This is my favorite time of year. I like sending and receiving Christmas cards, although I'm never timely enough to get the family portrait printed on the card. I like decorating my tree while enjoying a good glass of red wine and some Christmas music. I like shopping for the perfect gift and receiving one, too. I like wrapping presents, complete with coordinating paper and wired edged ribbon. I like spending a day with my nephew making Christmas cookies. But most of all I enjoy spending time with family and friends in celebrating the season ful of hope and peace.
As an event planner, I enjoy being the hostest and entertaining comes easy to me. Below are a few of my secrets for easy entertaining:
- Create a warm and welcoming entranceway. I like to put lighting lanterns along my walkway and front steps.
- Set-up a self-serve beverage station. Place glasses out on a sideboard or table with beverages on ice in an attractive watertight tub, pre-open bottles of wine, leave out a bottle opener, and have a small bowl for easy disposal of bottle caps and corks.
- Choose a menu that can be prepared ahead of time so you're not in the kitchen while your guests are in the livingroom.
- Prep items in advance, go ahead and set the table the day before, pull out the serving pieces you'll need. Enlist your husband and kids to help with prep and clean-up.
- Dress-up your dining table with pretty linens (you can rent them from our showroom) and a tablescape. This could be fresh flowers from your florist, an eclectic mix of candle holders amidst fresh evergreen branches, assorted glass containers or apothocary jars filled with Christmas balls. You can get great ideas walking through Pottery Barn or Pier 1 Imports.
- Be environmentally friendly and use china, glassware, and silverware. Don't worry if it all doesn't match, mix and match with colors that work together and bring those colors into your centerpiece or tablescape.
- If doing a sit-down meal, have placecards so guests know where you would like them to sit. Names printed on a decorated sugar cookie or ornaments enhance the overall look of your table.
- Don't be afraid to rent tables and chairs if you don't have enough or like matching chairs.
- Have some soft music playing in the background. This helps create ambiance and fill in lulls in conversation.
- Remember to have fun and enjoy the time with your guests. Don't sweat the small stuff your guests are there because they want to spend time with you.
Thank you for spending time on my blog and feel free to share comments or other easy entertaining ideas or recipes. - Nicole
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