Alternatives To Christmas Parties Hot On The East End

With the holiday season quickly approaching, party planners have noticed a distinct shift toward creative winter events that put a new spin on the traditional Christmas party, and a party season that can last as late as February.

According to celebrity event planner Ranee Bartolacci-Meir, many of her clients are moving toward a new type of party to mark the holiday season in style: the Chrismukkah party, a combining of the traditional Christmas and Hanukkah parties.

“The trend is the Chrismukkah party,” said Ms. Bartolacci-Meir, who has planned events throughout Manhattan for the past five years. “It’s a combination of both customs and traditions.”

To plan this specific type of event, Ms. Bartolacci-Meir suggests that hosts incorporate all the different colors associated with both Hanukkah and Christmas, including red, green, blue, silver and white. She also advises party planners to focus on one specific aspect of the party to keep it memorable.

“Find something to make the party stand out,” said Ms. Bartolacci-Meir, adding that she is in the process of planning a Chrismukkah party where guests will be greeted by a snowman made out of flowers, and holding a candy cane in one hand and a dreidel in the other.

She also suggests representing both holidays simultaneously by decorating a Christmas tree with a Star of David on its top or constructing a holiday wreath out of challah bread. These unique touches will be imprinted in the minds of guests in the years to come and set it aside from other Christmas parties, she said.

For Mark Masone, owner of Flowers by Topaz, based in Oceanside, and The Artful Event, located in East Hampton, holiday parties are an occasion where hosts can be creative in how they celebrate.

“You want to put a little twist of something into it,” said Mr. Masone, who lives and plans parties in East Hampton. “I think little touches are important—napkin rings that tie in with the theme. Things like that make it special and unique.”

In terms of flower arrangements for the winter months, Mr. Masone recommends bringing outside elements, such as winter greens, into the home.

“I have a lot of clients who use fresh greens and holly along the table,” said Mr. Masone, adding that he finds that residents of the East End prefer to have intimate dinner parties to celebrate the holidays.

“I think with the economy, people would rather scale down and do something that brings people together,” he continued. “A lot more people are doing dinner parties even throughout the year. Honestly, sometimes you can have a better time with 50 people in your home rather than going out.”

For those hoping to have a traditional Christmas party with a modern flair, Mr. Masone recommends shying away from the typical red and green color scheme of the season and embracing different colors, such as plaid, silver, white and jewel tones such as dark purple.

Poinsettias, a popular plant for the Christmas holiday season, can also be modernized by incorporating birch branches, white pine branches and white roses in the same arrangements. For stand-alone poinsettia pieces, Mr. Masone recommends that hosts accent the poinsettias with rhinestones or with glitter curly-sticks, which can be put in with the plant.

For those hoping to shy away from planning parties in the month of December altogether, Ms. Bartolacci-Meir suggests a Winter Winterland party, characterized by crystals, snowflakes and the colors white, blue and silver, in January or February as an alternative.

“I’ve used an ice bar,” she said, referring to an entire block of ice for bar services. “It’s a wintry atmosphere.”

Regardless of the type of party, Ms. Bartolacci-Meir said it is important for the host to use a timeline, and to plan every 15 minutes of the party on a schedule.

“It’s always the timeline,” said Ms. Bartolacci-Meir, noting that she uses one to plan all her parties, no matter the season.