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Park City Details: Trendy vs. Timeless

First, don’t sweat the small stuff. If you’re generous enough to open your home to guests during the holidays, you’ve already earned major points. But if you’re looking for a way to set your gathering apart, these ideas from Kasey Plourde, event director and owner of Harvest Moon Events, might do the trick. We asked her to identify Park City party touches both trendy and timeless.

Décor

Trendy:  LED lighting. Battery powered fairy lights on flexible wires are available at local craft stores and online, making it easy to illuminate your tree, wreaths, centerpieces, even structural pillars and ceiling beams. And LED wired strands allow you to connect more strands end-to-end than you can with incandescent strings, making lighting your tree easier — and making for a more vibrant, impressive display.



Timeless:  Fresh greenery garlands. Use lush full garlands containing cedar, pine, or mixed Christmas greens as centerpieces, mantle decor, and accent swags. Bonus: They add an unmistakable holiday scent to your home. If using them indoors, they should be spritzed with water daily. If outdoors, they should last maintenance-free for the entire holiday season. 

Entertainment



Trendy: Roaming entertainers and ambient performers. Casino party dealers, mural-painters, chefs who offer cooking tips, human statues — all create an experience for your guests.

Timeless: Live music. A jazz trio always works for the holidays, and professionals are accustomed to playing quiet background music for a house party, or dialing it up a notch for a larger venue. Most will know classic holiday tunes; with enough lead-time, they’re usually willing to learn special songs for your event. 

Themes

Trendy: Ugly sweater. Ugly sweaters are in, making it easy to buy your own online. However, the best are thrift-store or vintage finds that don’t require too much additional work to uncover.

Timeless: Gift exchange parties. White Elephant and Secret Santa parties are classics for large families and office gatherings. Your guests only need to buy one gift, but the entire group is involved. Note whether gifts should be humorous or heartfelt, give a budget restriction, and set a timer so the game doesn’t go on forever.

Favors

Trendy: Guest-created take-homes. Items that your guests have made as part of the party experience, such as Christmas bouquets, wreaths, or ornaments, become true treasures.

Timeless:  Personalized treats. Anything that fits your theme — maple syrup or chocolate truffles — looks extra-special when it’s personalized with a handwritten nametag. Hire a calligrapher or recruit a friend with beautiful handwriting, and place the favors on a table by your front door.


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