It seems like the summer was just ending
and it was back-to-school time, but here we are entering the holiday season
already. If you’re planning to host
friends and family for this year’s big holiday gatherings, you don’t need to
panic. There are several hacks and DIY tricks you can use to make your holiday
get-togethers more enjoyable than stressful. We share six of the best tips for
holiday hosting and entertaining here, to help you get planning in plenty of
time.
1. Opt for Buffet-Style Meals
There are so many benefits to hosting buffet-style meals!
First, buffet-style gives you a good excuse to ask friends and family to
contribute a dish to share. Buffet-style also saves you tons of table room
because you can place all of the dishes on your countertops and other flat
surfaces and leave the table open for decorative centerpieces, place cards, and
full plates. Buffet-style also helps your guests choose which foods to eat, so
you won’t have to worry about pleasing picky eaters or accidentally putting
turkey on your vegetarian cousin’s plate.
2. Add Layers to Serving Stations
Whether you use your counters, carts, or
end tables as serving stations, you can quickly and easily add more space by
layering. Buy or make cake stands and place food
on top while also placing food around the base. You’ll practically double the
capacity of your serving stations in no time flat.
3. Keep It Simple
There is nothing worse than having grandiose expectations for your holiday gathering and then feeling disappointment when the turkey is dry or when you have to spend so much time preparing, cooking, and decorating that you are too exhausted or busy to enjoy the main event. Keep it simple this year by planning a non-fancy menu that includes tried-and-true dishes. Don’t attempt an extremely difficult dish that you had not previously tried to make. It’s also a good idea to consider slow cooking meat so that you have time to prepare side dishes, desserts, and drinks.
Give yourself a break and prioritize. You
may not care as much about having the picture-perfect table as you do having
mouth-watering food. Choose where to put your energy and give yourself
permission to cut some corners or let some things slide this year so you can
have a less stressful holiday season.
4. Make the Work Fun
Get everyone involved and share the work
to make hosting and entertaining easier for you. Consider inviting friends and
family over ahead of the big meal for a decorating party or baking party. Or,
host a cookie swap before the
holiday so you can ensure a variety of delectable desserts without spending
time making all of them yourself.
5. Set up a DIY Holiday Photo Shoot
Don’t forget the entertainment part of
your holiday while you are busy preparing for hosting and eating. Since your
guests most likely will want to take photos to commemorate the holiday, make it
fun by providing props and a photo
backdrop. You could make your own, or you could purchase ready-made prop kits.
6. Quick and Easy Decorations
Don’t stress over decorating for your
holiday gathering. Instead, make entertaining easy with beautiful, yet quick and easy decorations. For example, grab a couple of glass bowls or mason jars, fill them
with water, toss in a couple of floating candles, and make it pop with
cranberries. Cranberries float and are perfect for both Thanksgiving and
Christmas.
Dress up a mantel with the hues of
the season by adding votive candles and berry garlands or wreaths. Stick to one
color palette and group items in threes or by height to make the mantel
pleasing to the eye. Add larger candles on stands or in elevated candle holders
to add height to your masterpiece.
Make arrangements and centerpieces out of materials that are readily available during the season. For
Thanksgiving, use leaves, pumpkins, and pine cones. You also could incorporate
other gourds, tree branches, and apples. For DIY Christmas decorations, use greens, branches you trim off your Christmas tree, cranberries,
wrapped packages, and ornaments to add pops of color. Candles are a smart
addition to provide lighting in dark corners or to set a peaceful mood during
the meal.
Hosting and
entertaining this holiday season will be a little stressful. But, with the
right attitude and hacks, you can spend more time enjoying your family and
friends and less time making things perfect and stressing over the food and
decorations.
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Guest article by Dolly Santos. She is an information junkie who loves researching and learning about new topics. At Dollymath.com she compiles thoughtful educational articles based on her conscientious analysis of available information.
