I dream of the day that I own my own home with a dining table large enough for at least 10 people. Is that over kill? It might be, but I really do dream of that. I can see the garland cascading down the 7′ long table perfectly puddling on the floor with twinkle lights and candles intertwined as family and friends gather for Christmas. While I might not have my own home yet, I have been lucky enough to help my father-in-law host Christmas the past two years. This means I’m decking all the halls, adorning every door with a wreath, and filling the Christmas dinner table with pretty little details. After doing this for a few years I’ve picked up and figured out some easy tips for hosting Christmas.

Easy Tips For Hosting Christmas 

One: Decorate With Easy To Find Items

• Christmas is the perfect time of year to bring a little bit of the outdoors inside. Mother nature is bursting at the seams with the perfect green foliage (at least in California), pinecones, etc. Adding those natural elements to your dinner table are easy and simple but can pack a big punch. Don’t forget the candles… candles on their own can make a beautiful table.

Two: Set The Table the Day Before 

• I don’t know about you guys, but when I set a table, I set it once and then change it at least 3 times. Needless to say, it’s too much for me to do the day of and I always make sure it’s done the day before. That way I can do all the tweaking I want and not feel stressed about a time crunch.

Three: Make A Self-Serve Bar

• It can be on a super cute bar cart that is all gussied up, or it can be as simple as setting the beverages and glasses out on the counter. I feel like when you’re not worrying about guests’ drinks you can relax more than if you were constantly playing bartender.

Four: Preparation Is Key

• Do as much prep work as you can the day before. Desserts? Make them the night before. Potatoes? Those can definitely be made the day before. You get the idea….if it can hold well for at least 24-hours, make it ahead of time. If it isn’t something that holds well, prep the ingredients beforehand and make it the day of.

Five: Rent It If You Don’t Have It

• If you don’t have enough china, chairs, or serving pieces, rent it from a local company. This will save you from from running around from store to store to find what you need and spending a ton of money on it. The best part about rental companies is that they deliver, making it even less stressful for you. If you live in Northern California then you should check out Bright.

Six: Stick With What You Know

• Do not, I repeat, do not try some fancy schmancy new recipe the day of Christmas. Stick to receipes that are tried and true, that you know will turn out good. If you’re eyeing a new recipe that you really want to make, do a dry run ahead of time and see if you need to do any tweaking. Now I’m not the best cook in town but I do know that the second time I make a new recipe it turns out better than the first because I know what needs tweaking.

Seven: Light The Mood

• The easiest way to decorate and set the mood is with twinkle lights and candles. They are so festive and cozy this time of year!

Eight: Skip The Full Bar

• Save yourself the trouble and just offer beer and wine along with non-alochilc options. There’s no need to offer a variety of cocktails. If you really do want to offer cocktails opt to have a signature cocktail or two. Make it something that you can pre-make the mix before. Better yet, make the cocktail something that guests can serve themselves at the self-serve bar I mentioned above. One of my favorite is this pomegranate moscow mule and this pomegranate champagne cocktail.

Nine: If Guests Offer To Bring Something, Let Them

• This one may seem weird if you’re the one hosting, but if guests offer to bring something, let them. Maybe it’s making a dessert, that means it’s one less dessert for you to do and allows you to put that time somewhere else.

Hopefully these tips help whether you’re hosting your 1st or 15th Christmas! I’d also love to know if you have another tips, so feel free to comment below! Keep a lookout for our Christmas card reveal coming to the blog on Saturday (I hoping all our friends and family have received them by them, if not I may wait until Christmas eve).