As I am sure you guys know by now, Court and I absolutely love to host and attend parties. I know this year is difficult and the holidays look a lot different for many, but it’s also important to connect with friends and family during this time in a safe way! We have partnered up with Wines of Germany to put together some fun tips to make your holiday hosting as fun and celebratory as possible! Enjoy!
Send out Wine Pairing and App Suggestions Beforehand
To make it feel like everyone is sharing the same experience and can banter over the refreshments, send out wine and appetizer pairing suggestions beforehand! We are wine lovers and have recently been sipping on German wines because they go so easily with our favorite foods and make the family activities…well…tolerable [wink]! One of my favorites is the 2017 J&H Selbach Riesling Incline, which is an off-dry Riesling perfect for just about any food pairing, especially anything with some spice or a kick to it. Court loves the 2018 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Rotwein Trocken, a German red wine (Pinot Noir based) that has more of a velvety feel and goes great with charcuterie, any poultry dishes, or even some yummy roasted veggies. Both of these wines are from the Mosel, which is regarded as the oldest wine-growing region in Germany.
If you guys didn’t know, Germany is pretty cool. Honestly, I was not prepared for how cold it was the last time I went to Germany (I wore a pair of flats in the middle of January while walking to my hostel in a foot of snow (all for the sake of looking cute). Thanks to that cool climate though, German wines usually have higher acidity that makes them light, refreshing, and perfect for food pairing! But my favorite thing is how these wines are great for year-round drinking and feel really approachable, despite labels and words that might be unfamiliar to some! And guess what? We picked up both these wines from Flatiron Wine & Spirits, a local boutique wine shop that has a curated selection of Germany’s very best artisanal wines. They even ship nationwide, which is perfect for virtual holiday parties!
Keep People Engaged
Especially during a time where a lot of gatherings are virtual, it’s SO important to plan activities ahead of time. No one wants to log on to a Zoom and shout over each other while they stare at the clock. As a family, we absolutely love to play trivia! One person is in charge of gathering all of the questions and corresponding pictures and then puts it all into a PowerPoint. Then we all hop on a zoom call and follow along on the PowerPoint! We make it a big competition and the winner this year will receive a bottle of German wine. Because who doesn’t want wine?
Allow for Open Time at the End
Games for our family are a necessity. However, we typically like to leave an extra 30 minutes at the end for “open time.” This usually includes us going around and just giving life updates or asking each other questions! While it’s great to have the beginning of the gathering structured, it’s always fun to play “catch up” at the end!
Decorate, Decorate, Decorate!
Look, just because friends and loved ones won’t necessarily be making a pit stop at the apartment this year doesn’t mean you shouldn’t decorate! Court and I love to place holiday knick knacks around our apartment and of course have some pretty plates and glasses! We also love to utilize poinsettias and a Christmas Cactus to add a little holiday cheer to the space!
So while I know the holidays look different this year, there are some really fun ways to bring the family together and make some different memories! Trust us, these tips will help elevate any holiday party and make it something you will never forget!
This blog post was sponsored by German Wines. For more information on German wines, check out the German Wine USA website! Consider them your primary source for information on Germany’s 13 wine regions, food pairing ideas, and fun facts.
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