I love hosting over the holidays but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t stressful. Between managing work, kids, chores, holiday gift lists and the never ending expectations we put on ourselves, there’s little time to celebrate with the ones we love. Below are a few simple, tried & true, tips that will make hosting over the holidays (or at any time of year) a little less chaotic.
Tip 1 ~ Come Up With a Plan
The first thing I do when hosting a party (sit down or otherwise) is to figure out what I’m serving. From there, I print my recipes and make my grocery list. I prefer to order my party groceries, a few days in advance, so I can begin prepping the food. The most crucial step in hosting, especially if it’s a dinner party, is to write out what time each recipe needs to go in the oven, at what temp and for how long. Basically you create a cooking roadmap for your day. This step can not be overlooked.
Tip 2 ~ Prep in Advance
Look over your recipes and figure out what can be made ahead of time. And by “ahead of time” I mean days, not just hours. Chop all of the vegetables. Make, and freeze, the biscuits or dinner rolls. Put together all of the casseroles. Just be sure you have enough space in your fridge to house all of your dishes.
Tip 3 ~ Ask for Help
I still struggle with this one as I prefer to do everything myself but the truth is that’s just downright dumb. People like having something to do so ask your guests to pitch in. Assign someone to be the bartender or help you set the table. Have your guests bring an appetizer or a dessert. Think about what you can ask of your guests without putting more work on yourself and go with it.
Tip 4 ~ Set Out Your Serving Ware
The night before your party, make sure you pull out a serving dish to house every recipe you are making, along with an accompanying serving utensil. There is no reason for you to be running around like a crazy person looking for a bowl to put the potatoes in just as they need to come off the stove. If I’m hosting a buffet, or family, style dinner, I like to place each dish on the table to make sure I have enough space for all of the food.
Tip 5 ~ Drinks & Apps
Give your guests time to arrive and relax before having to settle in at the dinner table. Let them drink, snack and be merry. This also gives you a grace period to finish doing whatever you need to do in the kitchen!
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