Do I hear bells? We’re in the holiday spirit here at Kristine King Events and what better way to celebrate the festivities and ring in the new year than with some easy, fun, homemade cocktails! Whether you’re having a dinner party, cocktail party or just relaxing at home with your family, sit back and relax and enjoy these fun holiday inspired drinks!

Rosemary and cranberry cocktail:

The prep time is super easy to make with only a handful of ingredients. All you have to do is mix everything into a pitcher and garnish with red cranberry’s and rosemary. Nothing says the holidays more than bubbly in the color red!

2 oz Vodka
75 oz Grenadine
Seltzer water
Cranberries, for garnish
Rosemary, for garnish
Star Anise
Ice

Holiday berry mocktail

The next holiday cocktail is wonderful for mom’s to be and for the kids! This refreshing berry “mocktail” is bursting with raspberry’s, blueberry’s and strawberry and the color is so festive!

5 fresh raspberries
4 fresh blueberries
2 fresh blackberries
1 1/2 tablespoons light agave nectar
5 fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 cup crushed ice
6 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons ginger ale
Garnish: halved fresh raspberries and blackberries (optional)

Salted caramel nutmeg

For all the nutmeg lovers out there (my husband and dad included!) we had to include our favorite recipe from The Cookie Rookie. This cocktail is festive and delicious, making the most wonderful time of the year even more wonderful!

Ingredients

3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 cinnamon sticks
¾ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
5 eggs
⅔ cup white sugar
½ cup caramel syrup, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon sea salt, plus more for garnish

In a large saucepan, combine milk, cream, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. Bring to the boil over a medium heat. Once it starts to boil, remove from the heat. Allow to sit for at least 5-10 minutes to steep. In a large stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar on medium high/high until fully combined.
Pour egg mixture into the milk and whisk quickly until fully combined.
Add caramel, sea salt, and rum (if using). Continue whisking to fully combine.

Citrus sangria:

This refreshing cocktail is awesome when hosting a large party. You can easily whip it up ahead of time in a large quantity and your guests will be set for the night! Who doesn't love sangria?!

2 (750-milliliter) bottles white Zinfandel
4 cups white grape juice
1 sliced orange, lemon, and lime

Enjoy the holiday season and feel free to let us know what you thought of the drinks!! :)

When it comes to planning birthday parties for your child there are many questions running through your mind; where will I host, how many kids will I invite and how do I plan the most perfect day for my child? For this week's blog, we thought we'd let you know our top tips to make sure your little one has a fun-filled special day!

1. Where we will host?

The first item when planning your kids' parties is to ensure you find the perfect venue. It is best to meet with the manager or events coordinator to get to know your space which will help you with all the other decisions you will be making. Once the venue and date is selected you can start working on the other important elements. Finding a venue that is family friendly, with ample space and yummy kid-friendly food is key.

2. How many kids should we invite?

Two important considerations when planning kids' parties are; how many kids and possibly parents can comfortable fit in the space and the age of the child. We suggest that you use the 1- 1.5 times the age of the child you're planning the party for as guideline for how many kids to invite. For example, a 5 year old would invite 5-7 friends. Too many children can create confusion day of, and as the number of children go up the level of involvement per child goes down. There is pressure to invite your kid's entire school class but focus on keeping the day manageable, and special for your child.

3. How do I invite people?

Once the guest list is set, the next item to cross off your list is the invitations. TinyPrints is a great resource to use for kids invitations. They offer a variety designs and themes to choose from. Also, Paperless Post is great for e-invites as it's straightforward and easy to use. Paperless Post also keeps track of the guest list for you, meaning one less thing to worry about! Another key element to the invitations is to be clear what time the party ends. An hour and a half party is gold standard for 2 and 3 year olds.

4. What kind of food and cake to serve?

It’s important to offer a wide selection of food that is nutritious but also fun. Focus on a good mix of treats and healthy snacks. A great option is organic versions of the classics, such as chicken nuggets and tater tots. Of course, some healthy fruits and veggies is always a must. Be sure to serve a safe option for children who have gluten, nut or food related allergies. It is a party, so healthy snacks should be served in a fun way. We love serving "Traffic Light" fruit Skewers with creamy caramel dip. The red, yellow and green of these fruits make for an attractive presentation that will appeal to children.

No child’s party would be complete without a treat or two. Kids love cake and ice cream and an easy way to have the ice cream prepped for each little kid is to scoop ice cream into baking cups before the party and stick back in the freezer. When it comes time for ice cream, everyone has their own cup without the hassle. When choosing ice cream, look for organic brands made from grass-fed cows that is free of hormones and preservatives. Making your own ice-cream is always a fun activity as well!

5. Should we have a theme

Throwing a party around your child's favorite theme is sure to create an event that will be lifetime memory for your child. Popular themes include your child's favorite sport, activities TV shows, movies or books. Throwing a tea party theme for a little girl or a lego or batman party for a little boy are classic hits.

6. Planning activities

Activities are the core of a child's birthday party. The most fun parties have a variety of activities focusing on the age group. A great approach is to mix the classics (pin the tale on the donkey, pass the parcel etc.) with new, creative games and activities. For ideas be sure to check out parents.com and Coolest Kids Birthday. Here's a short list of some activities you might include:

Pass-the-parcel
Simons-says
Pin-the-tail
Musical-chairs
Water-gun tag
Relay race (running, slip-and-slide, use your imagination!)
Cake-walk
Bag toss

Festive holiday cocktails, even for the mommy-to-be!

Tips to planning kid's birthday parties, at ease.