Well 2017 has been quite the year... 

We've seen Donald Trump as president for almost a year, some of the most powerful males in the entertainment industry dethroned courtesy of horrifying sexual assault and rape allegations, the death of past Taylor Swifts, amongst many other things. I think we've all experienced plenty of ups and downs as a whole and hopefully we've learned from these trying times and will take those lessons into  the new year. 

It was a pretty big year of growing for me, both personally and professionally. I'm ready for 2018 and done with 2017. This last month has been spent plotting domination next year and reflecting on what's been working and what hasn't. I asked myself why I'm doing this as well as if I have the same end goal as I did when I first began this journey 6 years ago. This blog has grown more than I could have imagined. We did some rebranding which was a bit of a cluster*ck, but 100% worth it. It helped identify who our content is geared towards and I couldn't be more  grateful for our new followers that we've recently connected with. 

2017 was a great year for collaborations - whether it was adding to the #Squad, new interview subjects, or partnering with some cool businesses in the GTA. I'm looking forward to doing more collaborating in the new year as it's the best way to grow as a person and to become better at what you do. 

This end of year reflection post also serves as a holiday send-off from the entire The Saverina Scozzari Collective #Squad. We look forward to returning and kicking off award season! Wishing you all a great holiday break filled with good health, happiness, and good eats!

​xx Saverina

Want to be known for your epic party hosting skills? To throw a bash so fab that people will talk about it for months afterwards? Then check out our tips below on how to host a holiday party, like a true celebrity. 

Wow them with the invite.
An invitation sets the tone for the party will be. Celebs like Drew Barrymore and Tori Spelling find their perfect holiday invitations on Shutterfly (Shutterfly.com). Or, if paper invitations aren’t your thing, try E-vite (Evite.com) who has a great selection of on-line holiday invitations you can email out to your A-lister friends.   Remember that celebrity parties are always very exclusive. So skip the Facebook invite for this party.

Festive decor + great lighting.
Celebrity party planner, Mindy Weiss, who is the go-to girl for celebrities like Gwen Stefani, says good lighting can make all the difference.  Ensure to have lots of candle light for ambience and don’t keep the main lighting too dark (you still want to be able to take pictures and Snapchat, obviously ). 

​These days celebs can’t resist a good black and white photo.  Try setting up your own white back drop along with a tripod camera stand, and watch the hilarity of photos ensue. 

 
Have a signature drink waiting.
Nothing looks more like a well planned celebrity worthy party then having a drink ready when guests arrive.  When greeted with a holiday classic like a whiskey sour, or a bubbling glass of crisp champagne (add some fresh raspberries). Make sure to always include lots of non-alcoholic options, including water.
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Graze the night away.
Today’s modern celebrity keeps things simple by having long tables filled with an assortment of gourmet cheeses, artisanal meats, olives, crudités, crackers, dips and anything salty and crisp. Make sure to have vegan options, and as suggested by celebrity caterer Kathleen Schaffer, “prepare everything in advance and be a guest at your own party”. But, if you can afford it, hire a bar staffs that can help keep the party clean from empty glasses and plates.

An epic playlist.
Spotify has made it so easy for us to whip up the ultimate playlist. Make sure the music you choose has a great beat (dance parties will start) and includes a few fun holiday favourites (but avoid the full-on Christmas carol countdown). 

Most of all, celebrity worthy holiday parties feel like no detail was missed. There’s no such thing as ‘too much’. So go ahead and purchase that Moet, and enjoy your amazing party. You’ve worked for it.

~ Melissa  XO Party Stylist, and Founder of Party Girls Company ~