Hosting for the Holidays
We’re wrapping up our 2024 wedding season at Jane Rae, which means we’re looking forward to holiday celebrations of all sorts. As wonderful as it is to gather with friends and family, the thought of hosting and attending holiday parties can get overwhelming. I chatted with our resident expert on hospitality, Ashley Anderson, to get a few tips for elegant, stress-free celebrations.
RO: Let’s say I’m hosting a friendsgiving dinner on a budget. I don’t want to spend hours setting up, but I want it to feel like an event and not just a hangout. What are some simple elements of a holiday dinner that instantly make it feel elevated?
AA: Think stations. Your guests should have no question about where things are. Having a station for beverages, having an appetizer station, and having the dinner set out will make it feel fancier than it is.
Also linen napkins! You can buy cheap linen napkins at Home Goods or, you know, wherever.
RO: This friendsgiving is a potluck, so I don’t have a lot of control over the food. Any tips for making sure we have a good balance to eat? How do I prepare my space to make everyone’s dish accessible and make sure anyone with dietary restrictions knows what works for them?
AA: As the host, you do have some control. You can do this in a few different ways. Either you start a group conversation about what dishes are being brought, and so everyone else is seeing the dishes, or you build categories. Like a protein, sides, and you open that up to people. Or you just straight out assign people like “Hey Maggie, you’re bringing potatoes. Katie, you’re bringing green beans.” That way you have a bit more control over that.
And then I would just say, assign the guests with those dietary issues you know about specific items that they can eat. So, if that looks like rolls, right? They can bring gluten-free rolls. Or, if you’re the hostess with the mostess, you can just make sure to have all of those things on hand.
RO: We’ve been focused on hosting, but what about being a guest? What are some good ways to make the host feel appreciated?
AA: A gift - and it doesn’t have to be fancy. Like a bottle of wine if you know that person consumes wine. Alcohol is not always a great choice if you're unsure. You know, if this is your first time going to someone’s house I would say don’t bring alcohol. Bring either a floral arrangement that fits the invite theme or bring hand towels. Everybody loves hand towels! Bring tea or mulling spices, especially around the holiday season. That’s a great one - like a mug and mulling spices for cider. I think those are all great things, but just something little to say thank you to your host/hostess.
And then, be on time! That’s a gift in and of itself. And don’t overstay your welcome.
RO: Any other go-to habits you use during the holidays to keep stress out of your celebrations?
AA: Don’t overcomplicate it. Use shortcuts when they make sense. The grocery store has so many great things anymore that can just trim up time. So, don’t overcomplicate things. Do keep it simple to some extent. People like simplicity.
RO: What a perfect note to end on! Thank you Ashley!
And with that wisdom, I wish you all very happy holiday partying! May you have the best time celebrating with the people you love.
All photos in this post are taken by Ivy and Fern Co. from a dinner celebrating our very own Katie Murphy and her husband Matt as they prepared to become parents.
xoxo, Rebecca
