Party pointers for holiday hosts

"Entertaining is par for the course from November through the end of December. The holiday season is an especially festive time of year, and there's no shortage of opportunities to celebrate. Holiday hosts may wonder where to get started in regard to planning their events. It's easy to be overwhelmed by the process, but with some pointers just about anyone can have a holiday gathering worth remembering."

"When Rebecca Jennings, Vox senior correspondent covering social platforms, was hosting Thanksgiving for the first time last year, she remarked that her social media feed was filled with tutorials that made her feel like everyone was doing it better than she. Although social media can be great for generating ideas, it also might put undue pressure on hosts who feel they need to measure up to the events being executed by professionals, or people with a lot more time on their hands."

"This can certainly save time and stress. Great food often is at the center of a holiday event, and the menu should be designed to be a crowd pleaser. Work with familiar ingredients that may be presented in unique ways. For example, a traditional caprese salad can be transformed into finger foods by alternating cherry tomatoes, chunks of mozzarella and leaves of basil on skewers."

Entertaining commonly occurs from November through December, offering many opportunities for celebration. Hosts can feel overwhelmed by planning but can create memorable gatherings with straightforward guidance. Social media supplies ideas but can create unrealistic comparisons and pressure; hosts do not need to match professionally styled events or make everything from scratch. Prioritizing the guest experience reduces stress by focusing on what attendees will actually care about. Serving familiar, hearty, crowd-pleasing foods—such as roasted meats, mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, and transformed finger-foods like skewered caprese—keeps guests full and satisfied.

Read at Boston Herald