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Posts Tagged ‘Holiday Entertaining’

25 Days of Christmas

Posted in Christmas, Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, Holidays, tagged , , , on December 1, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Happy December!

Starting today running right through to Christmas, I will be posting a daily holiday tip, idea, how-to or recipe. You don’t want to miss out on any of the fun!

So today, in honor of Day 1 of our Holiday Hoopla, here is our first holiday tip.

Start your welcome to holiday guests at the front door. There is nothing quite like a cheery welcome mat to say “thank you for coming to our home” as your guest walks up to your door.

I like to buy a new one every year because let’s face it, no matter how much you scrub on these after a season out in the weather they just never look very spiffy when you unpack them the next year. I cheat and buy a couple on the after Christmas clearance sales.

If you live in an area where you are going to get a lot of snow, slush and gunk tracked in your house, I highly recommend having a sturdier rubber-type mat outside your front door with a fabric mat inside the door. This will help cut down on the mess.

What type of mat you put outside should reflect your personality or the feeling you want to convey. It can be traditional, elegant, whimsical. Find what speaks to you and run with it!

Here are a few ideas:

Traditional

 

Elegant

Fun and whimsical (I am digging the word whimsical today. See how many times you can work it into a conversation!).

 

Scenic

 

Contemporary

Check back tomorrow for ideas on wreaths!

Happy Entertaining and Happy Holidays!

Shanna

 

 

 

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Be Prepared for Holiday Guests

Posted in entertain, Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, tagged , on December 22, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Here we are in the final days before Christmas and everyone seems to be rushing around with last-minute lists of things to be done.

As you are compiling those lists, make one of things to be sure to have on hand through your holiday entertaining. If you are prepared, it makes entertaining so much more simple and enjoyable!

Some things to be sure you are well stocked on:

napkins

paper towels

toilet paper

facial tissues

aluminum foil

plastic wrap

garbage bags

baking soda (works well for so many things from neutralizing orders to shining the stainless faucets)

bleach wipes (you know someone is going to show up sick and these are a quick and handy way to keep things wiped down and as clean as possible)

milk and eggs

ice

club soda (mix it with any type of juice for automatic punch! Also great at removing stains, polishing jewelry and glass, and settling upset stomachs!)

munchies (people arrive hungry and get hungrier with all the great smells coming from the kitchen. Have an ample supply of munchies like veggie trays, crackers and cheese on hand.)

games (if children are in the mix, have a few easy to play games ready. Coloring books and crayons are also a great diversion.)

Last-minute gifts (keep a few generic gifts on hand wrapped and ready for giving. You never know when you are going to need one. It can be something simple like candles or lotion sets for women and candy, a book or a car-related item – think furry mitt with ice scraper attached – for the guys.)

Enjoy the time spent with loved ones who gather in your home and remember, it is all about the memories you make through time together.

Happy Holidays and Happy Entertaining!

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Keep Holiday Entertaining Simple

Posted in entertain, Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, Quick and Easy, tagged , , on December 1, 2009| Leave a Comment »

In case you missed it, we are officially into the holiday season which means ample opportunities to entertain and be entertained. If you have never hosted a gathering in your home before, don’t know the difference between and frying pan and a fondue pot, and have no idea where to begin, I have three little words for you: Keep It Simple!

Entertaining, particularly during the holiday season, should be as stress-free as possible and that is why keeping things simple is a must.

If you can’t cook or don’t have time, a great and easy rule of thumb is to serve something salty, something sweet and something to sip. Now, that doesn’t sound so hard, does it? You could serve something as simple as a  meat and cheese tray with crackers, some holiday cookies and hot chocolate.

If decorating isn’t your cup of tea, keep your focus on a few simple things that can bring a festive atmosphere to your home. Put a red or green cloth on your table. You can pick these up fairly inexpensively this time of year. If you are on a really tight budget, buy a flat red or green sheet at a discount store. No one will ever know the difference. Fill a basket or bowl with gold, silver, red or green Christmas balls or pinecones and use as a centerpiece. Purchase a few inexpensive poinsettias and place around your home. Hang a wreath on the door with a red bow, and you are set!

If you avoid entertaining because you hate to clean, get over it! Focus on cleaning just three rooms: the living room, the kitchen and the guest bathroom. Guests really aren’t going to be wandering through your home, so clean those three areas and call it good enough. Make sure the guest bathroom is shiny and spotless. This is one room that people will notice if it is less than pristine!

Light a few holiday scented candles or put a pan on low on the stove with a couple cups of water, some cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. The house will have a warm, welcoming aroma as guests come in the door.

Pinecones and greenery are inexpensive (or free, depending on what is growing in your yard) and can quickly and easily be whipped into festive decorations. Just add some red ribbon and you are set!

Remember, the most important part of entertaining is to connect with your guests, be gracious and make them feel welcome in your home.

Happy Entertaining!

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Creating a Coffee Station

Posted in entertain, Entertaining Ideas, tagged , on November 17, 2009| 2 Comments »

With Thanksgiving arriving next week, it officially signals the beginning of holiday entertaining. As guests come into your home, you might want to think about setting up a coffee or beverage station where they can help themselves. This is especially nice when offering an assortment of rich desserts.

Here are some easy tips for setting up a coffee station:

For guests to dress up individual cups of coffee, set out bowls of cream, sugar cubes, red-hot candies, cinnamon sticks, purchased chocolate stirrers, vanilla and almond extracts, and ground spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

Other stir-in ideas include grated chocolate, whipped cream, cocoa powder, chocolate syrup and orange or peppermint extracts.

To flavor an entire pot of coffee, sprinkle coffee grounds with orange or lemon peel or ground cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger before brewing.

The flavor of coffee begins to diminish within an hour after it’s made and leaving coffee on the heating element accelerates the problem. To keep coffee fresh and hot, transfer it to a carafe or thermos that has been preheated with hot water.

Only make as much coffee as needed and avoid reheating coffee, which can make it bitter.

For 12 people, you need about 1/4 pound of coffee and three quarts of water. For 25 people, you need about 1/2 pound of coffee and one and a half gallons of water. For best flavor start with cold, fresh tap water.

For those who aren’t coffee drinkers, have a carafe of hot water with a selection of cider and chocolate packets or tea bags available.

Happy Entertaining!

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