4 Ways to Take the Stress Out of Holiday Entertaining

There’s nothing quite as comforting and satisfying during the holiday season as a house full of family and friends, spending time together and taking pleasure in each other’s company. If you love entertaining but hate the stress of planning, decorating and cooking everything, it’s time to make things easier on yourself. Fortunately, there are many time-saving tips you can follow that will help you stress less and enjoy the season more.

Write it down. It’s much easier to stay on top of things if you have a written plan to follow.

• Before grocery shopping, decide which recipes you want to use and go through each one, noting which ingredients you already have and which will need to be purchased. Do the shopping well before your get-together.
• Before cooking, make a food prep schedule that details cooking times to help coordinate when each dish needs to go into the oven.
• Make a list of everything that needs to be done before the big event, then assign yourself a few tasks each day to keep from getting overwhelmed.

Prepare food ahead of time. Many dishes can be cooked weeks ahead of time and frozen. This works particularly well for breads, casseroles and certain desserts, so be sure to incorporate these into your menu so you can get some of the work done in advance.

Don’t be afraid to delegate. There is no shame in asking friends and family to contribute to the meal. In fact, most people are more than happy to do so because it allows them to showcase their own cooking talents, and ensures that their favorite dish is part of the celebration.

Take time to relax. As much as you want everything to be perfect, it doesn’t have to be. Your loved ones are more interested in spending time with you than a spotless house or 20 different appetizers. Take time to sit down and watch some holiday classics with the kids, listen to your favorite Christmas music, or sip some eggnog or hot chocolate in front of a cozy fire.

Get Your Home Ready

If your home needs some sprucing up before holiday guests arrive, the Handyman Connection team can take care of that, whether it’s painting, hanging holiday lights or another project you need help with. Give us a call today at 1-800-88-HANDY to get your free project estimate.