How to Plan a Country Christmas Party

The Harris Family is kicking off this year's holiday season with a simple Christmas party idea that's easy to put together in no time flat. Over the year's we've brought you favorite Christmas party themes like Retro 1950s, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and a Christmas Ball.

But this year, we decided to bring you a down-home Country Christmas, which couldn't be easier to do! Here are all the details you need to get started:

Country Christmas Party

Start with an invitation that matches your Country Christmas theme. Because people's calendars tend to fill up around the holidays, make sure to send your invitations well in advance of your party date. If you'd like for guests to come dressed a certain way, add that to the invitations. (That will add to the fun of the party!) We chose to all dress in plaid (boots optional). Where can you find country-themed invitations? Check out Etsy or Amazon for your best options.

Country Christmas Party Menu

You'll have lots of fun planning a menu for this party. We opted to serve foods and drinks that are associated with being from the country. Can these foods be found in other places too? I'm sure they can, but when you're from the South, you tend to associate them with "country" food. If you have guests coming from different areas, ask them to sign up for a food item to build your menu.

Here's the menu we used for our Country Christmas Party:

• Mini Chicken and Waffle Appetizers
• Fried Pickles
• Mac & Cheese Bites
• Ham Biscuits
• Veggie Tray served with Pimento Cheese
• Deviled Eggs
• Cowboy Caviar and Tortilla Chips
• Punch
• Sweet Tea
• Lemonade

How to Decorate for a Country Christmas Party

We used two red buffalo plaid scarves to make a runner for the table. And we chose paper plates, napkins, and serving pieces that were red plaid.

Daddy was the proud recipient of our centerpiece, which was an old, white truck that we customized with front and back license plates so that it looked more like his beloved Pretty Boy.

What Music to Play at My Country Christmas Themed Party

Before your Country themed Christmas party, make sure to have Deanna's Country Christmas Playlist queued up in time for the party. And don't forget the classic stylings of Kenny & Dolly Once Upon a Christmas to round out your playlist.

What Gifts Can I Give at My Country Christmas Party?

This year, we changed it up quite a bit. In addition to giving Daddy our special Pretty Boy centerpiece at the end of the party, we also played a few games for the opportunity to win prizes. If you have a bunch of kids and teenagers in your group, you might want to consider this route too. These games are great ideas instead of buying everyone on your list a present. 

First up, we played a version of the Bow Spinner Game. You can watch directions for how to play here:

The only thing that we did differently, as you can see in our setup below is that we used buckets instead of Solo cups, which allowed us to put larger prizes underneath. Because each had a larger prize, we omitted the Golden Box that was attached to the golden bow.

Emma was the proud winner of an inflatable chicken costume and she loved it!

The next game we played was the Dollar Bill Game. Perfect for large groups, the Dollar Bill Game is a fast-paced holiday party game where guests pass dollar bills around a circle until one lucky player wins the whole kitty at the end. And guess who was our big winner from that game? Emma again!

I hope we've inspired you to plan your own party with a new and fun theme this year.

The Harris Sisters (and our BIG family) send you warmest holiday wishes and hopes for a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

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How to Play the Dollar Bill Party Game

Last Christmas, we discovered a new favorite way to bring a little extra laughter and excitement to our holiday party: a simple, fun game using just three dollar bills per person! Perfect for large groups, this game had everyone laughing and getting into the festive spirit, no matter their age. It was easy to set up, quick to play, and soon became the highlight of the party. If you’re looking for a playful activity to create memories with your guests, keep reading, We’re sharing step-by-step instructions so you can try this Dollar Bill Game at your own Christmas gathering!

Dollar Bill Game (Left, Right, Center Game)

3 dice

3 dollar bills per person playing

1. Each player starts with three $1 bills. 

2. Roll one die to see who starts the game. Highest roll begins the game.

3. Starting with Player 1 and taking turns clockwise, each player rolls the same number of dice as they have dollars in front of them. For example, if you have two dollars in front of you and one in the kitty, you roll two dice. If you do not have any dollars in front of you, you forfeit your turn that round. 

Perform the action corresponding to the number on each die rolled:

1 - keep one dollar.

2 - keep one dollar.

3 - keep one dollar.

4 - pass one dollar to the player on your left.

5 - place one dollar in the center of the table (in the kitty).

6 - pass one dollar to the player on your right.

For example, if you have two dollars in front of you and you roll a 3 and a 4, you keep one dollar and pass one to the player on your left, leaving you with one dollar.

