Our social calendars are jam-packed from November through December—that’s without even including the actual holidays. The list of family and friend obligations piles up fast. Between Friendsgivings, office parties, gift swaps, festive dinners, and New Year’s Eve bashes, we are inundated with celebrations.
Maybe you’re like me and want to join in on the fun of hosting a festive soirée, but simply don’t have the time—or frankly, energy—to throw a shindig. Enter: The mid-January party.
Rather than squeezing in yet another social affair between Thanksgiving and the New Year—thus competing with everyone’s ever-growing list of holiday commitments—wait a few weeks for the holiday frenzy to settle. By then, everyone will be ready for a party again.
The idea of a January party might be en vogue now, according to The Cut, but I was onto it long before. The tradition started back in college, when everyone we knew was throwing Christmas parties in the frantic weeks before winter break. There was hardly enough time to attend all the festivities, let alone have our own.
My roommates and I still wanted to host a fun shindig, so we opted to throw a belated New Year’s party instead—a fun way to gather all of our friends back together after the busy season.
On a slim budget, we threw up tinsel, tossed confetti, crafted fun drinks, put out a few snacks, hung the largest disco ball I’d ever seen, and turned on the tunes. Everyone showed up. It was a highlight of the season, so I’ve carried on the tradition ever since.
No matter what city I’m living in, I host my annual mid-January party. It might look a little different each year with a new twist, but the premise is the same: laid-back fun, good libations, and an open-invite policy where new friends are encouraged.
### Why a Mid-January Party?
The first month of the year always feels extra long, cold, and dreary, and a party gives everyone something to look forward to. It’s a fun pick-me-up for when you’re in the dumps after all the holiday fun has passed, and the perfect gathering for a socially quieter time of year.
Hosting in the off-season also takes the holiday pressure off—people aren’t festivity-fatigued and are more likely to be in town and free. And, as technically a non-holiday party, the options are endless when it comes to themes.
In 2022, my January party took on an around-the-world theme with drinks and snacks representative of different regions. Last year, it was a martini palooza—espresso martinis and just about any briny martini (my go-to is a pepperoncini) you can think of, including the Pickletini.
It doesn’t have to be fussy—I’m all for using my grandmother’s silver alongside plastic martini glasses and repurposing empty liqueur and wine bottles as carafes. (Not everyone has enough kitchen storage to house a small army of pitchers!)
Keep it casual with various bar and snack setups for guests to mix and mingle freely, or for a smaller crowd—elevate with a seated dinner.
Let’s not let December have all the fun! So here’s to the mid-January party and making a miserable month a little more bearable.
https://www.southernliving.com/mid-january-holiday-party-11873258
Be First to Comment