The Art of the Dinner Party

Gen Z’s Impact on the Office Party: “Festive burnout” is real and disinterest in office Christmas parties is on the up. So sorry, we have other plans 😎

Mariah’s Holiday Bar: Mariah Carey’s Holiday Bar is in NYC (btw, New York could see snow this year), Chicago, Nashville, Dallas and New Orleans and plays her 1994 hit every 15 minutes.

Free Train Rides in Nigeria: The Nigerian Railway Corporation has launched its rollout of free train rides from December 20 to January 5 to help citizens offset holiday travel costs.

Festive Experiences in the African Diaspora: Writers talk about their joyous festive experiences across the world in Kenya, Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent and the Grenadines, South Mississippi and Brazil.   

Christmas in India: All the things to do & eat for the next week in Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Habari Gani?: Kwanzaa, which means ‘First Fruits’ in Swahili, is an annual pan-African and African-American secular holiday which runs from December 26 to January 1. The holiday celebrates unity, family, Black culture, and community.

Dongzhi Festival: is the Chinese Winter Solstice Festival and it celebrates the return of longer days and warmer weather.

Noche Buena: Noche Buena, which means ‘Good Night’ in Spanish, is a festival celebrated by Mexican, Colombian, and Filipino families on Christmas Eve. The festival usually starts with families attending midnight mass before going home to indulge in a feast from midnight till Christmas morning.

Hanukkah Crash Course: Hanukkah is the Jewish eight-day Festival of Lights which celebrates the reclaiming of the Jewish Temple after a three-year war from December 25 to January 2. Several communities amongst people of colour celebrate Hanukkah in Ethiopia, US, India and China. 

Use a Tablecloth: With minimalism and scandi vibes being so popular, many people think tablecloths are outdated but that’s not true. A table cloth helps ground the dining table and tie the whole look together. We love this Natural Oatmeal Linen Tablecloth from Linoto.

Layer with Greens & Florals: Bringing the outside in whether it's with just greenery, fresh flowers or all faux options 🌸🪴

Personalise your Table Settings: You don’t have to go for cliché festive table settings - personalise it to your tastes. We love these Mangey placemats made with elephant grass from Senegalese brand Expedition Subsahara. You can also add name cards with these cute heart-shaped holders from Amore.

Style with Tradition: A rich fruit cake is beloved in island holiday traditions like Sri Lanka and the Caribbean. Make a light & moist Sri Lankan Christmas cake or a richer rum-infused Caribbean Black cake, cut into rectangular pieces, wrap & twist in wax paper & coloured foil so it looks like a large sweet. Set one next to each placemat 🍬

After Dinner Coffee & Tea: Go upscale by serving Wildflower Honeys with Ginger Root or Blueberry for your after-dinner tea. Also, instead of the usual teacup and saucer, go for a cosy and homey vibe with these stylish mugs from Goodee 🍯🫐

Go Pro With Your Wine Selections: Don’t just pick up any old bubbly in the supermarket. Be thoughtful with your wine selections and pairings keeping in mind the food you're serving, like pairing sparkling wine with your dessert, or a medium tannin wine if you’re serving some beef. But as sommeliers Cha McCoy, Lydia Richards, and Tanisha Townsend recommend, it's okay to go beyond your comfort zone with and try a new wine variety this holiday 🍷

Taper Candles to Finish: Multiple slim and long candles, like this handmade Kwanzaa Kinara set from Its A Black Thang or these slim candles placed in Hexagon Candlestick Holders. If you want to go for scented candles at the dining table, try fresh or woody scents 🕯️

Perfect for Christmas Morning: Victoria Monet’s Its A Celebration Every Time It Snows is a joyous song you need to play on Christmas morning or when cooking up a big meal with family and friends.

Quiet & romantic Christmas Eve: Choosing to stay in with your partner for Christmas Eve? This Smooth Jazz playlist is perfect for the quiet evening. 

The First Day of Kwanzaa: The first day of Kwanzaa is the day of Umoja, and Umoja Beats by Tribal Drums Ambient makes a great soundtrack for the day.

While Playing Dreidel: After lighting the menorah, play a few games and bond with your family with Nissim Black’s upbeat triumphant song ‘Victory’ playing in the background.

Latkes for Starters: Make an extra delicious spread of potato fritters, or Latkes using Akilah’s caviar, salmon and apple chutney-infused recipe.  

Soul Food & Holiday Jollof for Mains: This pineapple honey glazed ham recipe by Island Vibe Cooking is the perfect main dish for a sweet and savoury Christmas. Or go for jollof rice following this easy guide by Zeelicious Foods guarantees you a flavourful plate.

Tangyuan or Tamales for Dessert:  Celebrate Dongzhi with your very own recreation of these chewy sesame gelatinous rice balls, A.K.A tangyuan, using Lau’s father’s authentic recipe. If you’d like some more sugar in your dessert, these Coconut Arroz non Leche Tamales are made with goat’s milk caramel and full-fat coconut milk.

Ponche Navideño or Sorrel Drink Aperitifs: Shelly’s seven-dish recipe has a hibiscus drink (A.K.A Sorrel drink) inspired by the principle of Ujima. Or try this vermouth-centered Ponche Navideño, a Mexican Christmas special that tastes both minty and sweet.