Simple Steps For A Great Holiday Dinner

The holidays are full of hustle and bustle. It's full of travel and last minute shopping. It's full of wrapping presents and caroling. For some, it's also full of stress and bad weather. But holidays are also a great time to get together with friends and family. It's a time to reconnect with those we don't see as often as we like. And a big holiday dinner is a great way to do it. In order for it to be a great success, there are a few things that need to happen. Here're a few ideas.

First, pick a date early in the season or right after the holidays. From about the fifteenth of the month until Christmas, life goes into warp speed and no body enjoys being invited anywhere. So get those invites out early.

Before you make the invitations, decide what kind of dinner this will be. Are you going to make everything? If you are a gourmet cook, this might be right up your alley. But if you have been dreaming of your friend's shrimp salad, make the dinner a pot luck. You'll get much more variety this way. And you'll have less work to do. Feel free to ask people to bring certain dishes. They may even ask you what you need. So be prepared. You should be responsible for the main dish. Salads, rolls, and desserts are always good things to ask for.

Make the menu early. Decide what can be done the day before. Clean out the frig so there is ample room to store things. Make a grocery list of everything you need for the dinner and check and re-check the list. You don't want to run out of something at the last minute.

Since people will be mingling all over your house, take a quick walk through of what needs to be done. Toilets, counters, floors and mirrors are musts. You will also want to make sure you have enough paper products with extras on hand. The bathrooms especially need lots of toilet paper and the kitchen need paper towels. You will also want to dust any particularly dusty area.

Any last minute touches are fun but not necessary. You can light the candles and turn on some Christmas music. It will add to the spirit of the holidays. Once you've done that, remember to enjoy the time with your guests. It's easy to forget that. Forget everything else and just enjoy the moment.


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