Preparing everything in advance is the key to a stress-free party Party season is upon us and there's nothing we love more than inviting friends over to Muddled HQ for festive drinks but we know from experience that throwing a cocktail party can be stressful. The last thing you want to do is spend the whole evening in the kitchen sweating over a shaker while your friends are partying in the front room. With a little planning and preparation, however, you can skip the stress