Once a dollar is passed to the center of the table (the kitty), it stays in the kitty. But once a dollar is passed to another player, you have a chance to win it back the next round, based on how other players roll their dice! 

4. Continue taking turns until only one person is left with any dollar bills. They win the whole kitty from the center of the table!

 

Notes:

Make sure to specify that each player needs three $1 bills. Our family misunderstood this, and we brought $12 in the form of a $10 bill and two $1s and then had to quickly make change!

You might want to have some extra $1 bills on hand to make change for folks just in case.

If playing with children, make sure they are old enough to understand that because it is a game of chance, only one person can win. This is a good opportunity to talk ahead of time about good sportsmanship, how to be excited for the winner, and to congratulate them when they win.

You can also play this game with quarters or candy if you want to lower the stakes.

This is a fun game for a group of people. One minute you might be out of dollar bills, but suddenly you find yourself winning again because of how everybody else rolled. We had all kinds of "special rolls," cheering, "Are you kidding me's?", "Big money, No whammies!", whooping and hollering, that's for sure!

We hope this Dollar Bill Game adds just as much fun and laughter to your holiday celebrations as it did to ours! It’s one of those simple, easy-to-set-up activities that can bring a big group of people together and create memories that last long after the party ends. So grab three bucks, gather your friends and family, and let the festivities and the giggles begin!

The Best Halloween Treats and Recipes in One Roundup

Growing up, Halloween wasn’t just about the candy. To us, it was about making your own homemade costumes from what you could find around the house, wearing your costume to school for a full day of celebration, and the occasional Raisin Creme Pie plunked into the bottom of your goodie bag on Halloween night.

While Halloween celebrations may have grown bigger, that just means more reasons to whip up tasty treats and celebrate. So The Harris Sisters are stirring up a little magic in the kitchen.

This year, we’ve pulled together some of our favorite Halloween-inspired recipes from past posts that our readers loved most. Think of it as our own little recipe spell book that's full of comforting flavors, nostalgic bites, and a touch of whimsy that’ll take you back to the good old days while keeping things fun for today’s celebrations.

Whether you’re planning a party spread, packing up treats for the kiddos, or just looking to indulge in a cozy night at home, this roundup is full of inspiration. Click through the links, revisit some of our tried-and-true favorites, and maybe discover a new tradition to add to your Halloween lineup.

Spooky Sweets 

Let's start out with the real star of Halloween - the sugary sweets! Sure to impress, these cakes, cookies, and bars will fly off your party table like a witch into the night.

Halloween Butter Cookies with Sprinkles

Halloween M&M Cookie Bars - These chewy cookie bars are the best and they're so festive with Halloween colored M&Ms.

Halloween Butter Cookies with Sprinkles - This vintage butter cookie recipe can be made for any holiday but when you add Halloween cookie cutters and sprinkles, they come out awfully cute for spooky season.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Cake - This decadent dessert is a real showstopper and you can decorate it with Reese's Pieces or Halloween M&Ms for a Halloween party.

Oreo Dirt Cake - Make this recipe into a graveyard by preparing it in a larger baking dish with decorated cookies, gummy worms, and pumpkin candy!

Pumpkin Bread - One of our most visited recipes, this pumpkin bread does not disappoint and has all the flavors of the fall season.

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies - This recipe is perfect for all you folks out there who love pumpkin spice flavor this time of year.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake - Another favorite for pumpkin lovers!

Earthquake Cake - The perfect black and white cake for a disaster-themed party.

Haunting Hors D'oeuvres

Add a pop of pumpkin orange magic to your party table with these appetizers and dips. They're the  perfect color for the Halloween season!

Pimento Cheese Pinwheels

Buffalo Chicken Dip - A fan favorite, this spicy chicken dip comes together in no time flat. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips. (And don't forget that sometimes you can find ghost shaped tortilla chips near Halloween!)

Pineapple Marmalade Brie - The pineapple marmalade gives this appetizer its orange hue for Halloween parties. If you're feeling really fancy, cut the puff pastry dough in strips and wrap the brie like a mummy before you bake it. Add some olives or small pieces of red peppers from your canape tray for eyes if you're feeling fancy!

Classic Cheese Ball - This vintage recipe is straight from our Aunt Gladys' kitchen, so you know it's a winner. We usually make it at Christmas, but the orange color is perfect for Halloween parties too.

