Holiday Entertaining Part 2 - Preparing Your House

Getting your House in Order

Don't wait until the last minute to get your house ready for your holiday party! Plan your plan, and then work your plan a little each day. Get your holiday decorations out and start decorating your house inside and out early! Remember; keep detailed lists of what you need to do each day.

Here are some things that you might want to consider:

• Be sure to check that all of your lights in your house (both inside and out) are in working order.

• Allow room in your hall closet for your guests’ coats. Have plenty of hangers on hand.

• If you live in a rainy area, have a place to receive wet umbrellas and boots. Be sure to have a mat out side your door and one inside your door so that your guests will think twice about wiping their feet before they enter your home.

• Plan on moving large bulky pieces of furniture to the garage.

• You want to establish clear pathways for your guests to move around. Yes you need places for your guests to sit but not if they are cumbersome to get around.
  


• Be sure you have places for your guests to put down a beverage, if needed.

• If you have pets, it’s a good idea to plan on isolating them during your party. With all of the comings and goings, your pet could easily get loose and wander away. Guests may be allergic to pet hair and pet dander. Someone may be afraid of cats. Someone else may step backwards and trip over your dog, sending a wine glass flying. It’s better to keep your pet away from the hubbub.

• Think about if you have invited any smokers to your party. Where will they smoke? Nowadays, more and more smokers are accustomed to going outside to smoke. Provide a designated smoking area for them, complete with ashtrays, tables, and possibly a canopy or an overhang to protect them for the wet and wild weather.

Time to clean your house! Everyone dreads this task, so my suggestion is to try to do this by areas rather than all at once. Again, make a plan and work it. Keep detailed notes.

• Clean your fireplace and flue. Bring in plenty of kindling and wood so that starting a fire will be easy. A fireplace adds character and ambiance to a room, and often becomes a focal point... especially when a warm fire is glowing on a cold night.

• Make room in your kitchen cabinets so that the “night before your party” you can put away all appliances that you will not be using, such as your toaster, electric mixer, and juicer. The more counter space you have, the better.
  
  



• Your refrigerator needs to be free of smelly items and leftovers. Make room for large platters of food. Wipe down all shelves with bleach water. Marry bottles of dressing and condiments, allowing more space for beverages. If you have an ice machine and have room in your freezer, start bagging ice it in advance - this way you will have all you need for your party on hand.
  
  


• Clean all of your bathrooms from top to bottom. I would recommend disposable hand towels. Your guests will appreciate this gesture, as it shows that you have a conscious approach to germ warfare.
  



• Have extra toilet paper in a basket for your guests to refill themselves. Also, have a basket or a bowl of emergency items on your bathroom counter, such as Band-aids, aspirins, Tylenol antacids, a nail file, mouthwash, gum, hair spray, hand lotion, and sanitary napkins. Be sure to have a spray bottle or room deodorizer in each bathroom. A candle is a nice touch as well. Hand sanitizer is a must!



• Be sure the entry to your home welcomes your guests. You do not want your guests falling, so you can prevent this by being prepared ahead of time. Is your outside entry well lit and clear of any debris? Are your gutters clean? If you don’t have an entryway, is their room for your guests to leave their wet boots on your front porch? Can you make a boot area for them? Can you spruce your entry by adding some lighted potted plants that add color and light at the same time?

Holiday Entertaining, Part 1 - Invitations

Holiday entertaining – How to be the Host with Most! Taking the time to make a thoughtful and appropriate plan (and sticking to it!) will ensure that your party will be relaxing and fun for you and your guests. So organize and plan every detail for your party now. This 8-part series will help you with every step of the planning process.

1. Guest List & Invitations
Your guest list should be complete with name, address, phone, email address and column for RSVP. It is important to think about why you want to invite to your party. Feel free to over-invite guests, as there will always be no shows or last minute cancellations. It’s perfectly fine to mix and match friends and business acquaintances, so feel free to ask people from your place of employment, neighbors, church, synagogue, gym, book club, fraternal originations and relatives. Go through your email list and invite people that you email to who may not be in your address book. The more guests that come through your door, the better the party!


Invitations

Plan to send your invitations out early, as the holiday can be a busy and hectic time for all. A save-the-date via email six weeks in advance or a personal phone call would be one way to conquer this task early. If that is not an option than I would recommend at least three to four weeks notice to allow your guests ample time to plan there holiday activities around your party. Remember to include your return address on the envelope so in case the invitation is deemed undeliverable it will be returned to you. If a potential guest does not respond by the date you have designated, then by all means follow it up with an email or a phone call. This will let your guest know that you really want them to come and join the party.

Your invitation, whether printed or hand written, must state the following:
· Date and Time
· Address and Directions
· Where to park
· What the party is for
· Host
· Contact information
· Site phone number
· Attire
· Menu (light refreshment, brunch, light dinner, full dinner, cocktails, desserts)
· Is the party for adults only, or will children be allowed? If you would like children to attend, then write on the invitation “All children are welcome.” Or, if you choose to go one step further, then write “A babysitter will be provided.”
· The best way to RSVP (email or phone) and the RSVP date.

The abbreviation RSVP is French for répondez, s'il vous plaît (please reply). As a guest, it is common courtesy to take a minute out of your day and reply as requested to the invitation by a specific date. If bringing children, include their ages on the RSVP. As a host or hostess it is imperative that you track all of your RSVP’s, whether you are preparing the food yourself or hiring a professional caterer to do so for you.

Another consideration: You, as the host, may want to adopt a charitable cause. With the current state of the economy, what better way to help your favorite cause by asking your party guests to assist you in making a donation that will add a charity element to your holiday party! I have listed a few charities that I know and love that you could contact.

· The Local Food Bank will always take dry goods and canned goods of any kind, especially peanut butter, Mac & Cheese, and boxed cereal. Checks are gladly accepted.
· The Local Humane Society is always in need of dry dog and cat food, collars for all size and shapes of animals, leashes, cat litter, checks for neutering and licenses, medium and large dog houses, litter boxes, and pet toys.
· Adopt a less fortunate family in your area – Be specific with your needs, i.e. ages of children and adults for gifts, sizes for clothes. If you are bringing this family a basket of food for the holidays, then tell your guests what you need to fill it with.
· Seniors in your area – Personal Care items, Crosswords, Socks, Pajama's, Robes, Sweaters, T shirts, Note cards and Stamps, gas cards, magazine or Newspaper Subscriptions, gift cards.
· Toys for Tots – The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
· Soldier’s Families - Phone cards, donate your time to help with household repairs,
· Wounded warriors – Cash and credit card donations are gladly accepted.
· Gift wrapping - Call your local high school, church, or Boys and Girls Club. Ask if the club is looking to earn money for a specific purpose - if so, inquire if they are interested in setting up a booth in your home where your guests can bring there presents to be wrapped. Guests will be asked to donate to the local club of your choosing!

This can become something fun and worthwhile for everyone to partake in. I believe it can be rewarding experience for those that give as well as those who receive. You can make a difference! In fact with all of your friends help your impact can make a BIG difference! As the host, you can make it easy for your guests to get involved! So what are you waiting for?