Typically, it is best to choose a date sometime in October or November well before all of the holiday hustle and bustle begins.  Once the date is set and the invitations are sent out, it is time to start decorating your house in a Hip-Hop holiday theme for the up and coming festivities.

When the time comes to choose a menu as well as planning for the food preparation, you will want to incorporate a themed combination consisting of the three major winter holidays. 

One possible choice for dinner could be a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings.  When considering a centerpiece, fresh cranberries and pinecones are an excellent choice and will make a beautiful addition to your table.  A serving platter or decorative plate can be used as a foundation for your centerpiece.  Then, place a large pillar candle in the center, after which, spread cranberries and pinecones around the base of the candle, thus, completing your Thanksgiving centerpiece.  For those of you wanting a little less traditional holiday meal, there are several websites such as http://www.pioneerthinking.com that you can refer to that offer a wide array of holiday themes and recipes.

After dinner, and sticking with your Hip Hop Holiday theme, leaving Thanksgiving behind it is now time to invite your guests for a little Yuletide celebration gathered around the Christmas tree.  While sipping on a glass of succulent cranberry vodka punch or non-alcoholic southern style eggnog at the same time listening to Christmas classics performed by your favorite Hip-Hop artists such as Run DMC and Ashanti, just to name a few.

Remember you will want to make sure your tree decorations also follow your Hip-Hop musical format.  You can do this by using small musical instruments as well as reduced in size Christmas sheet music made out of parchment paper as ornaments.  Then, as a special treat for your guests, place a variety of tasteful Hip-Hop CD’s on the tree which can be supported with gold ribbon and enhanced with a piece of mistletoe. 

After your guest have chosen their CD and as midnight approaches, leaving Christmas behind, it is time to celebrate New Year’s Eve by presenting each of your guests with a personalized champagne glass, party hat, and noisemaker.  And there you have it, by the end of the evening, you will have treated your guests to an entire holiday season all wrapped up into one fabulous evening as well as giving them something to remember your celebration.

This soiree is surely to be the beginning of an annual holiday celebration that will grow bigger and better in the years to come.

Recipes

Cranberry Vodka Punch4 cups chilled cranberry juice cocktail2 cups chilled orange juice4 cups vodka4 tablespoons sugar 4 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground allspice1/2 teaspoon ground nutmegIce cubes, 4 oranges, thinly sliced. 

Mix the first 8 ingredients into a large glass pitcher; stir until well blended.  Refrigerate 2 hours to allow flavors to blend and fill 20 tall champagne glasses with ice cubes.  Garnish each glass with an orange slice and serve.

Southern Style Eggnog 4 eggs, separated1/2 cup sugar1/4 tsp. salt3 cups milk1 cup whipping cream2 tsp. vanilla extractSprinkle of nutmegWhipped cream to garnish

While beating egg yolks, gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and salt.  Stir in milk and cream gradually.  Cook mixture over hot water or over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats a metal spoon.  Cool.  Add vanilla extract and chill thoroughly.  Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar.  Beat the refrigerated mixture until smooth and frothy.  Fold in beaten egg whites.  Sprinkle with nutmeg and garnish with whipped cream.  Makes two quarts.