The holiday season is upon us, and it’s time to dust off the fairy lights, pop the bubbly, and turn your home into the festive haven of dreams. But throwing a Christmas party isn’t just about the food and drinks—it’s about curating an experience that lingers in your guests' memories long after the last toast.

To help you create the ultimate festive experience, we’ve turned to Singapore’s top party experts—visionaries who know the art of entertaining better than anyone else—for their insider tips. From jaw-dropping tablescapes and mood-setting playlists to luxurious room scents and stunning floral décor, these pro tips will ensure your party has everything you need to elevate your Christmas soirée.

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The Music Maestro

Ginette Chittick
DJ, fashion designer, lecturer

No party is complete without the perfect playlist, and Ginette Chittick knows just how to strike the right note. Chittick is a creative powerhouse in Singapore’s arts and music scene. Known for her knack for merging indie and mainstream sounds, she’s also a holiday music maestro. For her, the key to a modern holiday playlist lies in blending Christmas classics with contemporary hits.

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She recommends starting with timeless tunes by legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole, then mixing in nostalgic fun from The Chipmunks and The Muppets’ Christmas Album. To keep things fresh, she suggests contemporary staples like Wham’s “Last Christmas” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”—her personal favourite. To elevate the mood, Chittick loves ska or punk renditions of classic Christmas tunes, as well as unexpected mash-ups like William Maranci’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” and Radiohead’s “Creep”.

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Balance is key when it comes to music. Slower songs give guests a breather, creating space for conversations, snacks, or games. Finally, be considerate of your neighbours: Close doors, keep volumes lower after 11pm, and leave them small gifts to build good will and ensure your holiday spirit doesn’t dampen theirs.

If you fancy yourself a home DJ, she recommends compact and user-friendly equipment like the Pioneer DJ’s DDJ-400 console (or this model) paired with KRK ROKIT 5 G5 speakers for excellent sound in small spaces.

The Mixologist

Zana Möhlmann
Head Bartender, Manhattan

With her international expertise and experience at award-winning bars like Manhattan, Zana Möhlmann is the expert when it comes to creating exceptional cocktails that elevate any occasion. Her approach to holiday cocktails is all about balancing creativity, flavour, and presentation.

Her first piece of advice is to not shy away from the classics. “A holiday twist on a classic cocktail can be truly memorable,” she says. Manhattan’s Bonfire Espresso Martini is a perfect example. Featuring vodka, espresso, brownie fudge, and a marshmallow garnish, it combines the original cocktail’s richness with the festive season’s warmth and indulgence. “It’s rich, decadent, and evokes the cosy feeling of sitting by the fire, which gives that toasty, nostalgic holiday vibe to any celebration.”

When crafting cocktails for a festive occasion, the key is restraint—layering flavours without overloading the palate. Bold seasonal flavours like cinnamon and cranberry can easily overpower a drink. To avoid this, Möhlmann balances them with bright, refreshing elements like citrus or herbs.

A perfect example is her Spiced Cranberry Sour, which blends tartness and warmth in a way that feels seasonal yet approachable. “The goal is to complement the party atmosphere without overwhelming the drinks or the guests,” she explains.

One common mistake people make during holiday parties is attempting to mix individual cocktails for each guest. A smarter solution would be to pre-batch a signature cocktail or large-format punch to save time and ensure consistency. As a nice touch, you could even serve them individually bottled and simply hand them out throughout the evening.

The final touch to any festive drink is its presentation. Möhlmann believes that seasonal garnishes like dried orange slices, rosemary sprigs, or cinnamon sticks instantly bring a festive charm to cocktails. Whether you opt for elegant glassware or statement vessels like a vintage punch bowl, presentation transforms a drink into a celebration, setting the mood for the entire evening.

The Decorator

Rubina Tiyu
Founder, Tied Alliance

The powerhouse behind Tied Alliance, Rubina Tiyu began her career with a desire to make weddings both magical and budget-friendly. Today, she oversees a thriving event agency known for its impeccable execution and creative solutions. On the side, she also runs TA Community, a Nordic café  serving authentic Scandinavian-inspired cuisine and retails a curated selection of gifts and homeware.

Whether crafting elaborate weddings or hosting her own festive gatherings, Tiyu’s talent lies in combining elegance with practicality—a skill she eagerly shares for the holiday season. For her, an intimate dinner party of 10 is the sweet spot for meaningful connection, while larger gatherings shine with a more casual, standing-room setup.

