My blog always tends to get quiet around the holidays. I suppose I should just accept it and stop apologizing; it’s just the way things shake out! This time around, hosting a winter/holiday-themed party has kept me busy. Riding on the smashing success of our Harvest Party, S and I hosted a Winter Party last weekend (“to celebrate the season that global warming will soon destroy,” as S put it in the invitation). Our spread was just as magnificent this time around.

Holiday foodz!

Like last time, we made sure to offer a good balance of savory and sweet snacks. Here’s what was on offer:

• Roasted Red Pepper Soup in Cucumber Cups
• Roasted Vegetable Spread with French bread
• Hot Caramelized Onion-Bacon Dip with gluten-free cracker-chips
• Peanut butter pretzels
• Eggnog Cheesecake
• Gingerbread Cut-out Cookies
• Candy Cane Cupcakes (chocolate cupcakes from VCTOtW with crushed Candy Cane Joe-Joes baked into them, topped with vanilla frosting and crushed candy canes)

All of our savory items (sans the pretzels) were gluten-free, as was the cheesecake, because we were hosting two GF folks – one of whom is also vegan! I love being able to tell another vegan that, yes, you can eat everything! (Well, technically not everything as she’s GF, but… still.) Even the non-vegans loved our offerings; one guest said he was wary of the onion-bacon dip but was pleasantly surprised. We should’ve doubled that recipe – it went fast!

Alongside the food, we served a variety of beverages, including a bit pot o’ glogg (which I didn’t even get to try – boo!). We also made Ginger Snap Cocktails and Hot Toddies to order. A rousing game of Cards Against Humanity (with bonus holiday cards!) rounded out the evening for us and our guests, and everyone left full of holiday cheer and good spirits.*

And now we’re preparing for our first blizzard of the season. I’m glad it’ll end before I fly back to RI on Sunday – I wouldn’t want to deal with that nightmare! I’m excited to head home and see my family, especially because I haven’t seen my little sister’s baby bump (!) in person yet. The only thing that’s stressing me out is that my little pup has a bladder infection caused by a bladder stone, and I’m a little nervous about boarding her while she’s sick. The folks at her kennel (I don’t like that word!) are very nice and will gladly give her all her meds and watch out for her, but I hate leaving a sick pup. Not that she acts sick – she’s as playful as ever, just with 95% more accidents! I won’t miss cleaning those. ;) I will, however, miss this face.

That face.

D’aww. Too cute.

What are your holiday plans? Hosted any fun parties lately?

*I mean, I hope they did. I can’t say for sure.