With Christmas just around the corner, it’s the time of the year again to kick-start a festive merriment and revel in its magical splendour. To experience a festive glamour, perhaps, Fabulation, Singapore’s leading boutique agency for event management, can help to express your party style and jazz up your home with design ideas for your loved ones and valued guests. From styling to bespoke floral arrangement, Nick Oxborrow, Director of event agency Fabulation shares top tips for entertaining at home in hope of making your whole Christmas party sparkle and ensuring your guests are having a rockin’ good time!

Tip #1: Lasting Memory: 

You want your guests to leave your party with a lasting memory. One trick is to have a surprise performance that will entertain and charm your guests. Arrange for a small group of singers to sing a few beautiful Christmas songs before dinner to build up a more causal and relaxing atmosphere. If nobody expects it to happen, it can evoke a mood and get everybody excited about the party.

Tip #2: Consider the Senses:

The five senses should all be activated. People often focus on fabulous things to see, hear and taste – but what about touch and smell? I love to think about all five senses. I love to furnish my party table with a velvet skirting as it exudes a luxurious feel. Remember that table skirts are a lot more versatile than you think and guests do touch table linens. A good table setting with a beautiful skirting makes guests feel special and exclusive. I also love to fill the room with a unique fragrance using the Mistifier Aroma Diffuser. Depending on the occasion, I will use different types of aromas: for Christmas, I love to use spices and conifers and for a casual dinner party, perhaps soft Jasmine.

Tip #3: Candles: 

Fill the room with candles and you won’t go wrong.  I enjoy playing with different styles such as using tealight candles and placing them in various vases and candle holders. Over the years, I’ve collected beautiful vases from my travels and I take so much pleasure whenever I place them with candles that will look gorgeous on the tablescape. If you decorate the whole room with these, they will truly bring a sense of warmth and intimate glow to the environment.

Tip #4: Place Cards:

When entertaining guests for dinner, I like to seat guests formally. I have a set of Swarovski Crystal place card holders with very sparkly and festive looks. Curating a perfect seating plan for your guests by assigning them seats with people they are familiar with, so that everybody can interact comfortably with each other. This will make them feel engaged. After all, guests who feel most welcome at the party are sure to have a very good time.

Tip #5: Door Treat:

Start the party off with a little surprise on arrival. As the guests arrive, greet them with an arrival shot of something strong and delicious or a tasty treat. You could have a tray of strong vodka shots to go around and get them into the party mood, or have a tasty tray of chocolates for them to savour as they enter, whichever way you feel is appropriate. But most importantly, always make your guests feel special and keep them excited at the party.

Words by Andrea Sim.