Her top three décor rules are to maximise space by keeping decorations to the sides, play with lighting to create the right mood and design a standout statement area—be it a dramatic backdrop, a ceiling installation, or a photo-worthy corner.

For table settings, Tiyu champions fabrics: “A beautiful fabric can transform any table. Use it as a tablecloth or runner for instant elegance,” she advises. As for 2024’s holiday trends? “Bows, bows, and more bows—simple yet elaborate. Tie your ribbons in a bow and use them as table placements, hang them off the back of chairs, or tie them around a wine glass,” she suggests. And when it comes to hosting, Tiyu stands by one golden rule: “The perfect gathering isn’t about perfection—it’s about good food, great drinks, and even better company.”

The Florist

Charlotte Puxley
Founder, Charlotte Puxley Flowers

A renowned florist based in Singapore, Charlotte Puxley is celebrated for her elegant yet wild floral designs. Originally from London, she was part of the team responsible for creating Kate Moss’ bridal bouquet and wedding floral decorations. Her work blends the beauty of English countryside flowers with tropical elements, coupled with a deep commitment to sustainability. Her creativity also extends to her personal life, where she regularly transforms her home with seasonal florals, particularly around the holidays.

For her, certain flowers and greenery evoke the spirit of Christmas instantly. She recommends using berries and rosehips, which provide a dramatic flair without being overly festive. “Lots of that in a beautiful vase, and it’s a win,” she says. Pine, such as noble pine, is another essential. “Not only does it offer a classic touch, but its piney fragrance is synonymous with the season, creating an aromatic experience that enhances the holiday ambience.”

To keep your florals looking fresh throughout the entire holiday season, Puxley recommends going for high-quality dried flowers mixed with ornaments and ribbons. By placing them in a versatile vase, the same display can carry through to other seasons, providing continued beauty long after the holidays are over.

While a traditional table centrepiece is always lovely, Puxley suggests getting creative by placing large floral arrangements in unexpected areas around your home. “Using large branches or greens, you can play around with bold shapes, which really adds another dimension to your interiors for the evening, bringing in the festive theme,” she suggests.

One of her favourite at-home holiday projects with her children is making a wreath frame, which she adorns with gold foliage, red ribbons, and old glass-painted bells. “It is always a similar theme but redone every year with a twist. Creating traditions is all part of the memories; we call it the Christmas Squid,” she shares.

Her most Christmassy floral design is “The Pickles Do Christmas Perfectly” arrangement, decked with wild branches, baubles, ribbons, cinnamon sticks and berries in a handblown case from Hungary. This piece is the perfect blend of seasonal blooms, impactful yet understated, making it an ideal choice for a festive setting.

The Perfumer

Johanna Monange
Founder of Maison 21G

Olfactory expert Johanna Monange has revolutionised fragrance by blending cutting-edge technology with artisanal craftsmanship. At her bespoke scent studio, customers use artificial intelligence to create personalised perfumes tailored to their unique essence. Maison 21G, known for its commitment to quality and sustainability, offers long-lasting, concentrated formulas that turn fragrance from an accessory into a meaningful, intimate experience.

Monange believes scent is vital in transforming a space, setting the tone for warmth, elegance, or festivity. “Scent creates a sensory signature that lingers in the memory, making a gathering unforgettable,” she explains. “The key is balance—choose two or three complementary notes that resonate and let them shine,” she advises.

To inspire holiday cheer, she suggests using rich, warm fragrances. A blend of woody and spicy notes like Maison 21G’s Cashmere Wood, Fervent Fir Balsam, or Amber Affair, combined with fresh citrus options like Bergamot or Ginger Game, evokes a winter chalet or pine forest atmosphere. “These fragrances balance nostalgia and modernity for a festive yet elegant vibe,” she says.

For a unique touch, Monange recommends scented ornaments or an oil burner, like Maison 21G’s La Luciole, which diffuses fragrance while serving as an artistic accent. “Pour a few drops onto its brass plate; the fragrance creates a soft, captivating glow,” she shares.

She also suggests placing candles and diffusers in key areas like the dining table, bathroom, and bedroom to create an immersive experience, and scenting table linens or Christmas trees with light spritzes of fragrance. “Adding fresh, natural elements like fervent fir balsam, citrus, or cinnamon perfumes not only looks beautiful but subtly enhances the scent profile of the room.”

