holiday hosting tips

With a few simple tips and preparation, you'll be the hostess with the mostess. 

From November to January, our weekend calendars are packed with parties and activities to celebrate the holidays. Between Friendsgiving meals and evening Hanukkah celebrations at home, bringing everyone I love together is one of the highlights of the season. But all too often, holiday gatherings cause undue stress on well-meaning hosts (myself included!). Here are my tried-and-true methods to plan fun-filled holiday parties without pulling my hair out. 

Write (or print) your menu out in advance. 

My mom does this before every party she throws—she types up all of the menu items she plans to make and prints it out. Seeing all of your dishes written out makes it easier to remember all of them (especially amid the chaos of guests arriving) and can show you days in advance if your plans might be a bit overboard. 

Make as many dishes as you can ahead of time.

When you have a full menu to manage, you have to be so strategic with your oven timing so each dish has a turn. In order to make the cut, all of the hors d’oeuvres I make should be able to go in the oven with other dishes (or not need to be cooked at all). This is also why I like to make as much as I can the days and night before the party, storing everything from dressings to lasagnas in my fridge until the main event. Here are a few of my favorite dishes to make ahead:

Take all of your guests dietary restrictions into consideration (and don’t make it weird)

No one wants to be the center of attention for the wrong reasons. Whether you have people joining who are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, or vegetarian, make sure you have a wide variety of delicious dishes across the table everyone can enjoy. Don’t make guests a single plate that works for them—trust me, your party will be so much more fun if everyone is able to eat the same foods. Need inspiration? I’ve got you.

Consider what guests will bring when menu planning

Before I write out my menu, I typically think about who’s coming and what to ask them to bring. More often than not, I’ll tell them just to come hungry. But considering my line of work, I find it fun to ask friends to bring dessert over because I know they’ll go out of their way and bring something truly incredible. 

Give kids space and activities

To keep the party fun for everyone, the kids need to be having fun. If we have a lot of kids coming over, I set aside a dedicated area for them to sit and play activities like gingerbread houses, cardboard playhouses to color, or canvases to paint. But remember to have a backup plan—our nights normally end with a movie for the kids so the adults can continue celebrating well into the night.   

How are you celebrating this season? I want to hear your tips! Email [email protected] for any holiday questions, entertaining tips, or just to say hello. I’d love to hear from you!