Celebrations

The months of November and December are perhaps the most active times of the year for all kinds of social and family celebrations. From very intimate gatherings to black tie galas, this is the season that has something for everyone.

For many hosts of these celebrations also comes the stress of pulling it all together. Planning and shopping as well as preparing for the event can turn the prospect of hosting a celebration into a dreaded event. To help lessen the stress of planning your holiday get-together, here are a few tips to help get you through:

  1. Keep it simple. Plan a menu that is flavorful using recipes items that can be prepared in advance of your big day.
  2. Set a start and end time for your affair.
  3. Consider hosting a brunch or tea as your holiday celebration. It is less time consuming and the menu for these types of get-togethers tend to be less expensive and easier to manage.
  4. Include items on the menu that can be purchased already prepared. To make the items more appealing, be sure to plate them on beautiful platters and garnish with fresh fruit or vegetables to add to the presentation.
  5. Use fresh whole fruit and nuts in vases to accent you table décor.
  6. Group courses (i.e. appetizers, desserts, etc) in the same area on the table. Or for a more festive presentation, create serving stations in different areas around your home in order to encourage movement and mingling of your guests.

Enjoy!!!