This multi-layered approach ensures every corner of your home is filled with a thoughtful, harmonious scent, combined with a warm, glowing atmosphere, leaving a lasting impression on all who step inside.

The Food Connoisseur

Nigella Lawson
Celebrity Chef

Renowned for her relaxed approach to holiday hosting, Britain’s most beloved TV chef, Nigella Lawson believes that Christmas should be a time of joy and simplicity. In her latest BBC Christmas special, Nigella’s Amsterdam Christmas, she brings all the warm and fuzzy festive feels of Amsterdam into the kitchen with a delicious array of Indo-Dutch dishes that will give a festive twist to Christmas. Featuring recipes like Speculaas biscuits, a nod to Dutch holiday baking, and an Indonesian biryani inspired by Amsterdam’s Indo-Dutch heritage, the show promises to offer a fresh, flavourful twist on a traditional Christmas.

In a Zoom interview, she tells ELLE that her number one rule to a smooth celebration is simple: Plan ahead. She swears by lists for everything—shopping, decor, and sequence of tasks. “I like to know what I’m doing, when and how to do it, and then you’re free just to simply roll with it when the time comes,” says Lawson. “Not only does it make the cooking practically easier, it also helps from a psychological perspective: You’re prepared and can look forward to having friends around your table, rather than having to face hours and hours of monumental effort just as everyone’s descending on you.”

Think about dishes with minimal effort and maximum bang. “I’m interested in recipes that make life easier as well as more delicious,” she utters. Her Indonesian biryani, for example, can be prepared early and left to marinate, letting the flavours deepen over time. The trick is to distribute the workload over several days so that you can focus on assembling and enjoying the meal when your guests arrive. “The essential thing is to pace yourself—if everything has to be done at the last minute, it becomes unmanageable and a recipe for frayed nerves.”

She believes that hosting a dinner isn’t about creating a culinary spectacle; it’s about fostering connection. “If the host isn’t relaxed, the guests won’t be either,” she says. “There is no point in going all out and making a feast when you’re not enjoying yourself.”

The right atmosphere can elevate any gathering. For Lawson, her approach is simple yet impactful, favouring soft, golden hues over flashy decorations for an intimate, cozy vibe. Nothing says Christmas like the warm flicker of tea lights and the evocative aroma of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. “You don’t need expensive candles; a pot of boiling water with orange peel and cloves can create that lovely festive scent just as easily.” In a nutshell, it’s about creating an environment that feels festive yet relaxed, allowing everyone to enjoy the food, the company, and the spirit of the season without the stress of perfection.

No-Bake Advocaat And Ginger Cake
Yields: 16 slices

Ingredients

• 4pcs Jamaican Ginger Cakes 
• 500g mascarpone cheese
• 375ml double cream
• 2 tsp Bird's original custard powder
• 2 tbsp (15g) icing sugar
• 200ml advocaat
• 75g crystallised ginger (roughly chopped)
• 6 soft dried figs (chopped or scissored into small pieces)
• 75g macadamia nuts (chopped roughly into chunks and shards)
• 1tbspn chocolate sprinkles (for scattering on top)

Method

• Slice each of the Jamaica Ginger Cakes into 12 pieces. Arrange in three piles of 16 slices each for layering.
• Whisk mascarpone, double cream, custard powder, and icing sugar until thick. Gradually add Advocaat while whisking until the mixture is lusciously thick and spreadable.
• Reserve two cups (500ml) of the cream for topping, cover, and refrigerate for serving the next day.
• Gently fold chopped crystallized ginger, dried figs, and Macadamia nuts into the remaining cream.
• Prepare a 23cm/9-inch springform tin with the base flipped upside down for easier unmolding. Line the bottom with 16 slices of ginger cake, ensuring the sticky tops don't touch the tin’s edges.
• Spread half the cream mixture evenly over the cake layer. Add another 16 slices of cake and repeat with the remaining cream and the final layer of cake slices. Press gently, cover with cling film, and refrigerate overnight.
• Before serving, let the cake sit out for 15 minutes. Gently release the tin’s edges with a spatula and unclip. If needed, use a warm tea towel around the tin to loosen.
• Transfer the cake to a stand or plate (keep the base if preferred for stability). Spread the reserved cream on top, swirl as desired, and finish with chocolate sprinkles.

Nigella’s Amsterdam Christmas premieres on 3 December, 8.30pm on BBC Lifestyle, available on available on StarHub channel 432, Singtel channel 255 and BBC Player