GON Reader Question
How do I stay organized for my big holiday dinner?
Hi Maria,
My husband and I are hosting Christmas this year for the first time in our lives. I want it to be amazing and am planning everything from appetizers to dessert.
We're having 10 guests (all friends), plus us. I already told people not to bring a dish to pass because I wanted everything to be within a theme and I'm very particular. I don't even want my husband in the kitchen with me
while I'm cooking.
But now that it's getting closer, I'm beginning to freak out a bit. Any advice?
-- Faith in New Hampshire
Response from Maria Gracia
Faith,
Here are seven tips to help keep your dinner organized and to reduce any stress you may be feeling.
1. Have all of your recipes and your prepping/cooking timeline on paper. Slide them into sheet protectors and put them in a 3-ring binder. This way, they're all easily accessible when you're ready to begin cooking, and you can flip page to page easily.
2. Divvy up the tasks. Figure out how you can divide up what needs to be done with your husband. The table will need to be set; he can do this the night before. When your guests arrive,
perhaps he can offer and serve beverages. Maybe he can be in charge of the dinner music (appropriate music is imperative). Perhaps he can make a playlist. You get the idea. If you're doing all the cooking, ask for help with the other tasks.
3. Get your serving dishes ready ahead of time. Lay your serving dishes/bowls out and stick a sticky note in each labeled with whatever is going into that serving dish. This prevents last-minute thinking when it's time to serve the food.
4. Mix some cold dishes in with your hot dishes. For instance, a cold choice such as shrimp cocktail could be an appetizer and can be made ahead of time and in your fridge, ready to serve. One of your side dishes could be a tomato, basil, mozzarella salad...which can also be made ahead of time. In having some cold dishes, you won't be frantic trying
to get a ton of hot dishes done at once.
5. Make recipes you've made before. A big holiday dinner is normally not the time to be "testing out" your main dish or components
of a meal. Make something you already know is delicious.
6. Sit and enjoy each course with your guests. Hosting a dinner and spending every minute of it in the kitchen is
exhausting and no fun. Prep as much as you can ahead of time. Space out each portion of the meal so there is time for YOU to sit and enjoy it with your guests.
7. If one of your
guests offers to help, say YES. Whether it is pouring drinks, bringing food to the table, or helping to get dishes into the dishwasher afterwards, just say YES.
I hope everything
turns out beautifully. If there are any blips or snafus along the way, give yourself permission to smile, laugh it off, and move on. Have a wonderful time with your friends!
