Holiday Entertaining in the Bahamas, Amanda Lindroth–Style

In December, New Providence Island in the Bahamas trades the traditional trappings of a white Christmas for a tropical holiday experience, characterized by vibrant colors, ocean breezes, and a distinctive sense of conviviality. This atmosphere is masterfully curated by Amanda Lindroth, a renowned interior designer and hostess, who infuses her holiday celebrations with a unique blend of Bahamian charm and old-world elegance. Lindroth, who moved to New Providence in 1988, found inspiration in the island's lush landscape, historic architecture, and the relaxed sophistication of its expatriate community. Her design firm, Lindroth Design, now with offices in Nassau, Palm Beach, and Charleston, South Carolina, is known for its tropics-influenced old-world aesthetic, featuring whitewashed walls, intricate molding, antique furnishings, and colorful textiles. She has also authored two design books, including "Island Dreaming," which explores her approach to creating intimate and dazzling spaces for clients, particularly holiday homes built with entertaining in mind. Lindroth's personal entertaining style reflects her design philosophy, focusing on sumptuous details and guest comfort. Her gatherings, whether for Christmas dinner or an impromptu shindig, are marked by a sense of joy and an "Amanda magic" that makes them feel both fancy and incredibly fun, never fussy. Her former family home, Hope Hill, served as a romantic backdrop for many such celebrations, remembered for their laid-back joie de vivre rather than just their glamour. Lindroth's approach to hosting was influenced by the grand dinner parties she attended upon first arriving in Nassau, where she observed a formal, English way of entertaining. While she has since updated this formula, it still informs her events, which typically begin with seated cocktails, followed by a formal dinner on the veranda with assigned seating and simple, delicious meals designed to encourage lively conversation. The ambiance is enhanced by 1970s folk rock music, complemented by the natural sounds of the Atlantic, rustling palms, and cicadas. After dinner, guests transition to the living room for an English-style coffee and tea service, often accompanied by nightcaps. Lindroth believes a memorable evening starts before guests arrive, emphasizing details like flung-open doors, dimmed lights, and abundant candles throughout the house. She also ensures ample comfortable seating, a well-stocked bar, and plenty of provisions, having learned that an eight-person gathering can quickly expand. During the holidays, her menu adapts to incorporate local traditions, featuring dishes like pigeon peas and rice, johnnycakes, a spiral ham with pomegranate seeds, and her cook Crimson Roberts's tangy coleslaw made with Bahamian bird peppers. The holiday decor includes a "Clark Griswold bigger-is-better" approach to tree selection, with evergreens shipped from Canada. Family traditions include participating in the island's Christmas golf cart parade and contest, where their Whoville-like enthusiasm has consistently earned them blue ribbons. Another highlight is the annual boat parade, for which the family decorates their thirty-six-foot "Schooner Queen," a restored 1970s fishing boat. For a recent event, a parade floated through New Providence's Old Fort Bay, culminating in an afternoon raft-up with swimming, kayaking, and rosé. The menu for this occasion included a nineteenth-century-inspired shrimp-and-lobster-tail tower with Bahamian spiny lobster and Marie Rose dip, along with iced stone crab claws and local Rum Dum cocktails. The celebration concluded with an alfresco dinner on Old Fort Beach, a historically significant coastline. The table was adorned with Herend china, sterling silver, and candelabras decorated with peppermint-striped tapers and bougainvillea, creating an effect that is both whimsical and lovely, characteristic of Lindroth herself. #Bahamas #CaribbeanHoliday #TropicalEntertaining #AmandaLindrothStyle #InteriorDesign #IslandLiving #BahamianTraditions #HolidayDecor #HostessTips #Bahamas #CaribbeanHoliday #TropicalEntertaining #AmandaLindrothStyle #InteriorDesign #IslandLiving #BahamianTraditions #HolidayDecor #HostessTips