Queso Dip - This queso is a healthier version, using real cheese and evaporated milk. It's just as easy to make as the Velveeta kind so give this one a try.

Baked Pimento Cheese Pinwheels - These cute little pimento cheese pinwheel sandwiches won't last long on your party table. Made with homemade pimento cheese and baked to perfection, they're sure to please!

Pineapple Habanero Pepper Jelly - Serve this orange pepper jelly as an appetizer with cream cheese on crackers or alongside your appetizer cheese tray as a complement to Havarti, gouda, fontina, or goat cheese.

Bewitching Beverages

What's brewing in your cauldron? Whip up some of these magic potions for your Halloween party. 

Halloween Witch's Brew

Crockpot Witch's Brew - This recipe makes an entire cauldron (crockpot) of spiced apple cider, so it's perfect to serve up at your next Halloween party.

Non-Alcoholic Party Punch - This vintage punch recipe is a fan-favorite and is perfect for Halloween parties if you make it purple or orange!

Happy Hallo-WINE! - Which Halloween candy pairs better with a Moscato? Which pairs better with a Cabernet? We've tasted 5 wines with 11 types of candy for you and provided our thoughts on the pairings so that you have all the details!

As we wrap up this little collection of recipes, it’s hard not to notice how much Halloween has grown since the good old days. What used to be an evening of trick-or-treating and a few homemade goodies has turned into full-blown celebrations, complete with over-the-top decorations, themed parties, and enough candy to fill a cauldron. 

But no matter how elaborate the holiday has become, the heart of it is still the same: gathering with the people you love, making memories, and sharing a few sweet treats along the way. We hope these recipes bring a touch of nostalgia to your kitchen while adding a little extra sparkle to your celebrations this year.

If You Give a Kid a Crockpot: Pizza Fondue

Over the next several weeks, we'll be bringing you recipes for beginning cooks designed to teach basic cooking skills. So be on the lookout for all the recipes in the series. Today's recipe is part of the Cooking Challenge series.

This crockpot Pizza Fondue recipe will provide an easy weeknight meal when paired fresh chopped veggies, pepperoni, and cubed Italian bread dippers. And, really, what's not to like? It's a pizza in a crockpot (or fondue pot if you have one)!

Pizza Fondue

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

24 oz. jar of marinara sauce

1 tsp dried basil

3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp cornstarch

For serving:

Cubed Italian or French bread 

Fresh veggies (broccoli, carrots, sliced mushrooms)

Pepperoni

1. Add olive oil, garlic, marinara sauce, and basil to a crockpot.
2. Add mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, and cornstarch to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, seal, and shake. Add cheese mixture to the marinara sauce in several batches and stir to incorporate.
3. Set heat on high, and cover for 30 minutes. Turn down to low and cook for another 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Set heat to warm when ready to serve.
4. While the fondue is cooking, cut fresh bread and vegetables for serving. 

You Can Get with This or You Can Get with That (Recipe Substitutions):

• Substitute garlic powder or jarred minced garlic for fresh minced garlic.
• If you do not have a fondue set, use regular forks instead of fondue forks for dippers. 
• If you have a fondue pot, make steps 1 and 2 in a pot on the stove. Once cheese has completely melted, transfer to a fondue pot to keep warm and serve.

This Is How We Do It (Kitchen Skills You'll Learn in This Recipe):

• Chopping vegetables
• Measuring ingredients
• Reading and following a recipe
• Setting a timer
• Using a crockpot

If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge

This recipe is part of the three-part If You Give a Kid a Cooking Challenge recipe series. These recipes are designed to: 

• be easier to make
• have a minimal number of ingredients (minus pantry staples like oil and spices)
• be quick to prep 
• make enough for one person to have leftovers for a few days

Make sure to visit the main post to see all of the recipes in the series.

How to Plan a Christmas Ball

As The Harris Sisters prepare for the holiday season, we wanted to bring you (yet another) idea for a themed Christmas party. Over the past few years, we've brought you a few different ideas for Christmas parties: 

• Vintage 1950's Theme Christmas Party
• National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Theme Christmas Party
• Christmas in Carolina Theme Christmas Party

This year's theme is A Christmas Ball!

Now, I know what you're thinking . . . isn't this a little fancy schmancy? 

Never fear! The Harris Sisters' Christmas Ball is a play on words! And we've got all the details covered below so that you can host your very own "Christmas Ball" yourself! (Easy peasy!)

We're Having a Ball This Christmas - Won't You Join Us?

Start with an invitation that matches your Christmas Ball theme. Because people's calendars tend to fill up around the holidays, make sure to send your invitations well in advance of your party date. If you want go all out and have your guests to dress a certain way (fancy Regency-era dress a-la Bridgerton-style?) - make sure to add that to your invitations. If you'd like them to bring a round (ball-shaped food) to add to your party menu, add that to your invitations too! Check out these invitations we found for the Have a Ball Christmas theme:

Bridgerton-Style Have a Ball This Christmas Party Invitation

A Christmas Ball Party Menu

You'll have lots of fun planning a menu for this party (because this is where the pun comes into play). For our Christmas Ball, we chose to serve appetizers and desserts that were round or ball-shaped food. Make sure to tell guests the theme of the party and ask them to sign up for ball shaped food item to build your menu. 

Peanut Butter Balls and Orange Balls

Here's the menu we used for our Christmas Ball Party with links to recipes:

• Sausage Balls
• Crockpot BBQ Sriracha Meatballs
• Caprese Skewers
• Macaroni and Cheese Bites
• Cheeseball and Crackers
• Cheezballs
• Orange Balls
• Peanut Butter Balls
• Russian Tea Cakes
• Oreo Truffles
• Chocolate Cherries (read The Harris Sisters story about this Christmas Tradition)
• Ferrero Rocher Candies

Sausage Balls and Crockpot BBQ Sriracha Meatballs

How to Decorate for a Christmas Ball Party

Since the round food items were the main "ingredient" of this theme party, we chose very simple decorations. Fill a few large glass containers with vintage glass ornaments, use them to decorate your table, and you're all set.

What Music to Play at My Christmas Ball

Before your Christmas Ball is in full swing, make sure you download some of your favorite Christmas music to play at your party. (You'll be Rockin' a-ROUND the Christmas tree in no time!) 

• Pop Music Christmas Playlist
• Country Christmas Music Playlist

If you're still stumped for what to play, Headin' for the Christmas Ball (available on CD or Vinyl) has a great assortment of swing and R&B Christmas classics that can't be beat, and the name alone is perfect for the theme this year.

I hope we've inspired you to plan your own party with a new and fun theme this year.

The Harris Sisters (and our BIG family) send you warmest holiday wishes and hopes for a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

How to Host a Pumpkin Carving Party

A Pumpkin Carving Party is a Halloween tradition your family can start this fall season! This easy-to-host event is a great way to gather together with friends and family in the days before Halloween.

My husband and I have been hosting some version of a Pumpkin Carving Party for 20+ years now, so I wanted to share all of my tips for making your own party a success.

1. When to Host a Pumpkin Carving Party

This may seem obvious, but if you've never thrown a Pumpkin Carving Party before, how would you know the best day to have one? This will (of course) depend on what day Halloween falls on the calendar. We usually try to schedule our party for the weekend day closest to Halloween. This way, your jack-o'-lanterns have the best shot of making it all the way to Halloween.

Plan to invite everyone over around dinner time for dinner or party food. Then let the carving begin!

Some people prefer to start their parties early in the afternoon, but I find that not everyone has carved a pumpkin before OR people want to carve elaborate designs. And that takes time. If you go this route, people will tend to want to hang out to see what the last few folks carving are doing. 

So, make sure you leave plenty of time for the carving portion of the evening if you want to begin before dinner, as it's not always a quick task. And if you want to add any other activities to your evening (like a scary movie afterward) make sure to account for that too. Plan for the carving portion of the party to take about 2 hours.

2. Bring Your Own Pumpkin - BYOP

We have hosted so many Pumpkin Carving Parties (both adults-only, kids-only, and mixed groups). We usually specify on the invitations to BYOP - bring your own pumpkin. That way, everyone who participates is sure to be happy with the pumpkin they're carving. However, make sure to have a few extra pumpkins on hand in case someone forgets to bring their pumpkin and wants to participate. 

A lot of times, if you visit farms or pumpkin patches in the fall season, they will let kiddos of a certain age leave with a free small pumpkin (about the size of the one Aidyn is holding in the photo shown below). You can either let your own kids carve these (if they are old enough), or keep these as "extras" for anyone who may need a pumpkin the night of your party. 

