Hosting a home holiday party, SWFL-style

With the upcoming holidays getting closer, I love giving people ideas for how to host get-togethers in their homes. Whether it’s a summer-fun hangout in the backyard or a holiday party for the family, being the host gives you the chance to show off your SWFL home. But how do you throw a distinctly Southwest Florida-style holiday party? That’s a great question!

Living it up with the island lifestyle

While Southwest Florida has several bustling metros, it’s still not difficult to find hints of the island lifestyle throughout the area. After all, when you live this close to the water, you’ll find that relaxing and taking it slow comes naturally. So, for your holiday party, remember to keep any stress at bay.

Send out ocean-inspired invitations

From lovely paper invitations with nautical images to email invites that feature an Oceanside photo you took, it’s essential that you let everyone know the time and place. There’s many ways you can express an ocean-inspired theme, and it can be as quirky or as refined as you’d like.

Plan your food and drinks around refreshing

In colder climates, there’s often a focus on warmer, comfort foods. And although we do get our own fair share of cooler days, on the whole, our weather is a good deal warmer. For holiday parties, that means lighter food like seafood is excellent for an opener or even a main dish. And for the drinks, light and refreshing will often rule the day. For example, Pinot Grigio is still appropriate, as is a variety of festive cocktails and even local craft beer!

Mistletoe, music, and… mermaids?

Around my home, we love to get in the holiday mood. From hanging mistletoe to putting on the cheerful music, it’s a special time of year for everyone. Of course, dressing up your home’s entryway is an extra special way to greet your guests. Seaside colors, wreaths with shells in them, and trees with starfish ornaments are all great ideas to make this happen.

Give the gift of Southwest Florida

Lastly, I always recommend giving a little of Southwest Florida to each of your guests. How can you do that? Maybe it’s a yearly state park pass for the outdoor lover you know. Or perhaps it’s a gorgeous home decoration that was local made. Whatever you choose, there’s many ways to share how rich our area is with your friends and family this year.

Terry Records