I really enjoy holiday entertaining. Do you? Many years ago we hosted a large Christmas party in our old house with over 100 friends and family. Our 100-year-old English Tudor was ideal for entertaining — it was spacious, with room for guests to mingle and get to know one another.
We arranged food in the dining room, drinks in the kitchen, and hors d’oeuvres in the living room. The baby grand player piano filled the house with Christmas music and created a festive atmosphere. With five bathrooms, guests never had to wait. That party remains a favorite memory, and it happened to be our last Christmas in that big house.
But you know what?
We’ve hosted gatherings in every kind of home — an 800 square foot condo when we were newlyweds (we hid our laundry in the closet to make room for guests to use the only bathroom), a 1,200 square foot English cottage, and a 2,200 square foot house. Each event produced warm memories, regardless of the space.
No matter the size or style of our home, we loved inviting people over and creating a welcoming setting for holiday celebrations. It wasn’t about showing off; it was about giving guests a special evening. Entertaining is our way of showing care — we enjoy making a comfortable space where people can gather and connect.
Here are my top seven must-haves for holiday entertaining:
- A reasonably clean home so guests feel comfortable, especially the powder room and main gathering areas.
- Candles to create ambiance and a light, inviting scent.
- Soft, festive music to bridge conversation gaps and keep the mood lively.
- Seating options for guests — even floor pillows work when space is limited.
- Surfaces for setting down drinks and plates so guests can relax.
- A few conversation starters on hand in case the energy lags.
- A manageable plan for preparing and serving food and drinks so the host isn’t stressed during the event.
And if I could add a few more indulgences, I wouldn’t mind a new KitchenAid stand and hand mixer, a Pottery Barn gift card, or a festive holiday apron from The Hip Hostess.
Because I appreciate my readers, Sandy, a friend from the Reluctant Entertainer blog, and I put together a Holiday Entertaining giveaway for one lucky winner. We’ve gathered prizes to help you feel ready for the season and make entertaining easier and more fun.
How to enter
To enter, leave a comment on each of our Holiday Entertaining posts—both the Reluctant Entertainer post and the Inspired Room post. Then confirm your entry in the Rafflecopter widget by answering the simple question and indicating you commented on both blogs. Rafflecopter guides you through the steps.
If you want extra chances to win, follow the Pinterest board Sandy and I created for Holiday Entertaining and Recipes. We’ll add inspiring pins throughout the season. You can also like our Facebook pages or share the giveaway on Twitter; additional entry options are available in Rafflecopter.
Do you like to entertain around the holidays? What keeps you from enjoying entertaining, if you don’t like it?
You only need to confirm your entry once in Rafflecopter on either blog. All entries are collected in Rafflecopter regardless of which site you enter on — the requirement is that you leave a comment on both blogs. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents.
Good luck! The giveaway ends Sunday at 12:01 AM and the winner will be announced on both blogs by Tuesday.
Many thanks to KitchenAid and The Hip Hostess for providing prizes for this giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway