With so many things to do, commitments to keep and details to remember, it's no wonder the holidays are among the most stressful times of year. But with a little planning, you'd be surprised how simple it is to entertain successfully. So have a seat, relax and read our quick & easy tips for stress-free holiday parties!
- What's the most important part of easy, fun holiday entertaining? If you guessed fancy food, a spotless house or pricey decorations, try again – all these are less important than having the right attitude. Getting into the right frame of mind means shifting your focus away from material things, and concentrating on offering “hospitality” instead. If you really want people talking about your party for years to come, forget the expensive centerpiece or fancy appetizers – the secret lies in ensuring guests are comfortable and having fun.
- Take a moment to set the date (you can think outside the box here! no one dictates you can't have your party in early January, for example), make the guest list, call your guests and plan the menu. Do ensure you ask each guest if he or she has any special concerns, such as allergies or diets. Make a short countdown list of things to take care of in the days leading up to the party, so you don't lose any sleep worrying about anything you might have forgotten.
- When planning your menu, keep it simple: offer two or three super-easy appetizers, one or two great beverages and a simple dessert that can be frozen and baked as guests arrive. Remember that it's not the complexity of the recipe that makes it great, but the quality of the ingredients you use. Wraps and roll-ups are ideal – some can even be made ahead of time and be refrigerated. Check out some quick & easy appetizers here. For serving sizes, a good rule of thumb is to make ten appetizers per guest if you're not planning a main course, or three if you do serve a main dish.
- Remember the ‘keep it simple' rule when it comes to decorations, too. One great centerpiece is enough: simply float some candles, flowers or citrus fruit in a bowl.
- Serve dishes you've made before to avoid any last-minute surprises.
- Make a quick floor map to determine where the food and drinks will be, and spread everything out so that guests are comfortable and have space to move around.
- Don't obsess over cleaning. Clean only the areas that will be used for the party, but do make sure the bathroom is tidy, as it's the one room your guests will get a close look at.
- Once guests arrive, stop doing chores and taking care of last-minute details, and just enjoy your party. If disasters happen, handle them with grace – for example, if someone spills a drink on the carpet, don't embarrass guests by making a big deal, fussing about and frantically grabbing cleaning supplies; instead, smile and dump salt on the stain, tell the guest it's no biggie and move on.