Christmas Entertaining

Helpful Tips for Planning Your Christmas Party 

• If you are short on time and your family members don't help out around the house, don't hesitate to hire a cleaning service to wash your floors, dust, clean your bathrooms and vacuum your rugs and draperies. The clean house and extra time can be your gift to yourself!
• For the safety of your guests, make sure walkways and driveways are cleared of snow and ice. Also, make sure they are well-lit and that your house number is easily visible from the street.
• Plan your music play list. Make sure your CD player is full of appropriate music for the type of party you are having so you can just set it to shuffle randomly and forget it.
• If you are planning on having a large party, don't be afraid to hire help. You can have the food catered by a personal chef (book well in advance) and hire local students to serve food and clean the kitchen.
• Don't wait until the last minute to start thinking about the logistics of the party. Think about how you may want to rearrange your furniture to accomodate your guests, and then you can plan on any table or seating rentals that may be necessary. Don't forget that if you need to rent tables, you will also need tablecloths.
• Don't forget the centerpieces! Talk to your florist well in advance to plan your flower arrangements. Also, consider working in seasonal fruits for an unexpected twist.
• Make sure your home smells like the holidays, as well! Use essential oils to infuse pinecones with the scents of Christmas (ginger, pine, cinnamon, etc.) and scatter them in little arrangments around the house. Pleasant scents can really set the mood.
• Do you have room to put guests' coats during the party - besides on a bed somewhere? If not, consider purchasing or renting a rolling coat rack.

The Best Christmas Cookies 

(in no particular order)

• Gingerbread Cookies
• Coconut Macaroons
• Sugar Cookies with icing
• Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Oatmeal Cookies
• Peanut butter kisses
• Ladyfingers
• Rosettes