Throw an Unfussy California-Style Holiday Party

Throwing an effortless get-together is easier than it sounds. Start by compiling a short list of friends—10 to 12 people—and craft a casual yet chic menu of appetizers, a signature cocktail, and a tempting dessert. Next, add a light-­hearted activity to break the ice. At a Sunset ­Secret House Party in Beverly Hills, artist Lindsay Swearingen taught guests simple embroidery, while chef Ashley Rodriguez whipped up dishes from her cookbook, Let’s Stay In: More Than 120 Recipes to Nourish the People You Love. You can follow their lead ­using the recipes and other tips that follow. It doesn’t get much easier than this.

People go crazy over warm cheese, as they should. This easy starter or snack is more about assembling than cooking.

A festive way to start a party with very little effort. Cranberries add a colorful tart punch to the typical oyster accompaniment: shallot mignonette.

A happy grocery-store accident: The shishitos and kumquats are placed near one another; both end up in your cart. You wonder, how would they taste together? Your friends will describe the combo as “magic.”

Cranberries put a piquant twist on the traditional tender cake sweetened with dates and served with a warm buttery toffee sauce.

Get a little crafty and stage a group activity at your gathering. It’ll help spark conversation. Stock up on a few basic supplies—pretty cloth linens, wooden embroidery looms, ­embroidery needles, and a variety of floss—and invite your guests to help one another monogram their own napkin with letters or more elaborate designs.

Lindsay Swearingen sells her embroidered wares at etsy.com/shop/tuskandcardinal.