How to: host a crafty holiday party.

In LA, we do our best to fake it through the holiday season. We hang the usual lights above Wilshire Boulevard, we host parties touting 'snow' (white paper cutouts do not count, people), and we run clothing drives for Skid Row (because what the homeless down there really need is your old Juicy tracksuit).

Despite temps that don't fall below 50, we can still have genuine holiday fun. Here's a tip on how c/o my great friends Amy and Nat who hosted a killer holiday bash last week in Brooklyn. Instead of just serving the expected egg nog and gingerbread cookies, they put guests to work in an Ornament Making, crafts for big kids fashion. This is genius for reasons twofold.

1. Hosts may end the party with the usual wine spills and shattered glasses to clean up, but also with a fully decorated tree. Score.

2. Guests have something to do. And guests need something to do. Because we've all already used up our small talk during the previous 11 months of the year.

All you need is old magazines, crafty items (think pipe cleaners), random items from your junk drawer or the 99 Cents Store (cake toppers, stickers, letters from old boyfriends that are ripe for cutting up), adhesive*, and hooks for hanging.

* NB - Hot glue guns seem like a great idea, but clumsy guests (ahem, yes, me) may end up with 2nd degree burns. Have a First Aid Kit on hand!

Below, some of the decorative highlights from Amy & Nat's party (the first two are mine--please note that ornaments can make statements as well as be pleasing to the eye, i.e. my Don't Ask Don't Tell tribute)...