Ένα από τα πράγματα που πραγματικά μισώ στις γιορτές είναι όλο το άγχος και το στρές από τις προετοιμασίες, ειδικά αυτό που προέρχεται από τις προετοιμασίες του γιορτινού τραπεζιού. Με τα χρόνια βέβαια έχω καταφέρει να το ελαχιστοποιήσω (η εμπειρία βοηθάει!) και σήμερα θα μοιραστώ μαζί σας μερικά tips που θα σας βοηθήσουν να διοργανώσετε το καλύτερο γιορτινό κάλεσμα. Εάν λοιπόν προετοιμάζετε κάποιο χριστουγεννιάτικο, πρωτοχρονιάτικο ή εν γένει γιορτινό κάλεσμα συνεχίστε να διαβάζετε γιατί σας έχω μερικές σύμβουλές που θα σας βοηθήσουν ώστε να διοργανώσετε το καλύτερο ever γιορτινό τραπέζι!

1. Ξεκινήστε με ένα θέμα

2. Φτιάξτε τη λίστα των καλεσμένων

3. Μετρήστε τους καλεσμένους σας

4. Συντονίστε τη διακόσμηση

5. Σχεδιάστε το μενού

6. Δημιουργήστε ένα candy bar

7. Μην ξεχάσετε τη μουσική

8. Ετοιμάστε μικρά δωράκια για τους καλεσμένους σας

9. Οργανωθείτε εγκαίρως για τα απομεινάρια των φαγητών

One of the things that I absolutely hate about holidays is the holiday stress, especially the kind of stress that comes from hosting a holiday party. Over the years I have put a lot of effort into minimizing it and today I'm going to share some small tips that play a huge role in hosting the best holiday party ever! If you’re hosting Christmas, New Year's or any other holiday party I’m here to help your party go a little smoother and ... stress-free. These tips will show you how to host a stress-free Holiday (or any sort of ) Party!

Whether it’s an afternoon coffee & tea Christmas party, a holiday brunch, a Christmas dinner or New Year's Eve party choosing a central idea can help tie all your party elements together.

Gather all the names, write them down on your notebook or create a spreadsheet. If you are planning to send out invitations via mail, you should put their addresses too. One of the things that I absolutely love is to design my own invitations using Canva - even if it's only a girl's night out - and e-mail them. It's cute and gives the guests the feeling that they are special.

Bonus tip

Download and print my free 2018 Holiday Planner. Having all the details in one place will help you stay organized during the busy holiday season. 

Get it here: Free printable 2018 Holiday Planner

Write next to each guest the number of people you are expecting. Make sure to get their RSVP so you can help determine how many guests to expect, the number of supplies to make and amount of food and drinks to serve.

Set a color palette for your party and design the party decor around these colors but make sure to keep the decor simple. Don’t feel like you need to go out and buy tons of decor. Keep it simple and your guests will appreciate the small touches.

Bonus tip

Instead of stressing on the day of your party to create the ultimate tablescape, decorate your table the day before! That way you’ll have plenty of time to tweak and get it just the way you want it. Then on party day, you can focus on the food and drink, not the table decor.

The party theme sets the tone for the party, and above all, what to eat and drink. For a dinner party or a casual get-together, guests will get into the spirit when you tie in your food and beverages to fit the theme. If some of your guests want to bring a dish, accept their offer. It’s silly to make every dish yourself and to think that every single item has to be homemade. It's a good idea to make your dinner party a potluck! Have every guest bring a dish to share with the entire group but don't forget to give people specific instructions on what to bring. You don’t want to end up with 3 cheese pies!. Avoid any confusion and tell people exactly what you want them to bring or ask them what they want to bring.

Bonus tip

If your guests are bringing an extra special homemade dish, have them bring copies of the recipe to the party. That way everyone can swap recipes at the end of the night. 

Sometimes we fill up so much on the real meal that we forget to even get the desserts out. Don’t let this happen when you throw your party. Make the dessert an experience by setting an area for guests to display the desserts and other yummy items (like my favorite Saltine Toffee Crack). Be sure to display napkins, plates, and forks so guests can help themselves after dinner. This will make things less stressful for you because your friends can dig right in and you don’t have to serve them.

I am the absolute worst when it comes to music as I can't name even one popular song. But I do know the importance of music, especially at a party! If you are like me, you can enlist your hubby to help you create a playlist before the party

Bonus tip

Spotify offers the perfect playlist for every occasion you can think of or you can create your own. Just set it up, and forget it! 

Give your guests a parting gift to show your appreciation. Again nothing over the top, a lucky charm for the new year, a box of handmade cookies or even a small poinsettia in a pot are perfect for party favors. 

Bonus tip 

For an extra-special touch, you can personalize each gift with the guest’s name on a label or tag.

The best part about any party is the leftovers! If you are planning to send your guests away with some leftovers packages plan ahead of time, so you’ll not have to give your guests your nice dishes to carry their leftovers home in (and you might not ever get them back). Buy lots of takeout boxes that your friends can keep. Have everyone fill up their leftover bins right after dinner, and make sure they write their names on the containers. 

Bonus tip

You can put colorful washi tape out so guests can rip off a piece, write their name on it, and put it on their boxes.

There you have it, how to host the best holiday party without going crazy! Hopefully, these tips come in handy over the next days as you entertain family and friends for the holiday season.

Are you hosting a holiday party this year? I’d love to hear how you’re preparing for it!