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Dreaming of a stress-free holiday party

Christine — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:11:53 +0000

Dreaming of a stress-free holiday party

(ARA) – The holidays are the perfect time to reconnect and mingle with family and friends. However, the stress of hosting holiday get-togethers can sometimes be discouraging. This year, avoid a festivity fiasco by keeping in mind the following five preparation tips:

1. Turn kitchen chatters into hostess helpers: The day before your party, dig out all of the serving dishes you plan to use. After cleaning off the dusty ones, write the name of each menu item on a piece of self-stick paper, and place it on the appropriate dish. That way, when your kitchen visitors ask to help, you can simply point them to the pre-selected serving pieces that need to be filled.

2. Be your own barista: Add a creative and interactive activity to your party with a hot beverage bar; apple cider, cocoa and coffee can all be given a holiday twist by guests. Simply go to your local grocery store or specialty food shop for a selection of colored sugars, flavored sauces, marshmallows, whipped cream and cinnamon and peppermint sticks for your guests to add to their drinks. Not only is this a yummy addition to any holiday party, but it will keep your guests entertained while you’re putting the last touches on your holiday dessert.

3. Let the food be the star: Almost everyone likes the warm, sweet smells of the holiday season, but avoid the urge to stock up on and burn scented holiday candles that can overpower a room. Instead, reach for the scentless candles in festive holiday colors and allow the aroma of your food and beverages to set the mood.

4. Give the gift of leftovers: Everyone likes to share their leftovers but no one likes to rush around looking for matching bowls and lids when it’s time for guests to go home. Make this process easier by using inexpensive wax-lined paper cartons (bought at craft stores). This will allow guests to transport food home without the hassle of returning your expensive storage containers – something everyone will appreciate. If you have extra time before the party starts, customize containers by adding each guest’s name and the date of your party.

5. ‘Tis the season for drips, dribbles and spills: Stains left by gravy, red wine and cranberry sauce are some of the toughest to remove, and they are all, unfortunately, par for the course at holiday gatherings. Luckily, hosts and hostesses can turn to an expert this holiday season for stain advice: The Clorox Holiday Stain Hotline (877) STAIN-411, hosted by stain scientist Mary Gagliardi (a.k.a. “Dr. Laundry”), will be available 24/7 throughout the season. Callers simply dial up the hotline, choose from a selection of the season’s toughest stain dilemmas, and are guided through the proper course of treatment. Now, you can also celebrate those inevitable messy moments at www.bleachitaway.com a new community that invites visitors to share their own stories and commiserate with other moment survivors, while receiving real-time advice and solutions from Clorox’s panel of cleaning and laundry experts. Everyone who shares a story has a chance to win $25,000.

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Easing the stress of hosting guests during the holiday season

Christine — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:23:48 +0000

Easing the stress of hosting guests during the holiday season

(ARA) – Whether it’s for the holidays or another big occasion, hosting people in your home can be both gratifying and stressful. It can be especially tricky when you’re entertaining out of town guests for days at a time. By planning ahead, you can avoid some of the common pitfalls that can cause a gathering to go south in a hurry and ensure that both you and your guests have such a great time that everyone will be looking forward to the next get-together once it’s all over.

Here are some common challenges of hosting guests at your home and solutions for getting around them:

Problem: Overcrowding. Sharing space – particularly bathrooms and bedrooms – can cause conflict.
Solution: Organize the chaos by setting out towels and mini bathroom toiletries in guests’ rooms. You can develop a bathroom schedule for the morning so everyone has time to get ready for the day and no one ends up going without a shower.

Don’t be ashamed to admit that you don’t have the space to host overnight guests in your own home. Your guests will thank you for pointing them in the direction of a comfortable hotel that feels like a home away from home, so they can spread out and have their own space. Consider an all-suites hotel brand like Embassy Suites Hotels, where guests get two-room suites with separate living and sleeping areas, free cooked-to-order breakfast and a free, nightly Manager’s Reception.

Problem: Cabin fever. Guests become bored or restless at your home.
Solution: No matter how much you love your friends and family, being crammed together in one house can make everyone a little stir crazy. If your guests are in town for a few days, consider a planned activity like bowling or visiting a local museum. These activities will offer some variety, as well as promote interaction and conversation among guests. It’s also a good idea to allow your guests some time to explore on their own. Providing maps and brochures on local attractions is a nice touch.

Problem: Meals. Feeding multiple mouths can be a challenge.
Solution: Don’t feel obliged to provide every meal while your guests are in town. It’s a good idea to have easy snacks, beverages and fixings for sandwiches on hand should your guests want something simple and easy. Check with guests in advance to determine if anyone has a food allergy or alternately, a favorite snack you can stock up on.

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Holiday Entertaining Made Easy

Jennifer — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:16:01 +0000

Tip: Heat up some apple cider with some cinnamon, clove and oranges for a delicious drink and get your guests in the holiday spirit right when they walk in the door.

Holiday entertaining can feel overwhelming to even the most seasoned host. Between shopping, cooking, cleaning and decorating, it can feel like there’s no time left to enjoy the festivities. But with a little time management and some creativity, having friends and family over to celebrate can be fun again.

A holiday hostess is always looking for ways to sweeten her holiday entertaining. “Make the season a success by reinventing holiday traditions,” says entertaining expert Cathy Riva, founder of Manhattan-based Riva Events and host of Discovery Home Channel’s Party Girl. “If you normally provide all the food for friends and family, try having everyone bring a favorite dish this year. It will cut down on preparation time while allowing guests to show off their cooking and baking skills.”

Riva offers more advice on how to put the fun back into hosting during the holidays.

To make everyone at a holiday party feel special without blowing the budget on personalized goodies, add creative touches on items such as seating cards. Using a holiday gift card or tag can be a festive, easy and inexpensive way to designate seating.

When it comes to meal planning, entertaining for family and friends can often mean catering to a variety of individual tastes and preferences. Plan to provide a meatless entree alternative for vegetarian guests — a hearty pasta dish is a good standby. Always provide a few interesting, non-alcoholic drink options beyond soda and lastly, create a more healthful take on some of those favorite holiday recipes by substituting Splenda No Calorie Sweetener for sugar in your cooking and baking.

Now that entertaining and meal planning are more manageable, Riva recommends using SplendidLife.com as a one-stop-shop for gifts, kitchen supplies and hosting materials. “SplendidLife.com is a great help!” says Riva. “In one place I can find all my entertaining items — from bakeware to beverage accessories to traditional and modern serving pieces, as well as a wide array of unique items for holiday gift-giving made easy.”

Too often the hosts forget about the ambiance of a party. Riva suggests simple items around the house that can help make the atmosphere of any gathering warm and merry:

* Heat up some apple cider with some cinnamon, clove and oranges for a delicious drink and get your guests in the holiday spirit right when they walk in the door. Nothing says holidays like a home that smells warm and inviting.

* Dim the lights to provide a friendly, cozy atmosphere. If dimmers are unavailable, try other options such as changing the direction of the light source or using ambient lighting such as candles.

* Keep a few of your favorite recipes and Splenda sweetener products on hand when you need to whip up a quick and delicious dip, appetizer or dessert for unexpected guests.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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