L to R: Wedding Paper Divas Uncorked Cheer holiday party invite,  Candy Cane Cocktail, Roses centerpiece, Candy Cane Brownie Lollipops, Peppermint Bonbon Cookies, Ruched Convertible Dress, Ornaments centerpiece, Glittered Platform Pump

a

15 Cocktails with a Twist from the Food Network:

With recipes like the Cherry Gin-Gria and the French 75, this fabulous slide show of holiday cocktails looks as scrumptious as it sounds!

InStyle’s Celebrity Holiday Cocktail List:

Jessica Simpson is a fan of the Feliz Jefe, while Cameron Diaz prefers the French Kiss as her holiday cocktail of choice according to InStyle magazine.

Hostess with the Mostess’ Favorite Hot Toddies:

Make a batch of Peppermint Patties and cuddle up for a warm treat on a cold night with your future spouse!

Healthy Cocktail Tips from Marie Claire:

Follow these simple rules and exchange your traditional eggnog for a hot toddy if you are worried about staying in shape for your upcoming nuptials.

a

May your holidays be filled with love, friendship and sweet little surprises like these!

a

-One of my favorite sites for party dresses is edressme.com. With an extremely wide range of choices, you can find anything from designer to discount.

-ShopBop offers a huge selection of dresses, including this Black Halo Keyhole Ruffle Sleeve Sheath Dress that haunts me each and every night in my dreams.

-iVillage dishes out a serving of helpful hints for holiday party attire, from Friendly Gatherings to Black-Tie Galas.

-Sparkle Shelf’s Blog has a great post on Holiday Dress Trends.  Some things you’ll notice as you show–ruffles, asymmetrical tops and sweetheart necklines.

-Finally, you can never go wrong with BlueFly.  With a huge selection of designer dresses in every color, I was able to find the perfect Vera Wang frock for a holiday evening gala.

a

-Associated Content offers this helpful article on hosting your parents or in-laws for Thanksgiving dinner.  Among them, make sure to include recipes from both sides of the family in your dinner so that they both feel equally honored.

-eHow.com has some steps for coping with meddling in-laws.  Remember, as hard as it may be, it’s always better to be the bigger person.  Respond accordingly!

-Distract your fellow family members with gifts!  Reader’s Digest has a list of gift ideas for the in-laws on their blog.

-Yahoo has a list of survival tips for the holidays.  At least one of these is sure to work.  If not, check out author Dina Koutas Poch’s book”I Heart My In-Laws…” for even more guidance.

-Finally, a personal tip: before you head out or have people over, make sure you and your significant other are on the same page.  You have to be able to support one another.  Isn’t that what marriage is all about?

a

If you want to add an extra personal touch to your first holiday card together, include a wedding photo, engagement picture or a snapshot from your honeymoon. We’ve even seen couples who photoshop funny thought bubbles into their photos, or turn themselves into characters from cartoons like “South Park” or “The Simpsons.” You are young, stylish and head-over-heels in love, so choose a holiday card that will let the world know how much fun you are having snuggled up together this season!

a

One of the biggest issues comes up during the holidays.  Whether you are engaged or newly married, this is a tricky time for most couples, and can become even more problematic if you or your families live in different states. You are used to your family traditions, and your fiancee, his.  In addition, both sets of parents and siblings will most likely vie for your attention during the holidays.  To top it all off, you probably want to have a more personal holiday with your future husband or wife-to-be, but with all of the back-and-forth between families, you will find little time for that.

If you live out of state, a whole new set of problems emerges.  Which family do you stay with?  If your families live in different states, who do you visit for each holiday?  How do you achieve the privacy you’d like for Christmas if you are guests of one of your families?

There are the obvious solutions–alternating holidays between families, having an early Christmas of your own together, getting a hotel room instead of staying with one of your families, or staying at each parents’ house for half of your trip–but these don’t always work for every couple.

The bottom line is that you need to do what works for you.  Eventually, you will have kids of your own and will develop your own traditions.  Perhaps the best solution is one that we at Wedding Paper Divas can help you with–invite both sides of the family to YOUR house for a holiday celebration.  That way, you’re in control of the who, what, when and where, and everyone gets what they want!  To host your own holiday extravaganza, check out our Holiday Collection preview on parent-site Tiny Prints, like this Holiday martini Invitation:

So, you tell us:  What is the best solution for you and your honey?  How do you stay sane while balancing the demands of both families?

a