Before the Party

Plan Ahead: The most important part of hosting any kind of party is planning well in advance of the event date. Create a timeline so you know when each bit of planning should be done and adhere strictly to it. For example, 2 to 3 weeks before the party send out invitations, 2 weeks before plan a menu, 1 week before purchase all non-perishable food and beverages, and the day before set the table and decorate. Also, planning ahead will let you look for items that are on sale as well as cut coupons.

Make Lists: To keep yourself sane, write out lists of everything you need to purchase before the event. Try to make lists by where you will be buying everything. For example, make a perishable food list for items you will buy at the farmer’s market, a list of alcohol and cocktail mixers for the liquor store, and a list of decorations for the party store. Go through your cabinets and pantry to avoid purchasing items you already have.

Create a Sensible Menu: When creating the menu, try to include a few dishes that can be made a day or two in advance. You don’t want to spend the entire day of the party cooking with no time to set-up or get ready. Things that can be baked in the oven like casseroles can typically be made a day or two ahead of time and then simply reheated the day of.

Also, be wary of how much cooking space you have. If you want to make four or five things that need to be baked in the oven but you don’t have room in there, try to substitute a few things that can be made on the stove or items that don’t need to be cooked at all.

Try to make dishes that have steps that can be prepped in advance like cutting up the vegetables or making a sauce ahead of time; you don’t want to be bogged down all day doing things like peeling potatoes. One of my favorite make ahead dishes is a simple potato casserole that can be put together two days in advance, chilled and reheated when ready to serve.

Finally, when making a menu, be cautious of your guests’ dietary restrictions. If you have some non-carnivore friends make a dish or two that they will enjoy.

Next: During the Party

During the Party

Clean Up as the Party Goes On: You should probably refrain from things like running the dishwasher or washing plates in the sink, but simple things like picking up pieces of trash or gathering empty plates and glasses will save you some time later on. Don’t spend your whole night cleaning up, but keeping a tidy party will make you happy later on.

Enjoy Yourself: Most hosts and hostesses forget this very important part of the party. It’s your night to have a good time as well so keep this in mind as you are planning the party. Try to keep work during the party at a minimum and do as much as possible in advance.

Getting stuck behind the bar is one of the most dangerous places for the host. To avoid this, set-up a “make your own cocktail” bar. Leave all the necessary equipment (glasses, cocktail shakers, shot glasses for measuring, stirrers, ice, etc.) on a large table for guests to shake and pour their own drinks, just know that this can sometimes create a mess.

Next: After the Party

After the Party

Organize for Next Year: If you had a successful party (which hopefully you did), make a file with all the things you did that worked well and things you did that did not work well (i.e. recipes, beverages, decorations). Also, keep your pre-party lists in the file and make a new list of things you already have that were leftover from this year’s party. For example, if you can reuse decorations or have plenty of holiday themed napkins and plates leftover, write it all down along with where you are storing them. Just be sure not to lose the file!