Hosting Tips for Preparing a Holiday Dinner or Party

With a little planning and preparation, you'll feel ready to welcome your guests with open arms. Here's a sample to-do list that I used when hosting Christmas dinner.

Making one's guests feel comfortable and welcomed is the goal of every good host or hostess. If the host is feeling frazzled, disorganized, or even looks disheveled, guests can feel awkward and unwelcome, like they are intruding on your time. To help make everyone feel comfortable and ready for a good time, a host or hostess should be prepared. In my experience, most of the work for hosting a party or gathering is done in the days leading up to the actual event! Keep reading to see how I managed to cook for and host 18 people for Christmas dinner.

A change in attitude, if not weather.

I realize that it’s time to stop hibernating and get on with my life, in spite of what Punxsutawney Phil had to say this year.

 

It’s been two months since the New Year! For those of us living in the northeast, the holiday season has faded into a cold and seemingly endless winter, without the benefit of being able to look forward to additional holiday festivities. As a result, I've been in kind of a funk lately as I muddle through this extended winter season.

 

In addition to battling cabin fever, mountains of winter snow have made me feel lethargic and unmotivated during the past several weeks. Hibernacting, though at times a great comfort, is not the best strategy for cultivating inner poise or refinement. I have a tendency to look like (and sometimes become) a bit of a bum when I'm stuck at home for too long, mainly because if I'm home for a while I’m not expecting to see anyone, or I’m doing some messy housework and don't want to sweat or spill on my nice clothes. And although a snow day can be a wonderful break in routine, we've had enough of them this year that they're not quite so exciting or comfortable anymore. Rather, the winter weather has been enabling my lazier habits and everything feels cramped, stuffy, and tiresome.

 

As much as I’d love a vacation, that’s simply not an option right now because of work and other obligations. But, even more pressing, I realize that my favorite destinations—in Europe—are known for having even worse winters! So, I realize that it’s time for me to take a cue from those stiff-upper-lipped Europeans, and simply get on with my life, regardless of the weather.

 

It's up to me to rearrange my winter attitude and environment to become a productive and supporting scene. If I can’t change the weather, I can at least make some improvements to my home space that will hopefully reflect a more positive outlook. Below is my list of my ideas for re-energizing this winter.

Happy New Year!

 

A new year is a great time to plan and reflect on personal growth, but it doesn't have to be an "all or nothing" endeavor.

I'm a bit relieved to see that some of my favorite blogs have also been relaxed about writing a post for the new year. As someone who's worked in journalism, part of my thoughts toward writing about a new year include a nagging voice that screams, Timeliness! Immediacy! Content generation! and I feel guilty for not writing more or sooner, especially in regard to a fresh start or a new year. However, as someone who also strives to live a calm and gentle (tres chic!) life, I tell myself to relax, smile, and enjoy doing something that I love and on my own terms.

Which brings me back to my own resolutions, the first of which is to: Do more of what makes me happy! This, I realize, is a very unspecific resolution, but I completely intend it to be that way. If I put too much demand or focus on one aspect of my life, I'm afraid it will make it all the less pleasing to me.

Too often, we become trapped in our own good intentions until they become no longer enjoyable to us. For example, to exercise more is a common resolution. Exercise is really an adult form of playing (think of all the running, jumping, and climbing you did as a child!). With all of the great community sports, fitness machines, gadgets, and exercise classes available, exercising should really be something fun for adults to do. But, we tend to develop an "all or nothing" mindset when we grow up, and this sucks the joy out of a lot of things. So rather than trying to find happiness by focusing on one small aspect of my life, I'm looking at my life in a big-picture, nonspecific way.

Be Busy, Be Happy

 

In times of stress, more than ever, it is important to put oneself first.

There’s a saying that the best way to make God laugh is to tell Him your plans.

My summer schedule has now filled considerably, just days after my most recent post, in which I boasted about how “…for the first time in several years, my summer is relatively open. After wrapping up my first year as a college professor, I'm enjoying the lightened summer workload of the education field, teaching just one summer class and tutoring just one day a week.” Last week I was asked to pick up two more summer classes to teach, so my “lightened” summer schedule now consists of teaching four days a week, and tutoring one.

So, adieu, free time. My summer has become considerably busier. But, rather than lament all of the lost days that I was planning to spend on a patio with a good book and a glass of wine, I am welcoming the opportunity to earn more money and continue improving my teaching skills. However, I cannot completely do away with my plans for relaxation and personal enjoyment.

