The holidays are upon us and many of you are stressing out over family gatherings and fêtes with friends. Believe me, I know your pain. It can be overwhelming to entertain, especially if you haven’t had a lot of practice. Even after doing it for 20+ years, I still get butterflies when the doorbell rings. So I thought I’d share some of the tricks I’ve learned for throwing a party and remaining sane. It all comes down to being organized: when you’re in control, you’ll feel cool and confident. A happy host makes for happy guests and that will equal party success. And, who knows, you might even have a good time too!
The date’s been set, the guests are invited, now what? It all comes down to planning–I cannot emphasize this enough. When everything is mapped out in advance, there’ll be little room for surprises. The key is to make lists for everything: the menu, shopping, schedule, platters to use. I like to whip out my trusty yellow pad, Uniball pen in hand, to make those lists, but use whatever works for you.
Tip #1: Begin with the menu. It will determine everything else. Think about the occasion and what’s appropriate: formal, casual, holiday or seasonal. Themed menus can simplify the event, taking some of the guesswork out of what to serve (for example, Italian: antipasti and lasagne; French: cheese puffs and coq au vin, and so on). Online websites, like epicurious.com, are great resources for entertaining menu ideas. When planning your menu, remember to:
- Choose recipes that are in your comfort zone and simple to prepare.
- Have a good balance of dishes that can be prepared in advance so you can relax (somewhat) on the day of your party. I like to serve slow braises that are cooked ahead–they taste even better the next day and heartily serve a crowd.
- Keep hors d’oeuvres simple and light so your guests won’t fill up before the meal.
- Serve a signature cocktail. Everyone likes a special drink and you’ll avoid having to play bartender, mixing different drinks for each guest.
Tip #2: Prepare a shopping list. Breakdown the ingredients of each recipe, checking your pantry first to see what you already have on hand. Account for duplicate ingredients in different recipes and combine quantities.
Tip #3: Plan out the preparation of your menu. The more you can prepare ahead, the better. Working backwards, calculate which dishes need to be prepared/finished just before guests arrive, the morning of, the night before, etc. I try to prep every element of every dish before guests arrive, so I’m not in the kitchen chopping while everyone else is having cocktails. And I’ll leave little notes like, “garnish with parsley before serving” to remind myself of the details.
Tip #4: Decide ahead of time which serving plates you’ll be using for each dish and mark them with post-it notes.
Tip #5: Determine the flow of your party: will it be buffet or sit down? How long will you allow for cocktails before serving the meal? Will you have cocktails in the living room, dinner in the dining room, dessert at the table or back in the living room? Make sure each area is ready for guests.
Tip #6: Set the table a day or two before the party–one less detail to worry about. Plan out your seating arrangement, if you have one, and set out place cards.
Tip #7: Make flower arrangements or centerpieces a day or two ahead–the flowers will have time to open up nicely. Keep them low so they won’t interfere with dinner conversation.
If you’re not good with flowers, use natural elements to create a tablescape: bunches of herbs in small vases, bowls of seasonal fruit (pomegranates, persimmons, pineapples) or platters of pretty vegetables (squash, artichokes, asparagus) can all make interesting displays. Intersperse with candles–either candlesticks or votives.
Tip #8: Create a playlist of the music you’d like for the party. Remember it will mostly be in the background to create ambiance, unless you’re planning to clear off a dance floor and boogie.
Tip #9: Most importantly, make time for you. Decide in advance what you’ll wear so you’re not panicking at the last minute. Schedule at least an hour for yourself to get ready, collect your thoughts, and take a few deep, calming breaths.
Tip #10: Light the candles and greet your guests with glee. If they sense you are tense, it will set the wrong tone for your party. Offer everyone a drink and make them feel at home. Stay calm, and never, ever apologize if something goes wrong. Most of your guests won’t even notice and you’ll only be calling attention to problems. Relax and have a great time!
I hope these tips have been helpful and that you’ll approach entertaining with new gusto. To help begin your holiday planning, I thought I’d share (again) my crispy Potato Latke recipe, which, by the way, can be prepared in advance and reheated just before guests arrive. Here’s to many stress-free celebrations–Happy Holidays, everyone!
