How To Host Your First Christmas Dinner

  • November 4, 2009
  • 3,600 Views

carlo_scialla from Carlo Scialla (and 3 others)

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These tips and tricks will help you pull together a fabulous celebration without losing your holiday spirit – or your mind!

You Will Need

  • Adequate seating and tableware
  • All the family's favorite foods
  • Christmas ornaments or bunches of red and green grapes
  • Candles
  • A cleaning service (optional)
How To Host Your First Christmas Dinner: Check logistics

Step 1: Check logistics

Figure out if you have enough chairs, seating space, and tableware. Borrow from friends and neighbors to fill any holes. Or check out a thrift store; if you don’t need or want it afterward, donate it back.

Throw some cushions on the floor around your coffee table and let little guests eat there.

How To Host Your First Christmas Dinner: Call your guests

Step 2: Call your guests

Call your guests so you have a handle on how many people are coming – and an excuse to fish for contributions. People often want to contribute, especially if it ensures that their holiday favorite will be on the table.

How To Host Your First Christmas Dinner: Ask for help

Step 3: Ask for help

Don’t be shy about asking for assistance before, during, and after. You’ll need all the help you can preparing the food, getting your home ready, serving, and cleaning up afterward.

If your budget allows it, hire a cleaning service a day or two before.

How To Host Your First Christmas Dinner: Have all the family favorites

Step 4: Have all the family favorites

Honor family traditions, even if you personally think that egg nog is nauseating and fruitcake isn’t really dessert. If it’s important to someone, serve it – and let them take the leftovers home.

How To Host Your First Christmas Dinner: Finalize your menu

Step 5: Finalize your menu

Finalize your menu and go shopping. Figure out what you can make a day or two ahead so that the big day is not such a rush. And remember: Now is not the time to attempt a dish you’ve never tried.

How To Host Your First Christmas Dinner: Don't pull any surprises

Step 6: Don't pull any surprises

When it comes to dinner, don’t surprise your guests with tofurkey if they’ve always had a Christmas ham. If you want to serve something different, make it in addition to, not instead of, the family favorite.

Plan on these per-person servings: One pound of meat, a half-cup of potatoes, half-cup of each vegetable side dish, two dinner rolls, an eighth of a pie or cake, and three of each kind of cookie.

How To Host Your First Christmas Dinner: Make a simple centerpiece

Step 7: Make a simple centerpiece

Make a simple table centerpiece out of a bowl of ornaments in two colors, like gold and red, or a bowl filled with bunches of red and green grapes, perhaps surrounding a pillar candle. Line the table with votive candles. You’re all set!

Candy canes evolved from candy crooks, a sweet invented in 17th-century Germany to keep children quiet during Christmas church services.

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Comments (5)

ablang

I'll probably never host my own X-Mas dinner, but this will come in handy for hosting dinner parties in general.

over 2 years ago by ablang

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Teresab

How to I make the company leave before the dinner but after giving me gifts?

over 2 years ago by Teresab

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