After the rush of summer, spending time outside, traveling and long days, the crisp air of fall sets in. As the days get shorter, we start to spend more time inside and re-focus on our homes, transitioning them with the season. With the holidays upon us, it is the best time to do a little nesting. The holidays also mean welcoming family and friends over for entertaining. So how do you become the hostess with the mostess? Small details can go a long way to make a lasting impression with your guests. Here are a few simple steps to ensure this is the most wonderful time of the year.
Plan Ahead: Anyone else feel like time is flying by? Quite frankly, I don’t even know how it’s November. I know for me, if I sit down and write a list, it helps me from getting overwhelmed when time gets short. Even though small details make a big impact, sometimes it can still be time consuming to accomplish these tasks. In your planning phase, figure out what the holidays are going to look like for you if you are the host house. Determine the type of party you are going to have. Will it be an intimate gathering with small plates or a large fun-filled feast?
Craft the Menu: Once you determine the size of the party, you can hone in on planning. The menu should be at the forefront of that planning because let’s face it…people love food! For small gatherings, a charcuterie board is always a hit (plus it’s filling too).
For larger parties, be sure to have a couple appetizers for guests to snack on while the main course is cooking. The main meal should consist of entrée, sides, salad and dessert. Just because you are hosting doesn’t mean you have to do all of the cooking. Ask your guests to bring their favorite holiday dish. This can be a fun way to try new things and boost your recipe repertoire.
Setting the stage: Dressing is not just for the turkey… it is for your home and table too. I have talked about it before but table setting is one of my favorite things to do. When dressing up your table a couple of basic principles apply:
1. Textiles: Decide what textiles you are going to use. Will you be using a tablecloth, runner, placemats or a combination? I like to layer for added dimension and visual interest. When selecting napkins, sometimes I interchange napkins and dish towels in my tablescapes because it’s easier to find seasonal dish towels than napkins.
2. Plates: Layering isn't limited to textiles, you can also layer your plates by using a charger, your dinner plate, and if the menu is formal, a salad plate or bowl as well. For clarification, a charger plate is a base plate that goes underneath your dinner plate. It's simply for decoration.
Tip: If you don't have enough plates, mix two different coordinating sets to increase your quantity.
4. Silverware: Sometimes silverware is tricky...but here are the basic rules. Forks are on the left and knives on the right with the blade facing the plate. If you are having salad and plan on using a fork specifically for the course, the salad fork goes to the left of the dinner fork.
Tip: When you sit down to dinner and there is more silverware than you know what to do with, remember to work from the outside in.
5. Décor: Whether it's a centerpiece or place setting decor, incorporating natural elements not only keeps the cost down but it also increases the festive feel of the table. For Thanksgiving, I love to use feathers, pumpkins and dried leaves, just to give you a few ideas. Making an impact doesn't have to be expensive. You can do a lot with natural elements and also by re-inventing items you have in your existing collection. The most important part of the day is simply being together and making memories for years to come.
Last but not least, enjoy the day! Be present, put the phone away. If you need something to get the conversation started, I love having a Table Topics game close by. It not only gets everyone talking but you never know what you might learn about someone you think you know. If you would like to pickup the game locally, pop on over to Polka Dots in the heart of Downtown Gardnerville.
Stop by Eddy Street Vintage Market November 15-17 to pick up all of your entertaining needs.