Well, it is that time of year again. Bells are ringing, carolers singing, and the lovely smells of gingerbread and hot chocolate are coming out or your newly renovated kitchen! Or are they? If you just renovated your kitchen there is no better way to show it off than to host a Christmas dinner or party at your house. But, if this is not something you usually do, the idea of it might seem a little bit daunting. But I am here to tell you that it can be done without too much stress!
Now, to be honest with you, the level of stress you have while preparing this lovely dinner or party is going to depend more on your attitude about it than any tricks or hacks I can give you. So, whatever you decide to make or prepare for this, make sure it is in your comfort level. There is absolutely no shame in buying a roll of Pillsbury Christmas cookies to pop in your oven if baking is something you just don’t do. Also, remember that preparing for the party is supposed to be just as much fun as the party itself. Those people who post elaborate things on Pinterest enjoyed putting whatever they did together; otherwise they likely would not have posted it. So if party planning is generally not your thing, don’t feel bad if it’s not “Pinterest worthy”. Just have fun doing it, and then enjoy the results no matter what they are.
That being said, if you have recently renovated your kitchen you will likely want to do a bit more than take-out for your Christmas festivities. So here are a few simple tips to help your party run smoothly:
- Plan everything you are going to serve and do to decorate ahead of time. This may seem pretty obvious to some people but personally I almost always forget to plan drinks and then I am scrounging for 1 litre apple juices from my pantry and trying to get them cold two hours before the party.
- Prepare what you can the day before. This is especially true if you are doing a big turkey dinner or something similar. You are already going to have your hands full with all the last minute cleaning and unexpected events so if you can pre-mix your stuffing or cut up your vegetables the night before it will take some of the stress off of you.
- Have some snacks or appetizers out an hour or so before the party. There is always going to be that one person who is early and you will be too busy to entertain them, so having a little something out for them can help. Another thing I like to do is invite someone close to you who doesn’t mind entertaining your guests to come a bit early. They can get first dibs on the treats and help take some of the pressure off of you.
- Go simpler with the decorations. Likely, you will have all your regular Christmas decorations out already so don’t worry about adding extra stuff for your party. Parties are more about the people you are inviting anyways!
That’s about all I can think of for advice to offer you, although it would be worth mentioning again: Have fun! Once the party has gotten underway just relax and enjoy it! And enjoy your kitchen!
Are there any tips you think I might have missed? Let me know!
