We've already established that good things can come in small packages. Bigger isn't always better. And quality is way better than quantity. The point we're making? Our senior editor, Kristian Laliberte, lives in a 247-square-foot East Village studio apartment, and he wanted to throw a holiday party. Enter part two of our seasonal entertaining series: how to be a top host-with-the-most in a tiny space. We shot a blow-by-blow of the getting-ready process, from mixing a Christmas-colored statement drink to finding floral arrangements that are are more cheerful and less overwhelming. The result is a very (very) intimate get-together that's short on square-footage, but high in style. We'd have sent you an invite, but, well, you'll see...




"My apartment's color scheme is pretty red-oriented, so I wanted a drink that would match and also look festive. A friend sent me the recipe for the Pickled Beet, from Left Bank in the West Village. It's so seasonal looking!"



"It's made with sour beets and vodka—the beets are salted and tossed with cardamom, bay leaf, fennel and juniper, and then grated. Scoop it into a shaker, top with vodka, before shaking it over ice and and adding a little bit of the grated beet in the bottom of the glass. It was as hard as it sounds, and I am not 100% sure I did it right — though I definitely added enough liquor."



"My favorite part was the garnish! It's pickled beet greens. Sort of over the top, but the look of a Christmas tree sold me. I also used CB2's (my go-to resource for 'dinnerware') old-school style martini glasses, which have some weight and can be also used to serve dessert or champagne."




"Because I don't have a big table, I thought this tray, from CB2, made the seating area into more of dining spot. I added extra-big Ruldolph-nose red napkins for some extra cheer (because so they are large, they also doubled as plates, saving a ton of space), and sides of pomegranates and gourmet crackers from Dean & Deluca."