Be the host with the most this holiday! The fall holidays are a festive and fun time of year. That being said, they can also be busy and stressful for hosts. We’re here to make things as easy and stress free as we can by giving you tips for the day before, the day of, and the day after holiday hosting!
The Day Before
Being the ultimate holiday host and minimizing your stress involves as much prep on the day before as possible! Start by making a list of what you need to do and a plan for when you will do it. This way you can ensure you don’t miss anything while you check things off as you complete them.
Spread out the cleaning and focus on a different part of your home each day leading up to hosting day. Organize all the dinnerware, tablecloths, and napkins so that they’re clean and ready to go. You can even set the table the night before so that it’s one less thing to do the day of. Doing things in small doses throughout the week before and especially the day before will help to minimize what actually needs doing on the holiday.
As for food, typically most of the cooking for the holiday feast can be completed ahead of time. Buy all your ingredients early throughout the month so that you don’t run into the issue of not finding something the week of. Fresh produce will need to be purchased closer to the actual day but for example, turkeys are usually available weeks before the holiday.
Cook your protein the day before, especially if it needs to be roasted in the oven for hours. It will still be delicious reheated the day of and is guaranteed to be ready in time. If you have some side dishes that freeze well, make them ahead and then defrost and reheat on the day of the meal. They’re sure to be as scrumptious as if they were made fresh!
Another great tip is to make your meal potluck style and ask everyone attending to bring a food item with them. This takes the pressure off you to make a massive meal on your own and also makes for a great variety of dishes.
The Day Of
No matter how much you do ahead of time, there will be some things you can only do on the day of hosting. Some vegetable dishes are best prepared fresh and can be done in the morning. Focus on what’s in season in terms of veggies and that will help make for a beautiful meal with fall flavours.
Make things easy by embracing the casserole and one-pot meal! They’ll make your side dishes a breeze when you just prep, toss it in the oven, and pull it out ready to go.
Holiday feasts don’t have to be overly complicated or fancy. Keep things simple and delicious and stick to tried and true recipes. You can try something new if it doesn’t look too difficult, but don’t stress yourself out more with a lengthy recipe as guests are arriving.
Once guests start arriving, it might be difficult to slip out for anything you may have forgotten. It’s best to keep everything you might need on hand, including ingredients, snacks, and drinks. This way you’re prepared with everything you might need already in your home.
Accept help when guests offer it and understand that just because you’re hosting doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself! Holiday get-togethers are a great time for coming together to make something incredible and helping each other to have a wonderful time.
After the meal is over, divide up and dish out leftovers for everyone to take home. Just be sure to leave a little for yourself!
The Day After
The day after hosting is when you can relax. You did it! You put on an incredible feast and everyone had a great time celebrating the holiday together. All that’s left is a little bit of tidying. Clean any remaining dishes and put them back in their spots if they’re not used daily. Wash and put away the linens for the next holiday.
Put away any special decor you may have pulled out for the occasion. Tidy up the space by moving furniture back to its spot and putting away anything that was left out.
Divide and freeze any food for later, like proteins and some side dishes. This takes some of the pressure off to consume it before it goes bad and can be enjoyed later. Organize the leftovers in the fridge to be eaten over the next week to ensure everything is enjoyed in time.
Send out a quick thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with you. It’s a nice gesture and a reminder to them that you appreciated their company.
