How To Have A 70s Christmas

Laura Jackson Decorates A 70s Christmas Tree

FESTIVE HOSTING

How To Have A 70s Christmas

This year we’re leaving the simple, minimal Christmas aesthetic to our neighbours and we’re heading back in time to the 70s. It's an era that is having a moment in the world of interiors and we are welcoming it back with open arms. If you know about 70s hosting, you’ll know that it was an era of rainbow tablescapes, decked out drinks trollies and experimental centrepieces. Every garnish, every dish, every detail was a talking a point - which is one of the things we love most about hosting. We want people to talk! Once we’d decided this was the theme for our campaign, we followed the thread of the idea into design books & films from the 70s, Mad Men episodes (the Don & Megan era), old IKEA catalogues and HOLIDAY magazines. We’ve designed a Christmas Day that takes everything brilliant from the 70s and pours it like sunset coloured jelly into a mould, ready to serve. Here’s how you can have a 70s Christmas at home this year, Glassette style.

THE FOOD

When it comes to 70s food, there is a fine line between garish and spectacular that is fun to tread. This decade wasn't known for its culinary sophistication but what its food lacked in taste, it more than made up for in presentation! Food art really came into its own in the 70s, there was a lot of playfulness and every dish was seen as an opportunity to create a spectacle. This season we’re taking our favourite modern festive recipes and presenting them in an artful 70s fashion. If you don’t follow @70sdinnerparty - then you’re in for a treat - and endless food art inspiration! A turkey in a dinner jacket maybe? Or a Broccoli Christmas Tree? There’s always the hot dog turkey, if you’re feeling particularly bold. There’s Boiled Egg Penguins, Sandwich Wreaths & the simple but beautiful Nut Star. In the 70s, everything was an Art Attack.

For nibbles and desserts, we’re not merely dipping a toe in the theme, we're diving right in. It's probably time to get good at making jelly. Rainbow jelly is taking centre stage (look out for moulds on Ebay, charity shops or antiques markets) in an array of shapes and sizes. For the ultimate jelly inspiration, follow @adventuresinjelly. The main event is a Tunis Cake (a Madeira cake topped with a thick layer of chocolate) topped with marzipan fruits. Other classic nibbles to add to your shopping list: marshmallows, sugared almonds, mint humbugs, candy striped sugar biscuits, Turkish Delight, and cheese, pineapple and pickle to make little nibble sticks or a classic 70s centrepiece (see here!).

THE TABLE

More is more on the table – think of it as setting the scene to show off all your food and drink creations. We’re layering two of our favourite tablecloths, a great idea if your table linen can’t accommodate your make-shift, larger festive table. We're going for a classic, checked green vintage tablecloth that we always reach for at Christmas, alongside our new candy-floss pink tablecloth by Issy Granger. Finish the tablescape with retro hued candles to set the mood (like clementine orange or parma violet), fun crackers (we love making our own via DIY sets – filled with more personal pressies) and oranges studded with cloves, decorative holly and Christmas tree offcuts. We're serving up our dishes on an array of platters: in a galaxy emerald green, paint splattered violet and chocolate brown chequerboard. The 70s was truly the era of the platter.

"In fact, adding a cherry on top of most things is a pretty 70s thing to do."

A 70s Tablescape Set For Christmas Dinner

Retro Christmas Tree With Lametta And Velvet Ribbon Baubles

THE TREE

All our favourite 70s trees are shimmering in silver Lametta, a kind of stringier tinsel – this can be bought easily online or in party shops. It’s not the most planet friendly, so we've got a few packs to use sparingly, separating out the pack in strands and layering on the tree for maximum impact, we’ll keep and package it safely to use again next year too. We're adding colourful baubles to add another dimension to the tree, this is what adds a modern flair. Our favourire baubles this year are these handpainted designs from The Drawing Room, we also love these Magic Mushrooms & Two Peas In A Pod tree ornaments by Minnie Mae Stott. If you don’t have baubles, there’s the bow tree trend, another retro classic. Once you’ve layered your Lametta, take double sided velvet ribbon (always double sided!) and tie round the tree branches in a bow. If you are looking for more sustainable ways to decorate the tree we love popcorn garlands and recycled paper chains. Plus it’s a fun, absorbing activity to do with family or friends while you’re watching a festive film. Don't forget a stylish tree skirt to hide the stand, retro patchwork stockings for the fireplace or a snazzy tray for Santa & Reindeer treats. Cute fuzzy 70s stool, optional.

THE MUSIC

Curating a playlist is up there with our favourite things to do before we have people over to ours. We're really leaning into the theme with our music choices, if that's okay with you? We have created a Glassette Mixtape that brings together the best of the 70s for you, but we also love 70’s film soundtracks (think Saturday Night Fever or Manhattan, two very different moods for two very different vibes!). Plus lots of our favourite Christmas songs were released in the 70s too so we added a few in there too - we're mostly talking about Step into Christmas!

Interiors Expert Laura Jackson Makes Retro Cocktails For Christmas

THE DRINKS

What is December without a few new cocktail recipes up your sleeve? For work parties or Christmas eve toasts, these are the 70s drinks we’re shaking up to impress our pals and relatives this Christmas. Goodbye Eggnog, hello Golden Cadillac. A rich and creamy, dessert martini made with creme de cacao, Galliano liqueur and dusted with nutmeg. Serve instead of Bailey’s this year to impress your family and friends. If you’re thinking about what cocktails would look great on your festive instagram grid, the iconic Tequila Sunrise is making a comeback. This classic, layered drink is easy to make: —tequila, grenadine and orange juice. Garnish with a glacier cherry on one of our 70s Sun Cocktail Sticks and you’ve got an icon on your hands. Other cocktails that were first introduced in the 70s that are just waiting for a festive twist: Negroni, Aperol Spritz, White Russian & the Pina Colada. For mocktail lovers, we’re making a Crodino Spritz with soda water, a slice of fresh orange and a cherry on top. In fact, adding a cherry on top of most things is a pretty 70s thing to do.

Some Festive Glassware To Serve Up Your Drinks In

If you decide to bring a little touch of the 70s to your festivities this year, we’d love to see your photos! Tag us @glassette and show us your decorations and foodie creations. Wishing you a festive season as bright and shimmery as the Lametta on your tree!

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