The Ultimate Guide to Holiday Entertainment

Take the stress out of holiday entertaining and make the absolute most of your festivities this season with the ultimate guide on how to prepare, delight, indulge, and cherish every second of the most wonderful time of the year.

It’s that special time of year again and festivities are upon us. In the northern hemisphere, we retreat into our homes as either the snow or the darkness blankets our homes, tucking us in early for the night. For those in the house, days become longer and celebrations are given more light than any candle could illuminate. In this guide, we will lead you through our tips for entertaining this season.

Prepare

When preparing to entertain family, friends, or perhaps opening up your home to neighbors, allow yourself plenty of prep time. While the holidays are centered around giving to others, don’t forget to give to yourself! Before planning your event, find the time to envisage how you would like it to go. Make a list (remembering to check it twice!) of who you would like to attend, a mood board of visuals (slice through magazine pages or turn to Pinterest for inspiration), visualize how you would like yourself and guests to feel at your event. The time you take now will open you up to share in the festivities, stress free.

Delight

Remember the early mornings when you rushed to see what had been left for you under the tree, or the joy of chocolates wrapped in foil, smuggled to you under the table by your Aunts. Sprinkle your home with a little nostalgia and magic to delight your guests. Create the stage that will put glows upon your guests’ faces from the moment they walk in.

• Candles: Who can deny the attraction of a home lit up with the ambient incandescence of candles? From small tea lights arranged on mass, to tall tapered candles in a modern table setting, we like the idea of arranging them in varying heights as an ode to the classic candelabra or perhaps your Hanukkah Menorah.

• Flower arranging: Winter in the Northern hemisphere still has bounty in leaves even if the flowers have long since passed. Look to your local florist for unique seasonal bunches or become inspired by the Decorator’s Notebook, and forage for wild decorations. The foliage of winter offers a menagerie of tonal greens, with the added bonus of red and white berries, holly, and perhaps even a sprig or two of mistletoe!

• Table setting: The table is the heart of your gathering. It is the place where guest will gather to share stories and delight over food. Take note from the above tips or go one step further and create a festive menu with individual handwritten seat allocation.

• Music: No matter how many times we hear the same songs every year, somehow it never becomes boring. The tunes shared around the holidays have the potential to rekindle memories of the past and welcome a cozy atmosphere to your event. From jazz Christmas playlists, through to ‘hygge’ tracks to welcome in guests from the cold.

Indulge

Prepare a feast to satisfy every taste bud and have full bellies all round. The holidays are a time to indulge in food that was created for the description ‘sumptuous’. Look to decadent food boards for inspiration on both edible and visual feasts for your table. Gather ideas from Design Love Fest for grazing inspiration. As for drinks, spruce up the glasses with gem-like pomegranate seeds, and a twists of clementine.

Cherish

The holiday season is filled with nostalgia. While you often find yourself looking back on gatherings of the past, it is also an opportunity to make new memories for the future. Cherish the people that you surround yourself with this time of year. Share what you are thankful for (out loud or perhaps a gratitude tree, inspired by Yoko Ono peace trees). Photograph the joyful faces of your guests and relax in the company of your nearest and dearest. Welcome to the most wonderful time of the year!