Hosting a Star Trek-Themed Christmas Party

With the recent release of Director J.J. Abrams revamp of the Star Trek franchise still making waves throughout the movie-buying community, countless Trekkies will no doubt be hosting their own Trek-themed Christmas parties this holiday season. Whether you're going all out with costumes and props or prefer a simpler atmosphere, here are a few tips, suggestions and creative ideas you may want to consider.

1. Have Guests Select their Character of Choice in Advance

As the host of the party, you will want to avoid the embarrassing scenario of having a dozen Captain Kirks or eighteen Commander Warfs attend your party. At least a week prior to the scheduled date of your Trek party, assemble a guest list complete with contact information, make a few phone calls and assign each guest a character that fits their personality. A young, cocky male would no doubt make a great Captain Kirk, while a nerdy, quiet male would fit the Spock archetype. If a guest wishes to select his/her own Trek character, be certain to avoid assigning the same character to another guest.

2. Cook and Serve Trek Food Dishes, Side Items and Beverages

The Star Trek universe is home to countless unique and tasty treats, including but not limited to Jumbo Romulan mollusk, Klingon Gladst and, of course, the famous glass of Romulan ale (constantly mentioned as being illegal aboard any Starfleet vessel, ironic considering the amount of episodes in which Enterprise, Voyager and Deep Space 9 officers consume large quantities). In your pursuit of Star Trek recipes and ingredients you will find a host of valuable web sites offering their culinary interpretations of several Federation dishes, as well as the occasional extraterrestrial.

For starters, why not try the sweet taste of Big Oven's (www.bigoven.com) Ha Rageel, also known as the Vulcan carrot loaf: http://www.bigoven.com/94602-Ha-Rageel-recipe.html. This flavorful dessert is sure to add some holiday cheer to your Star Trek party. As always, there are a host of additional online cooking sites offering their input on classic Trek dishes.

If alcohol will be served at your shindig, I recommend checking out Serious Eats' (www.seriouseats.com) and BarBack's spin on Romulan Ale, a beverage gleaned from the home world of the Vulcan's biological and militant cousins, the Romulans:

• 25 ml. Vodka

• 25 ml. Triple Sec

• 25 ml. Blue Curacao

• 25 ml. Lemonade

• Mix and serve in a Highball Glass

3. Play Star Trek Dirty Santa

Put your own Trek spin on this classic holiday party game by requiring everyone to bring a Star Trek themed gift to the party. Again, you will want to notify guests of this requirement well in advance so as to provide them with adequate time to shop for. A few personal suggestions for gift ideas include but are not limited to:

• Star Trek Hallmark® Keepsake Christmas ornaments: available at your local Hallmark® retailer or online at www.hallmark.com.

• Director J.J. Abram's 2-disc special collector's edition of Star Trek on DVD

• Any Star Trek series season on DVD

• Star Trek model kits: available at specialty hobby shops or online at several web sites including www.starfleet-models.com.

• Star Trek apparel, including t-shirts, costumes and even Vulcan ears.

• Tickets to a Star Trek convention: the perfect gift for the most dedicated of Trekkies. You can find convention dates and locations online at several sites or by performing a Google search for "star trek conventions 2010."

4. Form a Star Trek Role Play Game

While you've got a room full of Trekkies munching away on your holiday goodies and dressed to a tee as their favorite Trek characters, you might as well take advantage of it. Have guests act out specific scenes from classic Trek movies and/or series episodes and see who can quote lines accurately and act well. This can be a fun activity and there's no telling where it might go. After all, if you've got a single green Orion slave girl and a single James Kirk in the room, they could wind up performing a romantic interchange, kissing, falling in love and start dating all because of your Trek party.

As with any party, it's all about having fun. The only difference is that is "fun" Trek style. With any luck, your party will be the talk of the town for weeks to come or, at least, the talk of the Trek community. Live long and prosper.