You’re finally in the Big Leagues. This year, it’s finally your turn to host Christmas Dinner. Whether it’s with friends or family, you should know that hosting Christmas dinner isn’t as easy as it sounds. There’s the pressure of having to impress your guests, the burden of deciding what to cook, and then there’s the post-dinner cleanup too. It’s going to be a long day for you but we’ve rounded up tips that can help make life easier for you, at least for this one night. Here are some Christmas Dinner hosting tips for beginners.
Tip #1 Prep ahead
Cooking for a crowd is no easy feat but it becomes more bearable when you prep what you can ahead of time. Peel ingredients and cut them up ahead of time then store them in the fridge. When cooking time comes, all you have to do is grab them out of the fridge and throw them in the pot or pan or whatever you’re using to cook. Save for ingredients like onions and those that oxidize like potatoes, every ingredient you need can be prepped ahead of time.
Tip #2 Cook ahead
Aside from prepping your ingredient ahead of time, another thing you can do to make cooking Christmas Dinner for a crowd easier and quicker is to cook what you can ahead of time. If you have anything on the menu that’s freezable, you can start cooking that days ahead of the party and then, on the day of the party, all you have to do is pop it in the oven and serve.
Tip #3 Cook what you’re comfortable with
Your first Christmas dinner party isn’t the time to start experimenting with new dishes. Cook what you know how to make best.
Tip #4 Stock up on party essentials
Make sure you have everything you need for the party and then some. Stock up on drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, buy ice by the bag, make sure you have a variety of snacks for people to nibble on while waiting in between courses. You’re also going to want to be prepared with a good amount of paper towels, table napkins, and the like. Depending on the kind of dinner party that it is, you might also want to stock up on a few game options.
Tip #5 Make your home look and smell inviting
Nothing says “welcome” like a bunch of flowers and the scent of chocolate chip cookies wafting through the air. It’s a trick that realtors do for open houses and one that’s guaranteed to work well for hosts and hostesses during parties, too. If you’re not a fan of the cookie scent, you can always opt for something more elegant and sophisticated, too, by lighting candles or placing diffusers all around the house.
Tip #6 When it comes to guests, choose quality of quantity
You don’t need a big crowd for your dinner party to be considered a success. Invite only the people you actually want to break bread with; the ones that you can actually enjoy a conversation with over dinner. You don’t want anyone there that would make you feel awkward, nervous, or uncomfortable, especially since you’re still new to this whole hosting thing.
Tip #7 Ask about dietary requirements and restrictions
The last thing you want is people getting hives from accidentally eating something they’re allergic to or people going home hungry because they didn’t get to eat anything from the spread you chose to serve.
Tip #8 Set the mood with lighting and music
What kind of party are you trying to have? An intimate one with your closest circle of friends? A fun one with people from work? Whatever it is, you can achieve it better with the right kind of lighting and music.
The first few dinner parties don’t always turn out to be perfect and that’s okay. You can keep doing better with every party that you throw. Hopefully, these tips will help you get a headstart on becoming a great host/hostess.