Entertaining for the Holidays!

This is one of my favorite times of the year.....everything is geared around the holidays. It's now that folks start thinking about seeing family and friends they haven't seen much during the year. One way of getting everyone together is to host a Holiday Party at home.

Now you can just grab some appetizers from your local supermarket and have everyone bring a dish and gather around the TV.....or you can really jazz it up and show off your decorating and entertaining skills. What's that you say? You have no skills?  Nonsense! It's not as hard as you think. Here are some ideas I've found useful over the years. Real easy stuff that will have your guests thinking you've been working on this party for 6 months - ha!

Food
During these cold months, folks love hearty comfort food and most times they don't have the opportunity to make it themselves because their daily lives are so busy. So here's your chance to feed your guests well without spending 2 days in the kitchen. Figure out your menu: check out www.allrecipes.com for really easy recipes that are fun and tasty!

Decor
Think beautiful linens, i.e.napkins, napkin holders, tablecloths. This is the time to pull out your favorite stemware and flatware. Don't worry about not having enough pieces for all your guests if it's not a sit-down dinner. However, you can always rent these items from upscale places like www.classicpartyrental.com or partyrentalltd.com. Believe it or not, they're quite affordable.

Don't forget your centerpiece. Purchase one already put together at your craft store or even Target has great ones for the holidays. Or if you're feeling crafty, create your own. You can get a beautiful vase and fill it with beautiful ornaments in your color theme. Oh and as for colors, step outside of the red and green realm. Incorporate blues or purples with accents of silver...which are the hot colors of the season this year.

Happy Holidays!

Andrea