Hosting Made Simple

It's ok to keep things simple when hosting an event.

I have a habit of overextending myself sometimes. Which is why, in the middle of the busiest and final weeks of the college semester, I decided to repaint my basement, volunteer for a local event's publicity committee, and host a 30th birthday party for my husband.

What was I thinking!

Fortunately, I have become rather adept at managing times of crisis. One of the newer lessons that I've learned is that you absolutely do not have to do everything yourself.

Pottering

Maintaining a well-kept home does not have to be an all-or-nothing chore.

I’ve become enamored with a new word I read on (one of) my inspiration blog(s), How to Be Chic. The author, Fiona, often refers to a part of her daily activities as “pottering” about the house. Apparently, this is an antiquated term meaning to busy oneself with casual housework, or just tidying up the home. This term is very similar to one I heard often growing up, from my mother and grandmother. The German putzen means to clean. I would sometimes hear Mom or Grandma mention how they were just “putzing” around—spending time at home, cleaning up here and there.

I like these words because they indicate a kind of casual attitude toward routine home maintenance. In fact, one online dictionary defines potter (verb) as, “to busy oneself in a desultory though agreeable manner.” Pottering and putzing seem to eliminate the frantic connotations associated with home cleaning. For working professionals who don’t have the luxury of a maid or the time of a full-time hausfrau, home cleaning and maintenance has turned into an all-or-nothing chore. Typically, there is one or several days every month devoted to extensive home cleaning, usually over the course of a precious weekend. During this time, homes are torn apart and sorted through top to bottom. After a day spent making the house sparkle, daily messes then begin to re-accumulate and another marathon cleaning session is scheduled.

European homes generally tend to be a bit smaller than the McMansions of America, which makes it possible to maintain a clean and comfortable home without the same amount of drudgery. I believe that the chic home is one that is comfortable, welcoming, and—like one's personal style—should not require a tremendous amount of effort. I would much rather take care of and enjoy what little I have, than spend time and money agonizing over anything more than what I need. Rather than putting ourselves through the routine torture of a marathon weekend clean, why not steadily work on home tasks, little by little, a la the pottering way?

Packing Tips for a Spring Getaway

Simply put, the most important piece of travel advice is to pack lightly.

I am proudly notorious for travelling light. The challenge of this is to be prepared and have what you need, but nothing more! This is the same mentality that I strive to live in my everyday life—to enjoy my favorite things without the clutter or distraction of anything that I don’t love, use, or need.

Before you start packing for a vacation or a short getaway, determine what kind of suitcase or luggage you want to use. I generally tend to avoid the hassle and delay of checking luggage, so I try to pack everything into a carry-on bag. However, as I learned from my last flight, it’s important to find out what luggage restrictions or requirements your airline has; however, if you’re travelling in your own vehicle, then what kind of luggage you pack is not such an issue. Once you figure out what kind of suitcase(s) you're going to bring, you're ready to get started.

Keep Chic and Carry On

Wardrobe planning can help to ensure that, if nothing else, you will look good amidst the chaos.

Have you ever noticed how some people seem able to keep it all together, regardless of what is going on in their life? No matter what kind of action-filled, chaotic events are happening during their week, certain people have that je ne sais quoi. They invariably seem in control and together. Conversely, there are some people that, if the wind blows the wrong way, they fall apart. They are often frazzled and flustered-- and usually this is reflected in their attire. Perhaps their clothing is wrinkled, their hair is undone, and they usually seem very tired. Clearly, being frazzled is so not chic.

What is different about these two kinds of people? The chic and the... not-so-chic? It is not necessarily a matter of time-- everyone has the same 24 hours in the day, and everyone has responsibilities and obligations. Yet some people let their daily tasks get the best of them. They become overwhelmed and their appearance is often the first thing that is sacrificed in the line of duty. Often these people are apologetic or embarrassed about how they look. When a day's tasks are building up, why add to the stress with feelings of guilt and embarrassment? Your appearance can become a place of confidence and refuge. When things start getting hectic, wouldn't it be nice to reassure yourself with the notion that, if nothing else, at least your knickers match?

This kind of confidence does not happen by accident. What distinguishes the chic from the chaotic is a matter of planning ahead and being prepared. Although most people accept this mantra in regard to everyday tasks and responsibilities, many are not aware that it is also especially true when it comes to one's attire.