Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Holiday Checklist Part 2

Are you ready for the holidays? We have found a great Holiday countdown checklist. In this final blog, we will go over what you need to have done to prepare for the big holiday. This week we will learn about what needs to be in done in the third and fourth week of December. You can learn more at Real Simple.



ONE WEEK BEFORE

Deep clean your house.

You’ll enjoy those decorations even more if the floors are clean and the kitchen is organized. One important task: Clear out your refrigerator. Toss old leftovers to make room for big dishes and ingredients that’ll be piling up closer to the holiday.

Buy batteries for children’s toys.

If you haven’t stocked up while Christmas shopping, make sure you have all the accoutrements necessary for that handheld video game or remote-controlled car.

THREE DAYS BEFORE

Shop for fresh ingredients.

Hit the store for the last-minute vegetables or fruit you need for meals.

Set the table.

So you use those gold-rimmed goblets only once a year? Enjoy them! Go ahead and set the table. 

Make it even easier on the big day by putting a sticky note on each platter that states what dish you plan to serve on it. (That also allows people to help you without asking 12 times.)

TWO DAYS BEFORE

Start cooking.

You’ve probably socked away some things in the freezer already, but now’s the time to prep main courses and make anything that can sit for a couple of days.

Buy fresh flowers.

Whether they are for a party or a family meal, fresh flowers should always be purchased two days in advance. Blooms have time to open up, and they’ll still be lush and fragrant.

THE DAY BEFORE

Recharge the batteries on your camera or video recorder.

You don’t want to miss the reaction on a little one’s face because the battery ran out during the school pageant the week before.

Finish last-minute wrapping.

And assemble toys that will be surprises from Santa.

Finish cooking, and make a timeline for the next day.

Decide when you’ll be feasting, then count backward to determine when to put the turkey (or ham or roast beef) in the oven and what else needs to be cooked.

Sit back and relax.

Enjoy your family and friends and relish the traditions you share.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Christmas Countdown

Are you ready for the holidays? We have found a great Holiday countdown checklist. Over the next two blogs, we will go over what you need to have done to prepare for the big holiday. This week we will learn about what needs to be in done in the first and second week of December. You can learn more at Real Simple.

THREE WEEKS BEFORE (FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER)

Mail cards.

If you’re too busy to get them addressed and mailed during the first week of December, consider putting them off until after the holiday rush. People generally enjoy getting a card a few days late, when things have slowed down and they actually notice the mail.

Buy a live tree.

This is a good time to get your tree, if you want it to stay fresh and retain its needles through Christmas. Same goes for fresh greenery or garlands.

Decorate!

You may be one who decks the halls as soon as the Thanksgiving turkey carcass has been tossed. 

That’s fine, too, but by the first week of December, it’s time to get the house looking festive. Find holiday decorating ideas here.

Finalize menus.

If you’ll be serving the holiday meal make sure you know what you’ll be cooking and what family members will be bringing. Start a master grocery list.

Order a turkey or ham.

Or whatever else is the centerpeice of your holiday meal—you don’t want to get caught short.

TWO WEEKS BEFORE (SECOND WEEK OF DECEMBER)

Make sure out-of-town presents are mailed.

Try to have gifts in the mail by December 10.

Shop for nonperishable items.

Buy alcohol and any canned goods or pantry staples you’ll need.

Holiday Party Tips

Are you hosting a holiday get together this year?  You may be stressed, but there are a few things that are not worth stressing over.  Your guests want to have a good time, but they do not need everything to be perfect.  Here are three focus points for your dinner party, and a few things you should not worry about.   You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.



What to not focus on:

Having a picture-perfect setting. We all want to put our best foot forward, but holding your home to shelter mag standards is hardly necessary. So there are some half-built shelves in the living room; string some fairy lights on them and call in a feature! Putting off a party because your house isn't up to par only results in missed opportunities. Same goes for cleanliness. While I'd never advise having guests over without at least a quick clean, focus on the things that matter: a sparkling bathroom, relatively dust-free surfaces, a clutter-free living room. No one will care if your medicine cabinet or fridge are organized, and no one will notice if the walls in the entryway need a scrub. Low lighting and the distraction of good conversation can work wonders.

Whether all the food is homemade. As someone who loves to cook and entertain, I've fallen into this trap more than once. Serving an array of finger food while guests arrive? Better make three kinds of flatbreads and homemade hummus, then. Store-bought ice cream with that pie? Not at my dinner party!This, quite frankly, is exhausting and ridiculous. If you can swing a 100% homemade meal, by all means go for it, but otherwise, cut yourself some slack. Good breads, cheeses and olives always go down a treat as pre-dinner nibbles, as does a bakery-bought dessert if you're not a natural baker. Even consider ordering in the main if that's your thing: as long as it's tasty and abundant, no one will care where it came from.

The group dynamic. When mixing friend groups, it's easy to worry about whether everybody will hit it off. Equal numbers of guys and girls, whether every guest has a "buddy" other than you: my advice is not to worry about these things, and choose your guests based on their fab and mesh-able personalities. Think about it like this: you're an awesome person with awesome taste in friends. All yours friends are thus, similarly awesome. Everyone will be friends by the time dessert rolls around, anyway.

Instead, focus your energy here:

Presentation. While I'm not suggesting Martha levels of prep are always necessary, I do think that presentation is the best way to make your guests think they're getting a Michelin-star meal (even if you did buy half of it at the deli around the corner). Toss a simple salad on a beautiful platter, arrange the cheeseboard with care. Don't ignore the table either: flowers, candles, place cards if you're so inclined— all will create the sense of a considered, yet effortless, occasion.

Abundance. It's always better to have too much food and drink than too little. Offer more dessert, even if everyone is stuffed. Bring out tea and coffee. Heck, send guests home with leftovers for their lunch the next day! I keep cheap plastic take-out containers around for this purpose, and it's a huge compliment when someone eagerly takes me up on the offer.

Enjoyment. If you're enjoying yourself, so will your guests. Answer the door with a drink in your hand and a smile on your face. If you're stuck in the kitchen for a bit, take up an offer to join you and help. They came to see you, after all.