3. What to Wear to a Pumpkin Carving Party

Unlike other Halloween parties, I usually don't encourage costumes for this particular party because of all of the pumpkin guts, which can get messy. When you send out invitations, you may want to specify "costumes not encouraged" so that anyone who has not attended a pumpkin carving party will know not to come in costume. 

Our family usually wears our Halloween finery in the form of Halloween colors or Halloween T-shirts to the party to keep with the spirit of the season. Here are two photos of my son Jaxon (one at his very first Pumpkin Carving Party in 2008 and then another in 2019 rocking his custom "One Cool Jax-O-Lantern" T-shirt).

4. Get Your Pumpkin Carving Supplies Ready

Some common supplies that you might want to have on hand for your Pumpkin Carving Party are:

• extra trash bags (to spread on tables and for collecting pumpkin seeds and guts / these are easier to find nowadays than newspapers)
• Ziploc bags (for pumpkin seeds, if anyone wants to take theirs home)
• Clorox wipes or Clorox spray & paper towels (for cleaning the outside of pumpkins & for general cleanup)
• candles & lighter or battery operated jack-o-lantern lights (one for each pumpkin)
• knives, large metal spoons & metal ice cream scoops
• pumpkin carving kit with tools & patterns
• markers (for freehanding patterns on pumpkins)
• alcohol or nail polish remover (for removing marker from pumpkins)

And, if you've got any little kids coming to your party, you might want to have some mini pumpkins and Halloween stickers and washable markers (or other craft supplies) that they can use to decorate pumpkins without carving them.

If everyone at your party is young (or parents with young kids), think about hosting a Pumpkin Decorating Party instead. Here are a few creative no carve pumpkin ideas:

• Pumpkin Decorating Party
• Pumpkin Decorating Party 2015

5. What Music Can I Play at My Pumpkin Carving Party?

Set the mood for your party by spinning some Halloween tunes! Choose from songs on these two Halloween playlists to get started:

• What Music Can I Play at My Halloween Party (Besides The Monster Mash)? (includes 26 songs)
• The Only Country Halloween Playlist You'll Need (includes 16 songs)

6. Pumpkin Carving Party Menu

My best tip for the menu is to keep it simple. For our Pumpkin Carving Parties, we usually serve party foods. This way, if guests offer to bring an appetizer or a dessert, you can take them up on their offer to help fill out your party menu. 

And, this time of year, there are lots of seasonal items in stores. So if you don't have time to make individual recipes, it's easy to fill out the menu with purchased seasonal items (for example, pumpkin spice cupcakes from the bakery section, caramel popcorn, etc.). 

Here are some popular party recipes that we serve from year-to-year at our Pumpkin Carving Party.

• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Pepper Jelly (served over cream cheese with crackers)
• Black Bean Salsa (served with corn chips)
• Pineapple Marmalade Brie (served with bread)
• Spicy Chex Mix
• Butter Cookies with Sprinkles
• Holiday M&M Cookie Bars
• Pumpkin Crunch Cake
• Crockpot Witch's Brew (spiced Apple Cider)
• Non-Alcoholic Party Punch (we always make grape for Halloween)

Butter Cookies with Sprinkles

Another route to go for your Pumpkin Carving Party would be to make an easy meal that serves a big crowd. Any of these recipes would fit the bill.

• Kicking Butt and Taking Names Chili (meat recipe)
• Crockpot Vegan Chili (vegan/vegetarian recipe)
• Taco Soup (includes both vegetarian and meat recipes)
• Sloppy Joes (meat recipe)
• Crockpot Vegetarian Sloppy Joes (vegetarian recipe)

Sloppy Joes

Whichever type of menu you choose, make sure people know that your party is low-key and that people are welcome to serve themselves at any time during the party. For example, that they don't have to wait until everyone is finished carving pumpkins to grab a bite to eat!

7. Light Up the Pumpkins and Make Sure to Take Photos

When everyone is finished carving their pumpkins, make sure to light the pumpkins and take photos. You'll enjoy seeing not only the carved creations from year-to-year, but how the party-goers (especially kids) change! Here are some of our pumpkin carving party photos through the years:

If you follow these 7 tips, your Pumpkin Carving Party will be a success. But don't forget that the biggest tip of all is just to HAVE FUN! 

Some Other Ideas for Halloween Fun:

• Taking Halloween Photos with Jack-O-Lantern Smoke Bombs
• 20 Halloween Activities for Teenagers
• Wine and Candy Tasting Halloween Party

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