THE COOL CLUB
Being experts in ice comes with a wealth of party prep experience. As 2021 draws to a close and the celebrations commence, it’s the perfect time for The Ice Co to share some of our helpful party tips.
Plan Ahead
Party preparation couldn’t be more crucial. Take time to work out how many people are attending, think of what food you will prepare, what drinks to serve…and of course, how to keep those awkward in-laws happy! Write plenty of lists with details of exactly what you need for the party, don’t leave it to hours before. Shop the day before and remember to buy plenty so you don’t run out of the important stuff. Shopping online has never been easier, you can still pick up great bargains and find plenty of inspiration. It will also save you some time, for you to concentrate on dressing for the occasion and getting your space ready for your invited guests.
Don’t forget the ice… it’s not a party without it!
Have you ever had a G&T without ice? Us neither, and quite frankly we’d be upset if a host served us a drink without the much-needed ice to keep it cold and refreshing.
Keep ice buckets near drink stations for people to help themselves and have a big ice bucket full of bottled beer to save room in the fridge. If you don’t have buckets to hand, use the kitchen sink!
Don’t underestimate the power of a delicious Festive Punch, with or without alcohol…this alcohol-free version tastes great and we strongly recommend giving it a go!
Ingredients:
3 big handfuls of Party Ice
Half fill with cranberry juice
Half fill with orange juice
3-4 cinnamon sticks
3 whole clementines cut in half
1 handful of cloves or star anise
Method:
1. Fill a large bowl with Party Ice and pour in the juices. Add cinnamon sticks, cloves and/or star anise.
2. Cut the clementine’s in half and place on top.
3. Leave for 30 minutes before serving!
*For an alcoholic version substitute the orange juice with 75ml of orange liqueur and top with Prosecco.
Watch the full recipe video here.
Christmas is over, get the party tunes on!
We all love a jolly good Christmas song, But by the time new year rolls around we’re all sick to death of hearing Wham and Wizzard! Download a variety of bangers to your playlist. After all, it is your last opportunity and it wouldn’t be a festive party without them. Check out The Ice Co’s Spotify playlist.
Create your own mini bar
If your usual new year ideas consist of a local bar crawl in search of craft cocktails, there’s nothing to stop you recreating the magic at home. Stock up on special ingredients, get your cocktail glasses at the ready and prepare to play bartender for the night.
If you’re hosting something more intimate, then why not invest in a fancy bar trolley and ice serving bucket? Be the host with the most!
Whether you’re looking for a traditional champagne cocktail like our Champagne Sparkle, or something to use up your left over cranberry sauce like our ‘Red Nosed Buck’, there are hundreds of great new year drink recipes on The Ice Co’s website. Don’t forget the Party Ice to cool your bottles and drinks and if you are hosting for a big crowd. Trade up for more sophisticated drinks with Premium Ice or Super Cubes.
The Food
This needs to be FUSS FREE! You want to entertain your guests and enjoy your evening, not be rushing around the kitchen. If you do want to be fancy here’s some of our favourite Canape recipes. For something more simple stick to carrot and cucumber sticks with dips and houmous. You also can’t beat bowls of crisps, nuts and olives!
Party Games
We love a good party game and for the ones below you won’t need to buy anything beforehand.
Here’s our 3 favourites and how to play them…
Mr & Mrs
Think of 10-20 questions to ask your partner about you and see if your answers match, then switch roles. Get your friends to ask them. The one at the end with the most points wins!
Charades
Act out a phrase/movie/book/play without speaking it. Split into 2 teams and the quickest to guess the phrase wins a point!
The Shopping List
Get into a circle and see how many items you can remember… Start by saying ‘I went to the shop and bought….’ The next person then adds an item. Go around the circle adding items as well as remembering everyone else’s in front of you. The first person to forget must do a forfeit!
That’s quite a lot to take in but it shows that for the best parties, planning and checklists are vital! Try referring to these points when planning your upcoming new year’s party.
P.S Good luck!
