This Man Can Help You Plan Your Next Cocktail Party

Edited by Madelyn Miller, the Travellady

You are everything to everyone during the holidays: decorating, buying and wrapping gifts, baking; the list seems never ending.  It seems to leave no time to remember what the holiday’s are all about: enjoying time with family and friends.  This Christmas, let accomplished stylist, breakout television star, author and actor Carson Kressley and national off-price retailer T.J. Maxx be your personal elves, giving you all the tips you need to make the season seamless with entertaining and  decorating ideas.

Always pulling together all the pieces on his show, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Carson can help you set a gorgeous table and plan a marvelous meal.

Your guests will think you are a professional party planner….And maybe now you are!

“Share your flair for modern mixology and treat your guests to marvelous martinis in equally extraordinary glassware at an ‘oh so now’ cocktail party,” explains Carson.  All you need are signature cocktails, great glassware and an elegant assortment of finger foods.  Want to shine at a formal dinner party?

Easy Entertaining Tips:

Set your to-die-for table with today’s most beautiful serve ware, shimmering runners, crisp linens, and bold glassware.  Don’t be afraid to mix and match what you own with a few statement pieces which will truly make the table stand out.  With more than 10,000 pieces of new merchandise arriving weekly during the holidays, T.J. Maxx is truly never the same place twice!  You’ll score “best hostess” honors in a flash as guests marvel at your perfect holiday table . . . adorned with decorative pieces that look like a million bucks – but their true price is just between us!

FOR MORE HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING IDEAS

SOUTH BEACH DIET PARTIES & HOLIDAYS COOKBOOK
Healthy Recipes for Entertaining Family and Friends
By Arthur Agatston
Rodale Books
www.rodale.com

The Thanksgiving Table
Recipes and Ideas to Create your own Holiday Tradition
By Diane Morgan
Photographs by John A. Rizzo
Chroniclebooks.com
www.chroniclebooks.com

Chrismukkah
The Merry Mish-Mash Holiday Cookbook
By Ron Gompertz
www.chrismukkah.com
recipes by Kathy Otark
Photographs by Larry Stanley

Over 55 heavenly hybrid-holiday recipes. Even if you are not in the mood to cook, you will enjoy browsing through this cleverly written book. With this book, you do not have to choose. You can have it all and celebrate diversity

Everyday Traditions: Simple Family Rituals for Connection and Comfort
by Nava Atlas
Amberwood Press, 2005

Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us
By Allen Salkin
Warner Books
This hilarious book, which includes a forward by Jerry Stiller (also known as “Seinfeld’s” Frank Costanza), recounts the history of Festivus - from advent of the ceremonial aluminum pole to the newly created Miss Festivus pageant.

Joan Nathan’s Jewish Holiday Cookbook
Schocken Books
www.randomhouse.com

Italian Holiday Cooking
A collection of 150 treasured recipes
By Michele Scicolone
Author of Antipasto Table
Harper Collins Publisher
www.harpercollins.com

Holiday Music

MERRY FISHES to all
Trout Fishing in America
www.troutmusic.com
888-hey-tfia

Madelyn  Miller is a travel and food writer who loves to party. and shop. She would love to invite Carson to her home to help plan a party.

Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.coffeeAtlas.com and www.teaAtlas.com