Holiday Hosting Hacks to Take the Stress Out of the Season

Hosting holiday parties and guests can be a blast, but with cleaning, cooking and delivering the perfect seasonal shindig – all while trying to spend quality time with your guests – the whole process can quickly bring out your inner Scrooge.

Whether you’re entertaining for one night only or opening your home to the extended family for a whole week, these simple suggestions can help you feel a bit less frantic and a lot more festive as you welcome guests this season.

1. Prep in advance

When planning your menu, consider food that can be prepared in advance, which will free you of some of the day-of cooking duties. Casseroles, soups, pasta bakes and cookie dough are great options as they freeze well and can be quickly reheated or baked fresh on the day of the event.

2. Embrace potluck

A potluck-style dinner is a great option for larger groups. Not only will it save you time and money, but the variety of dishes will assuredly include something to please even the pickiest eaters in your group. Ask guests to bring their time-tested favorite holiday dish and watch their culinary competitiveness shine. Make sure to coordinate the menu, easily done with a shared spreadsheet or an app like Evite, to avoid duplicate items.

3. Set up self-service drinks

Free yourself from refreshing people’s drinks by creating a festive drink station. Include alcoholic and non-alcoholic choices, along with mixers, glasses, ice and garnishes. Elevate your drink game by offering a fun signature drink menu, or pick one themed holiday cocktail and prepare a large batch of it, ready for self-serve.

4. Enlist helping hands

Want more of a full-service feel?  Consider hiring outside help, such as a caterer, server or bartender, to make hosting easier. If you’re on a budget, look for high school or college students home on winter break who may be looking for short-term work. Or outsource cooking entirely with complete heat-and-serve holiday meals from grocery stores or restaurants – but make sure to order early.

5. Cut down on cleaning

Most likely, your guests are only going to see a few rooms in your home – so why worry about the rest?  Although you may feel the need to deep clean your entire place, you only really need to focus on main living areas, like the kitchen, dining room, living room and powder room. Make sure to consider where coats and/or purses will be stored, in case folks need to go fetch their own at the end of the party.

6. Contain coats and boots

If you’re lucky enough to celebrate the holidays in an area where you don’t need outerwear in December, this isn’t the tip for you.  But for those of us in colder climates (read: Chicago), welcoming guests with coats and boots can be a hassle, creating mess and confusion when guests are coming and going. Consider setting up a portable coat rack and set up a designated basket for shoes near the front door or tucked away in a side room nearby. It’ll keep the entryway neat and prevent the familiar “digging through the coat pile on the bed” treasure hunt at the end of the night.

7. Consider disposable partyware

For larger events or longer-term hosting duties, consider high-quality disposable plates, cups and cutlery – many that are made to look like the real thing – to cut down on dishwashing time. There are plenty of eco-friendly disposable options that are both elegant and sustainable, offering flair without a mountain of dishes to do afterward.

No matter how you hack your holidays, don’t forget that having people in your home isn’t about impressing your guests with your fancy decorations, culinary skills or party planning prowess. It’s about making sure that everyone has a good time (and hopefully having one yourself in the process). Just remember to relax, go with the flow and keep a good sense of humor, and if a holiday-related disaster does occur, at least you’ll have a great story for next year’s party – when someone else hosts.