These Holiday entertaining tips are from my segment with Lisa Quinn on ABC's View From the Bay.
Organization, this is the time of year for list making.
Create your holiday menu.
- Create your shopping list in advance at least one week in advance
- Look at the menu and decide what items can be prepared ahead of time
- Create a schedule of when to prepare each menu item
- If guests have asked to bring something let them know what to bring. It is essential to let them know what you are preparing so that you don't have overlapping menu items
The day before your dinner set the table.
One of the biggest holiday dilemmas is space: especially if you have decorated and have a tree in your house- At the very least you may have to move some furniture around
- Maybe you will need to move some furniture out of the room such as a ottoman or a chair to open up some space
Think outside the "room".
- Do you have a spare bedroom? Possibly this could be emptied for the day and a table set-up for dinner
- It's a good way to clean a room too. Nothing like having guests over to clean out corners
Perhaps a sit down dinner is not the way to go.
- You can always set up a buffet
- Just make sure everything is easy to eat and does not need a knife if guests don't have a place to sit
Thanks to the following Bay Area rental companies for their help: Hartmann Studios, Classic Party Rentals, Blue Water and Wine Country Party & Events.
