THE SECRET TO UNFORGETTABLE ENTERTAINING

Well the holiday season is done and dusted and while I'm glad the stress of it is over, I can't help but be a little bit sad about how quickly it flew by and that the season for eggnog and christmas movies is another year away now. Over the course of the holidays, there was a lot of entertaining and most took place at my house and was left in my hands. I do absolutely love entertaining over the holidays but it doesn't come without stress and lots of work, so I thought I'd share some secrets with you about how to host something unforgettable without feeling completely overwhelmed.

1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT FOOD TO CATER WITH

Deciding on how to cater the event is often one of the biggest decisions when it comes to hosting over the holiday season. There are questions like, 'will everyone like this?,' 'will someone have an allergy,' 'will this fill everyone up?,' 'Can I make this ahead?,' that fill my head and I'm sure yours aswell! Most years I take the route of putting out some shop bought nibbles before the main meal, and finishing with a cheese board and dessert, but this year I decided to up my game a bit and cook everything from scratch! I researched some ideas and decided on a variety of 7 canapes. The easiest way to decide on these is to choose some standard options that you know everyone will like and some more unfamiliar chooses that are sure to impress your guests! Majority of the canapes I created could also be made before the day and frozen, which was vital for me to ensure that everything could be ready in time. I highly recommend this! It also allows for you to cater multiple events by just pulling out some delicious food from the freezer and reheating it in the oven. We used most of the same stuff for our new years party! It looks and tastes as good as new I promise!

Of course, the roast turkey and vegetables have to be cooked on the day, but by having all the canapes made earlier, it frees up your day on christmas day to ensure that you can focus on a perfectly cooked main meal. The easiest way to finish a meal is always with a cheese board. It allows everyone to nibble and enjoy, but those who are already full can sit out! It puts no pressure on your guests to continue eating after they are full. Every year for dessert our family has a cheesecake, my nanna's recipe, which is honestly the best cheesecake you'll have!

2. CREATING A SCHEDULE

While it sounds overwhelming, it really wasn't. I started my preparation for christmas day in late november, which included creating a menu and scheduling when everything needed to be done. Creating a schedule really helps when the month starts to fly by, you'll know everything that needs to be done and exactly when to do it. It will ensure that nothing is missed and you can relax knowing that you will get everything done.

To see exactly how I planned my holiday season, see this blog post. But I can't stress enough- plan,plan,plan.

3. CREATE A STUNNING TABLE SETTING

A stunning table setting is sure to be the thing that makes your event unforgettable! It's one thing to host and cook, but to have a perfectly refined table setting is sure to make your guests thing you are the best and most capable host! Like canapes, your table setting can be planned and prepared before the day! I chose the colours and table decor in late november and spent december purchasing everything I needed. A table place setting is also where you can add a personal touch and really make your guests feel cared for, this year I made personalised cookies as place cards and everyone loved it I always set my table the night before an event, it makes me feel so much more prepared for the day ahead and it means you know that you can't run out of time on the day to fully impress your guests.

While these secrets are based around christmas and the holiday season, they will work for any event you are hosting, whether it be a birthday, soiree or work event.

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