & Ice: 60 Tongue-Tingling Cocktails.
Hot and spicy cocktails can run the gamut from piquant to downright incendiary. Infuse your party’s cocktails with chile peppers, hot sauces or wasabi, to provide a lift to sweet, herbal, bitter and savory drinks. For recipes, visit www.karanewman.wordpress.com or read the book Spice & Ice.
Toss Traditional
Deck the halls differently. Ditch traditional decorations for something different. Go sophisticated and dramatic by decorating in black and white or silver and white. Try a Southwestern theme to go with spicier fare? Instead of warm and rosy hues, opt for dramatic lighting. Just don’t lose the mistletoe!
Mix Music
A live band can kick things up. So, too, can karaoke, but beware of those who hog the mike. Or create a play list on your MP3 player featuring unusual versions of favorite holiday tunes. Mix rock with space-age retro lounge, traditional and punk. Remember, it worked for Bing Crosby and David Bowie when they joined forces for a rendition of "The Little Drummer Boy."
Above all, try something different and your guests will reward you for your efforts.
