Holiday Entertaining
This is the season we open our homes and hearts to our family and friends. Many of us do this by throwing a holiday party. These parties are always a lot of work and can become so stressful we forget to make sure we are having a great time. We would like to share a few tips to make this easy, stress-free and enjoyable.
· Plan ahead.
Our first order of planning is to set the date for the gathering and letting your guests know by sending an invitation. In this day and age many of us have received internet invitations. Though this is appropriate for more casual gatherings, a holiday party invitation should be sent in the mail. Make sure the invitation includes the date and time of the gathering and the address. Let your personality come out in the invitation. You can do this by adding a handwritten note if the invitation is printed or including a trinket that speaks of you.
The second component of planning is setting the menu. If you know what you are serving several weeks out you will be able to plan the grocery shopping, liquor shopping and the acquisition of any decorations and/or serve ware you may need. If you have a lot of time to get these items in place you will not feel the stress of the last minute shopping. It is wise to create a menu that will allow you to prep a day or two early so you are not stuck in the kitchen during the party. It is also wise to plan finger foods as this will eliminate a lot of cleaning afterward. Your menu planning should also include a special drink for the occasion. This will allow you to limit what you have to set up for the bar area. Wine is always a no-brainer but to create a special event you may want to come up with an original cocktail or an old time favorite. Remember the hot toddy’s? One of our favorites is the ginger snap. It incorporates eggnog, Ginger Brandy and spiced rum. Home made ginger snap cookies are a great way to garnish this drink.
The third piece of planning is to consider how you are going to clean or put your place back together. Knowing the tasks ahead will help you coordinate the party to make it easier for you. If you know what is in store after the party you will be able to enjoy your guests.
· Set the scene.
A few days before the party you can start to decorate the tables, setting candles and servers in place. You can put out the glassware and dishes. Clean your home. Understand that your guests are coming to see you and not to scrutinize the cleanliness of your home. So don’t feel you have to put off cleaning until the last minute to make it as pristine as possible.
· Prepare foods early.
This is not to say all food can be prepared long before the party. But many of the dishes we serve can be prepared a day or two prior and put into the oven at the time of the party. Take the time before the day of the party to get as much done as you can. If you have foods with sauces, make the sauce a day ahead. If you have foods that require a lot of work such as prosciutto wrapped stuffed dates, get these wrapped and onto baking sheets so all you need to do is pop them into the oven prior to your guests’ arrival. Any cold foods you are serving can be prepared ahead. You can even get a head start on roasted meats by cooking them to rare and finishing them off on the day of the party. This will allow you to have more time in the oven for other items.
· Make the day special for you.
Get plenty of rest. If you can, sleep in and have a relaxing morning knowing you are going to enjoy the company of friends later in the day. We always recommend you invite a special friend or a family member that you would like to spend a little more quiet time with to come to your home early. While you will have some things to do, the house will not be overwhelmed with others so that you can share some quality time with your friend. This is of great benefit to you and your friend. Remember, you are not asking your friend to come help but to spend some quality time as part of a bigger gathering. When your guests arrive know that they have come to share their time with you. Make sure you are part of the party. If you have planned well, you will not have too many requirements that keep you away from your guests.
· Clean up.
Take as much time as you are willing to give yourself to clean up after the party. If you leave it until the next day it can seem a daunting task. But if you are working on the high you get from enjoying your family and friends it will carry over to the next day…as long as you don’t have a lot of tasks.
A Holiday Party mantra would be ‘Plan to Have Fun withFriends’
