How to Be a Great Entertainer for the Holidays

Entertaining during the holidays need not be chaotic. Some of the chief ingredients needed to make a party a success are planning, organization, imagination and patience. To make your party a memorable and stress-free event, follow these helpful tips.

Establish a realistic budget that you can work with.

Make a list of everything: The number of guests you plan to invite, the type of utensils you wish to use, the type of chairs you want to provide for your guests, linens, food, beverages and other items.

Select a date, which is convenient for you and your guests.

Call or send out invitations well in advance. Remember everyone else will be entertaining during this time.

Request that your guests respond to your invite at least two weeks prior to the event.

Specify the time you wish your company to arrive.

Select quick, nutritious and easy to prepare menus.

Be familiar with your guests' eating patterns; some may be on restricted diets or observing religious dietary laws. So, provide a wide selection of dishes to accommodate your company.

Avoid trying out new recipes on your guests. If you would like to serve a particular dish, test it in advance.

If possible, prepare make-ahead dishes and freeze.

Set up a time schedule for shopping, housecleaning, preparing food and doing last minute chores.

Enlist the aid of everyone in your household; assign chores and deadlines to each family member.

If you are on an extremely tight budget, consider having a community party, where everyone brings a dish, and you supply your home for the entertaining.

Choose how you will serve your guests; if you plan to invite six people, you may want to have a sit-down dinner. If your space only allows for eight, and you want to invite twenty people, consider having a buffet-style dinner.

If you are going to bake foods, purchase Grade C, which costs less than Grade A. If visibility is important, select Grade A foods.

Do not request that your guests contribute to the bulk of the meal. In most cases, your visitors will inquire if they may bring something. If providing a wide selection of liquor will present a hardship, request that each person bring a bottle of his or her choice.

Use colorful and unique items to add variety to your party - like seashells, candles, fruit baskets or holiday ornaments as centerpieces.

Try not to ask any of your guests to arrive early in order to help you set up and do everything.

Make certain there will be enough of everything, such as ice, fresh glasses (at least two per guest), napkins, food and liquor. Nothing can be more disastrous than running out of everything just as the party is getting started.

Have a variety of fun activities to please everyone.

Be unique in your entertaining. Avoid having the exact kind of party that everyone else is having.

As the host, you should be well rested, cool, and calm and collected on the night of your big event. So Enjoy.