Bodysuit // Skirt // Wrapping Paper // Bows // Carver Chain Necklace // Aliza Chain Necklace // Layering Necklace Clasp // Shoes

Entertaining during the holidays is one of my favorite things to do. I love decorating the house, lighting my favorite holiday scented candles, preparing lots of delicious appetizers and cocktails and spending some quality time with friends and family. Although entertaining is something I look forward to every year, it can also be stressful to plan everything out perfectly and also enjoy myself while mingling with my guests. Here are 5 tips I’ve learned over the years to make holiday entertaining just a little bit easier and more enjoyable.

1. Make a few self-serve appetizers

Let’s talk food! One of the most important parts of a successful party. Depending on the time of my event (I’ll usually plan my event later in the evening so I don’t have to serve a full meal), my go-to is typically a bunch of appetizers and some desserts. A charcuterie board is almost always on my menu because it’s super easy to make, can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator and it’s beautiful to display. Not only do I include a typical meat & cheese charcuterie board, it’s also a fun way to display mini appetizers and desserts too! If you’re looking for an easy & beautiful appetizer to include on your menu, check out my recipe below for Baked Brie Bites. Yum!

2. Choose one or two make ahead festive cocktails

For holiday entertaining I love serving champagne, wine, seasonal beers and one or two festive cocktails that I can make ahead and store in a glass pitcher. One of my favorites is a Pomegranate Vodka Spritzer (recipe included below) that’s absolutely delicious, light and super festive. Just multiply the recipe by however many servings you’d like to have, mix it up and have little dishes with the straws and extra garnish near the pitcher of cocktails.

3. Deck the halls in advance

The week before the party, start decorating and setting out serving dishes and platters. Starting early and setting up for the event early allows you to figure out if you’ve missed anything or if you need any last minute items. It will also help to alleviate stress the few days before the gathering. Here are some of my favorite home holiday decor pieces.

4. Set the mood with a festive playlist

Music is an important part of an event and it’s often overlooked. Create a holiday playlist to set the mood by loading all of your favorite holiday songs into a Spotify playlist or simply find the perfect playlist on Alexa. One of my favorite playlists on Amazon Music is “Holiday Favorites.”

5. Ask for help

Enlist the help of a friend attending the party to help you keep an eye on things such as refreshing the appetizers, setting out desserts and offering your guests another cocktail. This will allow you to mingle and enjoy the party too.

I hope you all have a very happy holiday season! Cheers! 🥂

Recipes:

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.