For designer Bryan Graybill, a good holiday drinks gathering is rooted in the everyday ritual of cocktail hour. 'It’s the hinge in the day when the world softens a little,' he says. 'It’s the permission to exhale, the switch from the public self to the private one.' Growing up in the South, he learned early that the evening sip was less about alcohol than atmosphere. 'It was a pause, a reset, and a touch of glamour tossed into the mundane. I still think of it as a daily punctuation mark.' When it comes to how to host the perfect cocktail party, Graybill's uncomplicated yet considered touches ensure an elevated, yet relaxed event every time.
