A Candy Cane Christmas Cocktail Party
A festive Christmas cocktail party is a wonderful way to bring friends together to celebrate the holiday season. With the emphasis on cocktails rather than dinner, the event has a more informal vibe that works well for an open house where guests can come and go freely. Cocktail parties also give hosts flexibility when it comes to the venue as they can be hosted at home or at a bar or restaurant.
While a cocktail party is somewhat more informal, a carefully crafted theme will help you focus your efforts and leave your guests quite impressed. One charming theme for holiday cocktail parties is a Candy Cane Christmas! This theme lends itself to endless ideas that are easy to execute — a few of which are found below.
Featured Invitation: Peppermint Cocktail
Invitations set the tone for any party so it’s important to find the perfect design that fits your theme. This free Peppermint Cocktail invitation, for example, has a whimsical, playful vibe that clearly communicates what’s to come. The colors evoke the feeling of Christmas without being over the top so that it’s welcoming for all guests. Personalize and send this invitation via email here.
Candy Cane Tablescape
Table settings can be used to bring a Candy Cane Christmas party theme to life. It’s one of the easiest things a host can do to make a party festive. Once you’ve topped serving and dining tables with beautiful emerald green tablecloths and colorful holiday accents (such as ornaments, snowflakes), assemble an impressive-looking place setting. Below are some simple DIY instructions to achieve this look.
Materials:
- Red cloth napkins
- Red ribbon (approximately 18”–20” per place setting)
- Pine sprigs
Instructions:
- Fold napkins into a basic rectangular shape.
- Place silverware on top of napkin and layer with one sprig of fresh pine.
- Measure ribbon to approximately 18” and cut one piece. Place ribbon flat below napkin and tie a bow in the center over silverware. You may need to adjust the ribbon length, depending on your napkin width and silverware thickness.
- Set on top of place setting to complete the look.
Candy Cane Cocktail Recipes
No holiday party is complete without signature cocktails that fit the theme. These two delicious drink recipes are definite crowd-pleasers for a Candy Cane Christmas that don’t require a laundry list of ingredients. And some of the ingredients overlap so you can consolidate your shopping -- bonus!
Perfectly Pepperminty Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 oz vodka
- 2 oz white Creme de Menthe
- 1 oz peppermint schnapps
- Club Soda
- Ice
- Martini shaker
- Mini candy canes and/or festive red straws
- Red sugar (for the rim)
Instructions:
- Combine the vodka, Creme de Menthe and peppermint schnapps in a martini shaker filled with ice, then shake. Let sit for a minute.
- While mixture is sitting, coat the rim of the glass with the red sugar. To rim the glass, pour sugar onto a shallow plate. Dip glass rim into water, followed by the sugar.
- Strain mixture from shaker into the martini glass.
- Top off with the club soda.
- Put in a festive red straw and/or garnish with a mini candy cane.
Candy Cane Martini Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 oz berry-flavored vodka
- 2 oz white Creme de Menthe
- 1 oz peppermint schnapps
- Cranberry juice
- Ice
- Martini shaker
- Mini candy canes (for the rim & garnish)
Instructions:
- Put small candy canes into a quart size freezer bag and crush them by using a rolling pin. Continue until there are small pieces for rim of glass.
- Combine the vodka, Creme de Menthe and peppermint schnapps in a martini shaker filled with ice, then shake. Let sit for a minute.
- While mixture is sitting, coat the rim of the glass with the crushed candy canes. To rim the glass pour candy cane pieces onto a shallow plate. Dip glass rim into water, followed by the sugar.
- Strain mixture from shaker into the martini glass.
- Top off with the cranberry juice.
- Garnish with a mini candy cane.
Candy Cane Dessert Idea
Holiday treats are expected at seasonal gatherings, and cupcakes are ideal for a cocktail party where guests are often standing and mingling. Elevate your holiday cupcakes with stunning fondant designs that will look almost too good to eat. Then, delight guests with a burst of mint inside the cupcake!
Candy Cane Cupcakes Recipe
To make 24 unfrosted minty cupcakes, here’s what you’ll need (makes 24):
- 1 box of devil’s food cake mix
- 1 ⅓ cups water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 4 candy canes
- 24 cupcake liners
Instructions:
- In a food processor, grind candy canes into a fine powder. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with festive cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend cake mix, water, oil, eggs, and peppermint extract for 30 seconds at a low speed. Then, for 2 minutes at medium speed. Mix in candy cane powder.
- Pour mix evenly into pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick is removed cleanly from center.
- Remove cupcakes and let them cool completely.
To make fondant, here’s what you’ll need:
- Mini marshmallows
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Food coloring
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of mini marshmallows with 2 tablespoons of water.
- Microwave the mixture on high for 1 minute. Stir them until the entire bowl is a smooth consistency. If it needs more help, pop the bowl into the microwave for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add powdered sugar to the mixture 1 cup at a time until it is too thick to stir.
- Once it becomes too thick to stir, remove from bowl onto a work surface and knead in more powdered sugar. Note: dust your work surface and hands with powdered sugar as well to prevent fondant from sticking.
- Continue to knead with more powdered sugar until the fondant feels like saltwater taffy. At this point, it should also not stick to the surface.
- To add color to your fondant, flatten it and drop a little food coloring. Then, knead until the color is worked into the fondant. Note: Use a cutting board or surface other than your counter to prevent staining.
- Now you’re ready to mold the fondant into thin sheets to be used to cover your cupcakes. The fondant gives a smooth finish unlike other types of frosting.
- Get creative with designs and shapes to be added to the cupcakes. Use a paring knife to cut designs and shapes like holly and candy canes.
- To make the fondant stick to itself, drab a little water between two pieces.
Candy Cane Christmas Decorations
To complete the look of a Candy Cane Christmas cocktail party, add finishing touches such as red and white decorations. Some simple swaps to your existing decor can go a long way. Here are some easy ideas.
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Eye-catching visuals: Print bold, red holiday graphics on a white background and place in silver frames. Have fun with various sizes and shapes. The bolder the graphic, the better.
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An alternative to flowers: Take a couple of small white vases or one large white vase and fill with wispy branches. Tie red velvet bows on the branches so it has the look of a modern floral display. Just be careful not to use too many branches.
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Simple accents: Candles are an easy way to add color and fill space. Bold red and white candles of varying heights and widths work well on mantles, dining tables, and even bathroom counters. The key is to balance size with the space. Also, avoid smaller candles like votives.
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Tasty decor: When in doubt let your snacks serve double duty. Place oversized peppermints in a beautiful bowl. Toss silver and red Hershey kisses in strategic spots. And keep your eyes open when shopping for other treats that can serve the Candy Cane Christmas theme!
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