Let’s get this party started!

Party season is upon us! From the chicest canapes to the best festive fashion. Hannah Britt asks the experts how to celebrate in style

Party season is back. And whether you’re hosting at home or hitting the town, our experts are here to ensure you have a blast.

From the coolest cocktails to the five-minute desk-to-dancefloor make-up tricks that’ll have you glowing all night long, they reveal their top tips for the ultimate Christmas party.

THE FASHION

Make it magenta “Don’t stick to the usual festive colour palette of green, red and gold,” says celebrity stylist Donna Taylor (sulkydoll.co.uk). “These scream ‘Christmas’ and therefore can limit when you can wear the clothes at other times of the year.

“Opt instead for magenta. Thanks to the upcoming Barbie film, pink is a huge trend right now and is going nowhere for the foreseeable.”

Stylish separates “When shopping for your Christmas party look, separates – for example, a blazer, top or pair of trousers – are more versatile than a one-piece item such as a dress or jumpsuit as they’re more easily incorporated into your existing wardrobe,” says Donna. “This will reduce your ‘cost per wear’ over time.”

The statement accessory

“Accessories can jazz up the simplest of outfits, taking it from zero to hero,” says Donna. “Consider a pair of statement earrings – something sparkly and fabulous. Because they’ll be at eye level, they will be what your guests see first.”

■ Earrings, £45, Karen Millen

THE BEAUTY Add eyeliner

“An eyeliner can transform a look from day to party ready,” says make-up artist Jillian Dempsey.

“Use it on the lower inner waterline of your eyes, then sketch lightly around your eyes, gently smudging the liner to complete your party look.”

■ Try Jillian Dempsey Khol Eyeliner in Jet Black, £17.88, jilliandempsey.com

Fast and easy When you’re hosting a party, the last thing you want to do is spend ages and ages doing your make-up, says Jillian.

“Think ‘fast and easy’,” she advises. “Go for things that add maximum impact with minimum effort like bright red lips.”

■ Try L’Oreal Paris Rouge Signature Matte Liquid

Lipstick in I Don’t, £10.99,

Boots

Scents of occasion

“Fragrance signifies that sense of freedom from the day and gets us in the mood to celebrate,” says Iember Gordon, scent expert at The Fragrance Shop.

■ Choose a big, bold party perfume, like La Librairie Oud Poudre, £25, Boots

THE HANGOVER Hydration is key

“Alcohol acts as a diuretic, meaning it promotes loss of water through more frequent urination,” says Hannah Norris, nutritionist at health platform Omnos (omnos.me).

“Ensuring the body is topped up with water can help minimise dehydration and speed up recovery after a heavy night.

“One trick is to alternate between alcohol and water – or other nonalcoholic drinks – then have a glass of water before you go to sleep.”

Eat cabbage

“Artichoke and beetroot have specific polyphenols that stimulate your liver to release toxins and reduce congestion,” says Hannah. “Green leafy (cruciferous) vegetables, but more

specifically cabbage, contain vitamin U, which may help improve digestion and give the immune system a boost. “Consuming cabbage has also been shown to aid reducing inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, which is experienced when hungover.” Chicken salad for breakfast

“The best hangover breakfast is a chicken salad containing leafy vegetables and a punnet of berries on the side,” says Hannah.

“The combination of protein, fats, carbohydrates and polyphenols will reduce inflammation, supporting the liver, improving hydration and stabilising the blood sugar regulation that alcohol will disrupt.”

THE COCKTAILS

Ice, ice baby Forget fancy ingredients, ice is the most important ingredient in any cocktail. “Too little ice in a drink will cause the ice to melt and overdilute the drink. So buy one more bag than you think you need,” says Adam Friend, beverage manager at Coppa Club (coppaclub.co.uk). “Keep it in the freezer until the point of use, as you don’t want it to be melting when you put it in the drink.”

Memorable garnishes “A mint sprig with icing sugar sprinkled over gives a wintery snow effect,” says Adam.

“Edible gold glitter is inexpensive and in a glass of sparkling wine looks magical – the wine bubbles make the glitter dance and shimmer. Don’t forget the obvious. A mini mince pie on the side always goes down well.”

Party recipe The French 75 is a classic Christmas cocktail, says Adam. Here’s how to make one: 25ml gin, 15ml lemon juice, 10ml sugar syrup, 75ml sparkling wine, lemon peel, to garnish

1 Add gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup to a cocktail shaker.

2 Fill the shaker with ice cubes and shake hard for 10-15 seconds.

3 Strain the liquid into a champagne flute and top up with sparkling wine.

4 Garnish with a twist of lemon peel.

THE CANAPES

Crowd pleasers “Keep it simple,” says Heinin Zhang, co-founder of at-home private chef service Yhangry (yhangry.com).

“Crowd-pleasers like dips are great because they’re quick, easy and inexpensive. Prep them beforehand so you’re free to enjoy the party.”

Party recipe Nachos and guacamole are a winner.

You’ll need: 200g nachos or tortillas cut down into triangles, 1 avocado, 100g tomatoes, 40g red onion, 20g red jalapeno chilli, 15g fresh coriander, 20g olive oil, 20g lime juice, sprinkle of sea salt, Tabasco (optional)

1 Fry the nachos for around one minute 30 seconds.

2 Roughly mash up the avocado and put it in a bowl.

3 Finely dice the tomatoes and finely chop the onion and jalapeno chilli. Add them to the avocado.

4 Add the chopped coriander and season with olive oil, lime juice, salt and Tabasco if you would like more heat.

5 Stir to combine the lot and then serve, with the nachos or tortillas on the side.

THE DECOR

Go traditional “In these uncertain times, we are craving festive nostalgia and searches for traditional Christmas decorations are up 30 per cent,” says Jess Martin, party decoration expert at Ginger Ray (gingerray.co.uk).

“So treat guests to a cosy experience by choosing a classic Christmas theme with the traditional red, white, green and metallic decorations we all remember from our childhoods.”

Keep your jam jars Don’t throw away old jam jars and bottles in the run-up to your party – keep them to use as decor instead.

“Fairy lights placed in jars or bottles are a great way to add atmosphere – place them in clusters to light up dark corners, or create festive ambience among plumes of foliage on your tablescape or mantle,” says Jess.

Just make sure to soak off any labels so the glass is bare.

The personal touch “It’s the little details that can make a big difference, and adding personalised touches shows your guests you’ve thought about them,” says Jess.

“Handwriting name cards for the table or considering little gifts at everyone’s place setting, like mini bottles of sloe gin, will add a personal and considered touch.”

THE HOSTING Start the conversation

“A good host makes sure that every guest is having a good time, ensures drinks are always full, and introduces each person to one another, starting a conversation to put them at ease if they haven’t met before,” says Antoine Melon, founder of home entertaining experiences specialists Hometainment (hometainment.com).

21 degrees You don’t want your guests to be too hot or too cold as this will make for an uncomfortable experience, advises Antoine.

“My time working in events has shown me that the absolute ideal temperature for a party is 21C.

“Keeping the room like this by setting the thermostat, and opening windows if needed, will mean guests stay feeling their best.”

Background ambience “Chilled music such as bossa nova or jazz are a great choice when it comes to background music as it will allow conversation to take centre stage,” advises Antoine.

“And don’t forget the joy of a classic Christmas movie.

“Why not put on a classic film like Love Actually or The Grinch on the television, muted, to add to the Christmas spirit.”

‘‘ Edible gold glitter is inexpensive and looks magical in sparkling wine