The 8 Best Festive Party Finds from Anthropologie’s Latest Holiday Drop

I love a holiday party that gives you an excuse to get a little dressed up, pour something festive, and spend an unreasonable amount of time hovering over the cheese. A full dinner can be lovely, but there’s a lot to be said for inviting people over for drinks and snacks. Especially when putting together the table is part of the fun.

For this setup, I took inspiration from The Holiday Party, Anthropologie’s mini social series with Pooja Tripathi, and scoured the collection on Anthropologie to bring a little of that entertaining energy to my own dining table. I mixed gingham and plaid, added pink glassware, and piled a platter with the kinds of snacks I’m always happy to make a meal out of. There’s even a martini-shaped candle involved. Here’s everything I bought and how it all came together for a holiday party of my own.

A happy hour doesn’t need individual place settings, but I do love giving the spread a little symmetry. For my table, I started with Brynn Solid Runner in Wine to leave a bit of my dark wood dining table exposed. The deep color makes a lovely backdrop for the cream serving dish and pink glassware, plus it acts as a nice grounding color to tie in all of the other elements.

Then, I stacked the Carol Cotton Jacquard Napkins around the food so guests can grab one as they make a plate or plop right down into their seat. Their geometric pattern definitely adds a hint of holiday, but I like that I can use these year round if I want to. Both the runner and the cotton napkins are machine-washable, which makes the prospect of using the good linens considerably less precious.

My ideal holiday party menu involves more opening and arranging than actual cooking. A few cheeses, crackers, fruit, and something salty give people plenty to graze on while leaving the host free to join the conversation. I only had four people total, so of course, factor in your party size beforehand, but most of my friends ate before the party (which was fine by me!).

I put the Costa Nova Scotia Stoneware Oval Platter in Cream to work as the centerpiece of the spread. Made in Portugal from recycled stoneware, the 13-inch platter is a great size for an assortment of cheeses or a generous pile of crostini. Beside it, the long, narrow Here’s How Ceramic Olive Boat gives olives their own little moment. Olives are basically a food group for me at this point, and it’s hard to believe I’ve never had an olive boat before. Plus, it’s dishwasher-safe — a particularly pleasing combination when you’re the person doing the dishes.

Put the glasses, drinks, and an ice bucket together somewhere guests can spot as soon as they arrive. Having everything in one place saves you from repeating the beverage options every time the doorbell rings.

The Savannah Juice Glasses and Cybelle Martini Glasses were my choix du jour. The patterned juice glasses bring plenty of detail to a simple drink setup and I love that they’re ever-so-slightly pink. The martini glasses are a no-brainer for my friends, but I especially love how vintage-looking these are while still feeling sturdy in the hand. Setting up all of the glassware for the group allows people to choose between sparkling water, an extra dirty martini, or splash of wine, without having to talk through their decisions with the host.

Every party could use a detail that makes someone stop and say, “Wait, what is that?” The Figural Coupe Fresh Dirty Martini Metal Candle is a strong contender. I put it front and center on the table, so there’s no way guests could miss it. I only wish I had more sizes so I could have them all over!

And while it’s a little early for me to fully wrap all of my presents, I also scooped up a package of theAssorted Holiday Wrapping Paper. When I’m feeling extra prepared, pre-wrapping a little dessert or holiday treat is my preferred method of to-go bags, but I also think this wrapping paper could be used right on a tablescape. It’s so fun and festive, but also would help with clean up!