Rebecca Gardner’s holiday hosting rules (and when to break them)
The holiday season brings countless reasons to celebrate with loved ones: seasonal cocktails with your favorite coworkers, an indulgent meal shared with neighbors, playful gift swaps with your roommates. With so many occasions to gather, it’s the perfect time to fine-tune your hosting skills. The key to throwing a holiday soirée to remember? Take it from Houses & Parties founder Rebecca Gardner, as she shares her secrets on all things holiday hosting, including how the new Houses & Parties for Paperless Post invitation collection helps hosts (and guests!) celebrate the holidays in style… and be on their best misbehavior.
Houses & Parties is a full-service events, interior design, and online retail collective that welcomes “devotees of the elegant and unusual”—transporting them to a curated world where rules are meant to be broken. The new invitation collection is cut from the same cloth—blending madcap, collage-style illustrations and cheeky dialogue to create wonderfully eccentric designs that set the scene for every festive fête this season, from boisterous Thanksgiving dinner parties to tipsy-turvy Christmas cocktail soirées and beyond.
Invitations that set the tone
An invitation is the first thing a guest sees, long before they swoon over the elaborate evergreen centerpieces, fight over who gets the first taste of passed bites, or use your decked-out halls for festive photo-ops. Rebecca shares how ideas born from fantasy became tangible designs, what excites her most about the invitation collection, her hopes to indulge both hosts and guests, and more.
What influences and inspirations went into the invitation designs in this collection?
One part nostalgia, one part irreverence, a dash of wit—shake and serve. I am moving to Houston this winter and plan to host a giant Pink Elephant gift exchange—I have many friends there from different parts of my life. They may not all know each other, and icebreakers make gathering new groups much more fun.
What about your collection excites you the most?
From “Dinner Caroling” to “Takeout Tidings,” my collection of invitations offers endless reasons to celebrate.
What feelings do you hope guests will have when they receive a design from your collection?
Everyone knows that the invitation sets the tone. It tells guests how to act, dress, plan… and how late to book the babysitter. The “Bow Bites” invitation is direct: take a nap and bring your worst behavior.
How would you best describe your overall design style?
“A little bad taste is like a nice splash of paprika.” — Diana Vreeland
Holiday hosting and merry misbehavior
Rebecca Gardner is no stranger to hosting an impressive holiday soirée—we asked her to share her favorite traditions and need-to-know tips for making seasonal celebrations feel extra special, with a dash of strange.
What are your top 3 do’s and don’ts for hosting an unforgettable holiday party?
Do start the evening with a strong cocktail. Do turn the lights down low, low, low. Do make lots of thoughtful introductions.
Don’t serve stinky, complicated canapés. Don’t use paper—anything. Don’t run out of booze!
What are 3 holiday season essentials that everyone needs?
- A flattering red lipstick
- Lots of white votive candles
- A party dress that makes you feel like a million bucks
Do you have any go-to holiday traditions? Any unexpected or unconventional ways of celebrating?
The night before Christmas Eve, we gather friends to eat tamales, picadillo, guacamole—and drink a lot of margaritas at my Uncle Bill’s house in Houston. Then, we hire a driver and look at the Christmas lights—I like to hang out of the window and sing to the other cars.
What are you most looking forward to about the holiday season this year?
I am looking forward to wearing my new disappearing party cape made by ONE/OF especially for Houses & Parties. It is made of vintage silk taffeta, lined in black satin and covered in crystals and plumes of yellow feathers. Wear it to a party, make a splash, and when you’ve had enough—simply twirl to melt into the floor like the Wicked Witch of the West.
When a house becomes a party
The Houses & Parties invitation collection offers invitations for every reason to celebrate—beyond all the mischievous merrymaking during the holidays and tail feather-shaking at Friendsgiving dinner. Rebecca spills the origin of Houses & Parties, her personal hosting style and philosophy, how to find that oh-so-sweet spot between elegance and whimsy, and more.
When did you first discover your love of entertaining?
Oh, I’ve been planning parties since I was a little girl. My seventh birthday was a fashion show down the driveway, right on the side of my house. My friends came dressed up, and I was the bride at the end in yards of tulle and glistening polyester.
How did Houses & Parties come to be? How has it evolved over the years across events, interior design, and retail?
Houses & Parties was conceived with 10 sheets of poster board and a pink Sharpie marker… It all started in 2011 with events and interiors. 10 years later, I opened the online retail destination meant for devotees of the elegant and unusual. Houses & Parties sells treasures you cannot find anywhere else.
How would you describe your personal hosting philosophy?
Be generous with your guests; their comfort is the key to a successful party.
What inspires you to host?
There is always a reason to celebrate; blooming dahlias, a football game… have a cocktail party for your new haircut.
What advice would you give someone who wants to throw a party that evokes the style, wit, and whimsy of your invitation collection?
Choose the unexpected—start with the venue. Invite an interesting mix of people. Prioritize fun over pretense.
What’s your best advice for bringing playful whimsy to a party while still feeling elegant?
You have to know the rules in order to break them. I think that all events should have an infusion of whimsy—no one wants to go to a serious party.
Finish the sentence: Every great party needs ______.
Surprise and delight.
What’s one entertaining “rule” that you think is completely overrated?
I’m a rule breaker.
Houses & Parties-inspired party themes
Looking for some inspiration for your next holiday soirée? Use these Houses & Parties-inspired festive themes, tailored to their merrily mischievous invitation designs.
A Delightfully Unhinged Friendsmas Feast
Gather your chosen family for a Friendsmas feast filled with festive mischief, feral un-hibitions, and takeout from everyone’s favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Decorate your space with over-the-top tinsel and bows on every wine glass stem—then fill the air with holiday hits that your inner circle surely knows by heart.
A Mad, Merry, Mischievous Gift Exchange
There’s nothing more jolly than partaking in some serious gift-and-take. Host your favorite people for a night of friendly competition and friendlier company—complete with a heaping pile of presents under the tree, drinks that never reach the bottom of the glass, and a buzz of excitement in the air. Then, let the Pink Elephant gift exchange commence!
A Tipsy-Turvy Cocktail Party
Dive into a cocktail soirée topped off with laughter, libations, and a little bit of old-fashioned debauchery. Deck your halls with décor that’ll make your guests’ spirits extra bright, garnish your cocktails to the nines, and never, ever run out of refreshments. Come ready with nostalgic anecdotes from holidays past, and let the camaraderie flow like wine.
Put a twist on your holiday soirées with Paperless Post
Ready to celebrate the holiday season in style? From picking the perfect day to host your loved ones to choosing the holiday party theme that fits your vision, start planning all your festive celebrations now—starting with the new, beautifully irreverent invitation collection from Houses & Parties.
