Hosting for the Holidays

Posted by Jennie Temple on Nov 24, 2014 in Blog | 0 comments

Get Ready to Host for the Holidays

Are you ready for holiday hosting season? Whether you are cooking a big meal for family or having friends over for a holiday gathering, follow these simple steps for hassle-free hosting.

Give Yourself Time – Avoid the stress of rushing around the day of by creating a party-planning schedule that focuses most of the effort well before the party.

By giving yourself more time than you think you need to prepare, you make the focus of the gathering visiting with guests instead of fussing over last-minute details.

Streamline the Menu – Remember the golden rule of entertaining: less is more! Pare down the menu to a few extraordinary dishes rather than overwhelming guests with too many options.

Choose easy-to-prepare recipes that either take minutes to make or can be prepared in advance so you aren’t spending the entire holiday in the kitchen.

Set Up Hosting Stations – Don’t try to manage everything from a single location – that only leads to chaos and stress when kitchen counters become cluttered.

Instead, arrange hosting stations. For example, arrange a before-dinner cocktail and appetizer station in the adjoining living room so guests can mingle away from your main food prep area.

Let Guests Help – Don’t try to do everything yourself. If guests ask what they can do to help, it’s okay to ask them to bring an appetizer or make the mashed potatoes.

Make your guests feel special about their contribution instead of giving them a token role. Ask Aunt Audrey to bring her famous deviled eggs or invite them to help out with a key part of the meal.