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With the holidays approaching, it’s almost unavoidable. You WILL have guests, and some will probably even stay overnight. I entertain regularly — dinner parties and meals. So, when holiday meals come around, I’m not particularly bothered. I know where all of my entertainin If you’re one of those lucky folks with a spare bedroom (I am not), this may come easy to you. With two kids at home, guest planning can be a challenge. The following list of tips comes from our friends at Bed, Bath & Beyond (one of my favorite stores!) Read well, and apply at will!
Plan ahead. The key to minimizing holiday-induced anxiety is to plan in advance. Take inventory now to make sure you have the essentials you will need to serve your holiday meal - both basics and serving pieces.
Save time and space. Use serving pieces with warming trays to free up essential cooking space on your stove. To create additional space in your oven, use a three-tier oven rack on one side that leaves the other side open for more bulky food like the turkey allowing you to cook more than one dish at a time.
Think off the wall. If you’re hosting a buffet set up the buffet table away from the wall to utilize both sides of the table to serve food. Add unique, multi-level serving dishes to give your table a fresh look.
Cover up. Give dining room chairs a more formal look by covering them with chair covers. Remember, you can also cover folding chairs for uniformity.
Offer your guests a choice. Set up at least 2 urns for your party, one with coffee and one with hot water for the tea drinkers. Consider a third for decaf.
Kids corner. Set up an official “kids table” covered with craft paper and provide crayons so they can create works of art while eating.
A sign of a good meal is a messy table. Remember to use a microfiber tablecloth which allows spills to bead up and wipe away cleanly. Also double the amount of napkins you need so guests will have one for dinner and a clean one for dessert.
Seasonal Solution. Transform your entertaining area by replacing sheer window treatments with more luxurious ones made of taffeta or chenille in warm, rich colors of the season.
Sweet Dreams. If you are having overnight guests, set up the spare bed before they arrive. Make “Sweet Dreams” packages by placing a toothbrush and a chocolate treat on their pillow wrapped with a ribbon. Attach a “Sweet Dreams” card with the guests’ name for a personal touch.
Bathroom Makeover. It doesn’t take a coat of paint to freshen up the guest bathroom. A new bath ensemble and some decorative seasonal hand towels will do the trick. Fresh flowers and scented lotion on the counter are welcoming treats.
And of course, don’t forget that you can prepare foods in advance and freeze them!
guests, party planning
November 12th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
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